ISLAMABAD: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) conducted a conference honoring student support services as part of its Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA). Over 90 officials and teachers from 16 partner universities in Pakistan attended this year’s event.
Anne Flaker, Director of Education for USAID/Pakistan, and Dr. Ayesha Razzaque, Acting Chief of Party HESSA, presided over the opening session of the four-day annual event. Dr. Randy McCrillis, Dean of Students at the University of Utah, and Ms. Gwendolyn Schaefer from the Institute of International Education in the United States provided participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop strategies to strengthen the structure and mechanisms for student support services in their respective higher education institutions. This annual summit honors the continuous engagement between the US and Pakistani governments, as well as the collaboration to increase access to quality higher education for all Pakistanis.
Dr. Razzaque spoke during the event, emphasizing the importance of diversity and the need to alter the campus student experience. She added that we should learn from each other as an active and engaged community of practice in order to elevate the status and influence of student affairs professionals within institutions and the broader higher education community.
In her remarks, Anne Flaker, USAID/Pakistan’s Director of Education, echoed a similar sentiment that our combined contributions under the Higher Education Systems Strengthening Activity can broaden student horizons, cultivate holistic mindsets, develop soft skills that foster youth development, and inspire youth to innovate and transform Pakistan’s socio-economic landscape.
During the annual event, international experts from the University of Utah and the Institute of International Education provided training and encouraged discussions. They helped participants in reviewing and updating their strategic plans and initiatives for the upcoming year.
The University of Utah implements HESSA, which helps the Higher Education Commission and 16 partner universities in Pakistan build institutional capacity to foster market-led education and research. Financial aid, student leadership and programming, student microenterprise development, career readiness, alumni growth and engagement, and mental health were among the six main areas covered at the summit.
The US is dedicated to improving higher education in Pakistan and empowering all Pakistanis through quality education. Visit usaid.gov/pakistan/education for more information on USAID/Pakistan’s education support.
