STAFF REPORT
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed has stressed the need for setting up a ‘Pakistan Window’ at the University of Oxford and an ‘Oxford University Window’ at HEC to facilitate the Pakistani students and researchers to avail different opportunities and programs at the University of Oxford.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said this while talking to a delegation of the University of Oxford and Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) during their visit to HEC Secretariat. The delegation called on Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed and senior HEC management and discussed ways to address the issue of Pakistan’s under-representation at the University of Oxford.
Welcoming the delegates, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed shed light on the profile and objectives of HEC. He assured the delegation of HEC’s support in increasing access of Pakistani students and scholars to the University of Oxford. He said HEC would facilitate institution-to-institution collaboration in academic and research areas.
Scholarships for Pakistani students
The HEC Chairman stressed the need for joint efforts to enhance the number of Pakistani scholars in Oxford, where only 22 Pakistani students have been granted scholarships for higher studies.
He highlighted the achievements of the Pakistan-UK Education Gateway and urged for the commencement of other practical measures, including sponsorship for the mobility of students and scholars.
The Chairman emphasized that the Pakistan Chair at Oxford must be made functional.
He said that the Pakistani diaspora, especially the Pakistani families living in the UK for generations, must be provided opportunities to get acquainted with their ancestral culture by extending them internships and other opportunities in the best Pakistani institutions.
He also underlined the areas of joint research on global challenges, postdoctoral fellowship, and leadership training programs for collaboration between the Pakistani universities and the University of Oxford.
Oxford University facilitating Pakistani students
Principal Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, Prof. Stephen Blyth, who headed the delegation, appreciated HEC’s role in promoting higher education and research in Pakistan.
He hoped that the efforts of HEC to develop university-to-university collaboration would help increase access of Pakistani students to study at Oxford and address the issue of Pakistan’s under-representation in the university.
The main objectives of OPP include raising Pakistan’s academic profile and studies related to Pakistan at the University of Oxford; acting as a bridge between Pakistan’s academic community and the University of Oxford through the exchange of scholars and sharing of scholarship; and increasing the representation of British Pakistani and Pakistani students at the University of Oxford.
The Oxford University delegation comprised Dr. Nick Brown; Associate, Tavistock Consulting Ms. Fiona Blyth; Development Director, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, Mr Richard Hunt; and Professor at Oxford Department of International Development Oxford University, Prof. Adeel Malik; while the delegation from OPP included Lecturer in Material Sciences, Oxford, Dr Talha Pirzada; Associate at Travers Smith LLP, Mr Haroon Zaman; Associate Director, Barclays Bank, Ms Minahil Saqib; Vice President, Blackrock London, Dr Mohsin Javed; and Coordinator OPP in Pakistan, Mr Ahmad Owais Pirzada. Director of Development, Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, Mr Yasir Irfan, also accompanied the delegates.
From the HEC side, the meeting was attended by Executive Director HEC Dr Shaista Sohail, Adviser, Quality Assurance & Global Engagement HEC Mr Awais Ahmed, Adviser Academics, Accreditation and National Academy of Higher Education Engr. Muhammad Raza Chohan, and Adviser Planning, Development, and Finance Engr. Dr. Muhammad Mazhar Saeed.
