Pakistan's Growing Education Market
Although the growth in the total number Pakistanis studying abroad has slowed since the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001 in the United States, the world's sixth most populous nation continues to be among the leading sources of foreign students in America, Europe, Australia and new emerging higher education destinations in Asia.
As the number of Pakistani students in the United States has declined from a peak of 8,644 students (ranked 13th) in 2001-02 to 5,222 in 2009-10 (ranked 23rd), English-speaking OECD nations of the United Kingdom and Australia have become the biggest beneficiaries getting increasing market share of the Pakistan education market. Both nations have benefited in spite of the fact that the UK and Australian visa rejection rates for Pakistanis are higher than for students from other nations.
A recent British Council report says that 9,815 Pakistani students (Source: HESA) put Pakistan among one of the top six countries which account for 54 percent of the UK’s (non-EU) international students. Since September 2001, it has become the market leader, a place previously held by the US. In addition to Canada in North America, several Northern European countries, including Sweden and Finland, have also become quite active in marketing their education in Pakistan. As a result, these nations are attracting thousands of Pakistani students to their universities.
There is also an upward trend in Pakistani students studying in Australia. 8,458 Pakistani students studied in Australia in 2009/2010, increase of 11/4% over 2008/2009 (Source: AEI).
The US is beginning to pick up more of the Pakistani education market share after a significant decline since 911, with its simplified visa procedures and increased marketing efforts, and the excellent scholarship opportunities that they have to offer Pakistani students. Pakistan now has the world's largest Fulbright Scholarship Program with over 200 scholarships offered to Pakistani students for advanced degrees in 2011.
Beyond the traditional destinations in OECD nations, newly industrialized countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are more visible in Pakistan and perceived as offering quality education at lower prices.
Pakistanis take education seriously. They spend more time in schools and colleges and graduate at a higher rates than their Indian counterparts in 15+ age group, according to a report on educational achievement by Harvard University researchers Robert Barro and Jong-Wha Lee.
With rising urban middle class, there is substantial and growing demand in Pakistan from students, parents and employers for private quality higher education along with a willingness and capacity to pay relatively high tuition and fees, according to the findings of Austrade, an Australian govt agency promoting trade. Private institutions are seeking affiliations with universities abroad to ensure they offer information and training that is of international standards.
Trans-national education (TNE) is a growing market in Pakistan and recent data shows evidence of over 40 such programs running successfully in affiliation with British universities at undergraduate and graduate level, according to The British Council. Overall, the UK takes about 65 per cent of the TNE market in Pakistan.
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
Pakistani Graduation Rate Higher Than India's
India and Pakistan Contrasted in 2011
Educational Attainment Dataset By Robert Barro and Jong-Wha Lee
Quality of Higher Education in India and Pakistan
Developing Pakistan's Intellectual Capital
Intellectual Wealth of Nations
Pakistan's Story After 64 Years of Independence
Pakistan Ahead of India on Key Human Development Indices
Institute of International Education--Open Doors
UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency Report
Austrade on Education in Pakistan
As the number of Pakistani students in the United States has declined from a peak of 8,644 students (ranked 13th) in 2001-02 to 5,222 in 2009-10 (ranked 23rd), English-speaking OECD nations of the United Kingdom and Australia have become the biggest beneficiaries getting increasing market share of the Pakistan education market. Both nations have benefited in spite of the fact that the UK and Australian visa rejection rates for Pakistanis are higher than for students from other nations.
A recent British Council report says that 9,815 Pakistani students (Source: HESA) put Pakistan among one of the top six countries which account for 54 percent of the UK’s (non-EU) international students. Since September 2001, it has become the market leader, a place previously held by the US. In addition to Canada in North America, several Northern European countries, including Sweden and Finland, have also become quite active in marketing their education in Pakistan. As a result, these nations are attracting thousands of Pakistani students to their universities.
There is also an upward trend in Pakistani students studying in Australia. 8,458 Pakistani students studied in Australia in 2009/2010, increase of 11/4% over 2008/2009 (Source: AEI).
The US is beginning to pick up more of the Pakistani education market share after a significant decline since 911, with its simplified visa procedures and increased marketing efforts, and the excellent scholarship opportunities that they have to offer Pakistani students. Pakistan now has the world's largest Fulbright Scholarship Program with over 200 scholarships offered to Pakistani students for advanced degrees in 2011.
Beyond the traditional destinations in OECD nations, newly industrialized countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are more visible in Pakistan and perceived as offering quality education at lower prices.
Pakistanis take education seriously. They spend more time in schools and colleges and graduate at a higher rates than their Indian counterparts in 15+ age group, according to a report on educational achievement by Harvard University researchers Robert Barro and Jong-Wha Lee.
With rising urban middle class, there is substantial and growing demand in Pakistan from students, parents and employers for private quality higher education along with a willingness and capacity to pay relatively high tuition and fees, according to the findings of Austrade, an Australian govt agency promoting trade. Private institutions are seeking affiliations with universities abroad to ensure they offer information and training that is of international standards.
Trans-national education (TNE) is a growing market in Pakistan and recent data shows evidence of over 40 such programs running successfully in affiliation with British universities at undergraduate and graduate level, according to The British Council. Overall, the UK takes about 65 per cent of the TNE market in Pakistan.
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
Pakistani Graduation Rate Higher Than India's
India and Pakistan Contrasted in 2011
Educational Attainment Dataset By Robert Barro and Jong-Wha Lee
Quality of Higher Education in India and Pakistan
Developing Pakistan's Intellectual Capital
Intellectual Wealth of Nations
Pakistan's Story After 64 Years of Independence
Pakistan Ahead of India on Key Human Development Indices
Institute of International Education--Open Doors
UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency Report
Austrade on Education in Pakistan
Comments
Pakistan has a rare opportunity to capitalise on its population bulge, fast turning into a ‘youth bulge’. It is faced with a demographic transition whereby the size of the working age population (15-64 years) will expand to occupy a larger share of the total population. This is expected to decrease the dependency ratio, lead to increased savings and long-term investment trends as more people will be working. This outcome has a direct influence on economic growth. But provided that the working age people are actually working and that the gender and educational gap do not keep potential workforces including females, out of the job market.
With around 50 per cent of the population below 20 years and 60 per cent below 30 years, Pakistan is poised for a ‘demographic dividend’, with its workforce growing at a faster rate than total population. This trend is estimated to continue for the next 30-40 years, depending upon the country’s pace of development. Pakistan’s population is projected to reach a staggering 350 million by 2050, almost double its present size, not a very encouraging indicator by itself. But the projected age structure in various demographic studies shows a sizable share to be occupied by the working age group progressively.
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A successful outcome will finally depend on the economy’s ability to absorb the multiplying work force into productive employment. This requires a proactive approach from policy makers to develop a comprehensive framework for infrastructure development and manpower training. The immense benefits and equally innumerable risks involved have to be timely realised.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/275878/demographic-dividend--opportunity-or-threat/
The US Ambassador further said Pakistanis who doubt that US assistance has borne fruit in Pakistan would be surprised to know that they have tasted it, adding, “Pakistan’s most popular citrus fruit, the kinoo, comes from California. USAID brought kinoo seeds to Pakistan in the 1960s. Today, we are helping export Pakistan’s sweetest fruit, the mango, in the other direction.”
“In the 1950s, we brought together the University of Karachi, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, and the University of Southern California to establish a campus in Karachi to meet the demand for business managers in the bustling port city.”
“USAID sponsored the project and the Institute of Business Administration became Pakistan’s first business school and one of the first outside of North America. IBA is recognized today as one of South Asia’s leading institutions,” he maintained.
Ambassador Munter said in 1965, Dr. Norman Borlaug, who later won the Nobel Prize for his contribution to agricultural research, came to Pakistan to introduce his new high-yielding variety of wheat.
“We worked with the Lyallpur Rotary Club to support a program that gave individual farmers a bushel of the new generation of seed if, when the harvest came in, they returned the bushel so we could give it to someone else. While modest in scope, this small project brought Lyallpur into the Green Revolution that in turn converted a food deficit region into an exporter of grains,” he added.
In the 1960s and ’70s, a consortium of U.S. construction firms employing Pakistanis, Americans, Brits, Canadians, Germans, and Irish built the two mighty dams of Tarbela and Mangla with USAID and World Bank financing, US Ambassador said, adding, “Those engineering feats – more complex than anywhere in the world at that time – soon accounted for 70 per cent of the country’s power output and made Pakistan a leading provider of clean energy.”
In the 1980s, the US Ambassador said, with USAID’s assistance, Pakistan’s private industry founded the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
“Pakistanis approached us with the idea for the new institution and we agreed to support it with a contribution of $ 10 million. Today, LUMS incubates the ideas and nurtures the leaders who are critical to Pakistan’s future,” he remarked.
Ambassador Munter said, since the inception of the Fulbright scholarship program, nearly 3,000 Pakistanis have studied in the United States and close to 1,000 Americans have studied in Pakistan, adding, today, the U.S. Fulbright program in Pakistan is the largest in the world.
Key to all these successes was that Pakistanis owned them.
We may have helped sow the seeds but Pakistanis made sure the flowers blossomed, he said, adding, “aid is a catalyst and its success depends on those who receive it.”
“So today, while we help complete dams in Gomal Zam and Satpara and rehabilitate power plants in Muzaffargarh and Jamshoro, only Pakistanis can put an end to circular debt by paying their bills and holding the system accountable.”
“While we work to cultivate international markets for Pakistan’s fruit and fashion, only Pakistanis can deliver quality products that can compete. While we pay for road construction in South Waziristan, only Pakistanis can provide the local population with economic opportunities to make use of those roads.
While we build schools in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, only Pakistanis can ensure that qualified teachers show up to teach in them,” the US Ambassador maintained.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/04/pakistan-us-relationship-dogged-by-history-munter.html
Pakistan remains an important and rewarding market for the UK but it is equally a challenging environment in which to operate. Virtual exhibitions, as an appropriate remote method of recruitment, have a role in developing a flexible, sustainable approach to service provision that is appropriate to the unique operating context in Pakistan.
With a rapid increase in the number of Internet users and Internet Service Providers, and a large English-speaking population, Pakistani society has seen an unparalleled revolution in communications. Internet access has been available in Pakistan since the mid-1990s. Pakistan is reported as the most connected country in South Asia, with the highest teledensity. Today there are over 20 million frequent internet users in Pakistan.
The core objectives of developing our virtual exhibitions’ offering are to:
To provide an opportunity to showcase UK education to the public and key influencers via an interactive on-line platform
Provide a cost-effective means of outreach in the current economic climate
Offer an alternative to the traditional exhibition format in a market where delivery of a standard exhibition is not viable
.Today, Razzak is a renowned emergency medicine expert and the executive director of the Aman Foundation. He started his schooling at a humble primary school in Lyari, completing his secondary education from Nasira School in Depot Lines. Not one to be held back, the hard-working student subsequently attended Adamjee Science College where his impressive grades and unbounded enthusiasm won him a scholarship at the prestigious Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), the top private medical institution in the country.
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In collaboration with the Edhi Ambulance Service, an arm of the philanthropic Edhi organisation and the largest volunteer ambulance network in the world, he researched and analysed road traffic injuries and emergency cases. Edhi had a mountain of documentation for every call and every case it had handled in the last two decades. The downside? None of it was digitised, so he spent days sifting through it manually.
The experience stayed with him, and the data revealed a disturbing pattern. Gruesome injuries, often suffered by the poorest members of society, were often improperly handled by well-meaning doctors, simply because of a lack of know-how. These mistakes frequently, and literally, led to the loss of life and limb.
Yet, Razzak soon realised that he needed more professional training and specialisation courses before he could progress further. He sat for the US Medical Licensing Exams (MLE) and had observations at the Beth Israel Medical Centre, New York, and the Yale-New Haven Hospital, Connecticut. In 1996, his residency and training programme at Yale University’s School of Medicine started and in 1999, he was given the ‘Best Trainee’ award by the State of Connecticut.
On the personal front, Yale was also important for the doctor since he met his future wife there. Following graduation, the two stayed in the US for a few years, always looking forward to the time when they would return home. “The plan was always to come back,” says Razzak. “That’s why we never bought a house, never completely settled in.”
Before they could come back, Razzak did his PhD in Public Health at the world-renowned Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, where he focused on the use of ambulance data for monitoring road traffic accidents. Finally, in 2005, the studious boy from Kharadar returned to Pakistan as a successful, qualified expert in emergency medicine.
He joined his alma mater, AKUH as a faculty member and went on to successfully found Pakistan’s first emergency medicine service (EMS) training programme at the university. “There were many doctors who were awarded their degrees without ever administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as it wasn’t a requirement,” he reveals.
This changed when his EMS programme became a mandatory rotation that all students had to serve. Subsequently, Razzak went on to build and head a new emergency department. Yet, the battle was just half won. Students in the new department faced a dilemma, similar to the one Razzak had as a student. They were required to go to the United Kingdom to sit for their exam, otherwise they would not be considered qualified.
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Determined to remove, for others, the hurdles that he himself had crossed only after many toils, Razzak collaborated with the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) to organise a curriculum for the specialised field. The first batch for this course was enrolled last year. Now students wanting to specialise in emergency medicine will be able to obtain certification in their chosen field, without having to travel abroad....
http://tribune.com.pk/story/300042/positive-pakistani-call-of-duty/
About 89% graduates of the latest batch of MBAs have already found jobs, said Dr Ishrat Husain, dean and director of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), while addressing the 12th convocation of the institute here on Friday.
He said recent IBA MBAs received on average the monthly salary of Rs42,000, which was significantly higher than what the graduates of other business schools received.
As for the BBA programme, Husain said 74% graduates had found jobs as of November. “Ten per cent of the BBA graduates have joined family businesses, 7% decided to pursue higher studies, and only 9% are currently looking for jobs.”
He said the average monthly salary of an IBA graduate with a BBA degree was Rs33,000.
“The BBA is now a terminal degree, and BBA graduates will henceforth be entering the job market as management trainees,” he said.
Talking to The Express Tribune, MBA graduate Taha Ekram said half of his classmates had received multiple job offers before graduation. Ekram, who now works for a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company as a researcher, said IBA had undergone significant changes during the past three years. “Things are getting better. Standards have improved, and IBA’s reputation is more established now.”
He said the banking sector did not absorb as many IBA graduates this year as it did during the past many years. “They’re apparently not hiring this year. Banks used to be the major employers of IBA graduates. But most jobs were on the marketing side this year,” Ekram said.
He said that although the average salary MBA graduates received was Rs42,000, the figure didn’t reflect the accurate job market situation. “While some graduates are getting Rs80,000 a month, there’re actually quite a few graduates who’re getting just a little over Rs30,000.”
A total of 610 candidates received their bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees. About 33% of the graduates were women.
For the first time, IBA awarded a PhD degree this year: Quratulain Nizamuddin received a doctorate degree in computer science.
Terming 2011 the best year in his three-and-a-half-year tenure at IBA, Husain said it was the “year of progress and execution” because of the culmination of a series of initiatives that would make IBA the top business school in Asia.
He said IBA recently received accreditation by the South Asia Quality Assurance System (SAQS). It is the second business school of Pakistan after the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) to have received the SAQS accreditation....
http://tribune.com.pk/story/301378/iba-says-goodbye-to-batch-of-2011-barely-out-of-school-and-landing-in-their-first-jobs/
Agriculture represents the backbone of our economy. It can serve as a launching pad for transition to a knowledge economy, as it has a huge potential for revenue generation. But that can happen only if agricultural practices are carried out on scientific lines and use of technology maximised. The four major crops of Pakistan are wheat, rice, cotton and sugarcane. They contribute about 37 percent of the total agricultural income and about nine percent to the GDP of Pakistan.
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Wheat is the most important crop of Pakistan, with the largest acreage. It contributes about three percent to the GDP. The national average yield is about 2.7 tons per hectare, whereas in Egypt the yields are 6.44 tons per hectare and in European countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom they are above seven tons per hectare. We presently produce about Rs220 billion worth of wheat. If we can boost our yields to match those of Egypt, it can generate another Rs350 billion, allowing us to systematically pay off the national debt and make available funding for health and education.
However, the government has been reluctant to invest in research, water reservoirs and dams and extension services so that the country continues to suffer. Some progressive farmers in irrigated areas have been able to obtain yields of 6-8 tons per hectare but they are very much a minority. In rain-fed areas the yields are normally between 0.5 tons to 1.3 tons per hectare, depending on the region and amount of rainfall. In irrigated areas the yields are normally higher, in the range of 2.5 tons to 3.0 tons per hectare. Improved semi-dwarf cultivars that are available in Pakistan can afford a yield of wheat between 6-8 tons per hectare. It is possible to increase the yields substantially with better extension services, judicious use of fertilisers and pesticides, and greater access of water from storage reservoirs and dams that need to be constructed.
Cotton represents an important fibre crop of Pakistan that generates about Rs250 billion to the national economy, and contributing about two percent to the national GDP. Pakistan is the fourth-largest producer of cotton in the world, but it is ranked at 10th in the world in terms of yields. The use of plant biotechnology can help to develop better cotton varieties. Bt cotton produces a pesticide internally and safeguards the plant against chewing insects. The yields of Pakistani seed cotton and cotton fibre are both about half those of China. A doubling of cotton yields is doable and it can add another Rs250 billion to the national economy.
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The failed system of democracy in Pakistan is strongly supported by Western governments. It serves Western interests as it leads to docile and submissive leaders who serve their foreign masters loyally. The stranglehold of the feudal system thrives with no priority given to education. More than parliamentarians have forged degrees and the degrees of another 250 are suspect. The Supreme Court decision of verification of their degrees is flouted and ignored by the Election Commission. The bigger the crook, the more respect he is given by the government and the biggest crooks are conferred the highest civil awards. The economy has nosedived and we are today ranked among the bottom six countries of the world in terms of our expenditure on education.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=83815&Cat=9
According to the worldwide scientific journal ranking (SJR); Pakistan published 6,987 research documents in 2010. However, the same year United States was on top with 502,804 papers followed by China with 320,800 and United Kingdom with 139,683 research documents. On the other hand, India ranked ninth worldwide.
Among the Islamic countries, Pakistan trailed behind Turkey and Iran which published 30,594 and 27,510 research documents, respectively.
An official of the HEC requesting not to be named told this reporter that in 2007 Pakistan ranked 45th with 3,750 publications, in 2003 it was ranked 50th with 1,539 research papers and in 2000 54th with 1,174 papers. In 1996, the country was on 52nd position with 893 research papers.
The number of publications is directly proportional to the production of PhDs in the country.
“Pakistan gets over $10 billion every year through foreign remittances. On the other hand, due to financial crunch demand for foreign labour has been decreasing worldwide. Even in Saudi Arabia it has been decided to push out foreign labour force and adjust the locals in their places, because it is becoming difficult even for the oil-producing countries to address the problem of unemployment.”
The official claimed that in the West, population was decreasing and the new generation was more interested in the subjects of art and humanities rather than science, mathematics and research work.
Due to this, the official added, the demand for specialised persons would increase in the West and Pakistan can meet the requirement of these nations by producing specialised persons and earn huge foreign exchange.
Sources said most of the successive governments in Pakistan did not take future planning seriously and always tried to solve problems by makeshift arrangements. The government should focus on specialisation in different subjects because only specialised persons can earn foreign exchange to steer out the country from the financial problems.
Executive Director HEC Prof Dr S. Sohail H. Naqvi told Dawn that they had been trying to generate as many specialised persons as possible and for that reason were encouraging and facilitating universities. He said for increasing the number of PhDs, the commission required funds. “Hopefully, Pakistan will further improve its ranking regarding publication of
research papers,” he said.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/26/pakistan-ranks-43rd-in-scientific-research-publication.html
Sitting in the corporate office of the Karachi School for Business and Leadership (KSBL), an upcoming graduate management school being established in the financial capital of Pakistan in collaboration with Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge, Dean Robert Wheeler III spoke at length as to why Karachi needed yet another business school.
“No doubt, IBA and LUMS are outstanding business schools. But the academia isn’t like a corporation, it’s not about winning or losing,” Wheeler told The Express Tribune in an interview. “Pakistan needs more top-level business schools, it needs more leaders.”
Having served at the Pennsylvania State University, University of Texas at Austin and Georgetown University in key positions like assistant dean and director of MBA programmes, Wheeler has been associated with KSBL for the past two years. Spread over three acres, a dedicated campus of KSBL is currently under construction on main Stadium Road in Karachi. The construction phase will be over in July 2012 and the first intake of students will be in September. Initially, KSBL will offer a full-time, 21-month MBA programme in general management only.
“Our emphasis is on ethical leadership. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about making difficult choices,” he said, adding that KSBL would make an extra effort to infuse students with social responsibility. “We’ll work with students to help them stay here in Pakistan after they graduate, to make them realise that they owe something to this society.”
The MBA curriculum has been designed in collaboration with Judge Business School. Besides conventional teaching methods involving lectures and case studies, KSBL will use videoconferencing to let its students attend live lectures from American and British universities.
“We’re wiring the entire building for videoconferencing so that CEOs from London, Singapore and the US could show up on videoconferencing,” he said, adding that the campus would benefit from natural light optimisation, as more than 70% of the rooms would have natural lighting.
Wheeler said the core faculty of KSBL would be of Pakistani origin with PhD degrees from foreign universities. “We’ll cut back on the administrative work that faculty is often required to do in Pakistan and encourage them to do applied research that could be used in the industry, government and business.” In many classes, especially those on entrepreneurship, Wheeler said more than one person would co-teach students via videoconferencing to provide them with a combination of academic and professional perspectives.
‘Intrapreneurship’
Referring to corporate entrepreneurship, or intrapreneurship meaning working like an entrepreneur within an organisation, Wheeler said the traditional role of an entrepreneur was changing, as big corporations were now looking for business graduates with entrepreneurial mindset.
As for the admission process at KSBL, he said prospective students would be judged on their GMAT scores, GPAs, essays and interview performance. “We’ll have a holistic approach. We want to produce team players, people who can get along with others. You need to fulfil certain requirements, but high scores only shouldn’t guarantee your admission.”
Rejecting the idea that working with the bureaucracy is particularly difficult in Pakistan, Wheeler said the United States was equally bureaucratic. “We’re right on track. Things are going well. The construction phase will be over in July.”
http://tribune.com.pk/story/315063/pakistan-needs-more-top-level-business-schools/
..for Pakistan, the education sector is also a priority. Apart from increase in trade during the year, the number of Pakistani students studying in Malaysia increased to over 3,000 students.
"This was due to more linkages established between the universities of both countries," Pakistani High Commissioner to Malaysia Masood Khalid told Bernama.
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v6/newsindex.php?id=638491
Amid strained ties and mutual mistrust, the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan has announced the world’s largest Fulbright programme in Pakistan for the 2013.
The US government’s flagship scholarship programme awards deserving Pakistani students full scholarships that cover tuition, textbooks, airfare, a stipend, and health insurance to complete their Master’s or PhD degrees in a field of their choice in universities across the US. Currently, approximately 369 students are studying in the US on Fulbright awards and another 200 will be departing in the fall of 2012.
According to Ambassador Richard Hoagland, deputy chief of mission, Pakistan’s Fulbright programme is also one of the oldest in the world. “Our agreement initiating the programme was signed on September 23, 1950 – and the first Pakistanis and Americans travelled each way in the same year. It was one of the very first agreements of its kind and has since been extended to 155 countries around the world.”
Since then, nearly 4,000 Pakistanis and over 800 Americans have participated in USEFP-administered exchange programmes.
The deadline to apply for the 2013 programme is May 16, 2012, and the application form can be downloaded from the USEFP’s website www.usefpakistan.org.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/334528/fulbright-scholarships-us-launches-worlds-largest-programme-in-pakistan/
Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dr. Javaid Laghari, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to create three Centers for Advanced Studies at Pakistani universities.
With US support, these centers will promote the development of Pakistan's water, energy, and agriculture sectors through applied research, training for specialists, university linkages, and the contributions towards policy formulation, said in a press statement issued by US Embassy here on Friday.
"US-Pakistan cooperation in higher education spans more than six decades. This new program presents a new milestone in our joint efforts to strengthen Pakistan's university system to support the growth of the country's economy," said Dr. Rajiv Shah at the signing ceremony.
The Centers for Advanced Studies is a five-year $127 million program sponsored by USAID. The Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security will be established with US support at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad, Punjab.
The Center for Advanced Studies in Water will be created at the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology in Jamshoro. Meanwhile, the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad will open the Center for Advanced Studies in Energy.
A satellite center for energy will be established at the University of Engineering and Technology in Peshawar.
A key component of the Center for Advanced Studies Program is linking Pakistani universities to universities in the United States.
These linkages will help engender, support, and fund joint applied research, student and faculty exchanges, pedagogical improvement, and development of new courses according to the needs of industry. It is expected that other universities will use these centers as a model for future growth and improvements.
The signing ceremony for the launch of the Centers for Advanced Studies Program was attended by the Vice Chancellors from the four participating universities, representatives from the Higher Education Commission, members of the Ministry of Science and Technology, other officials, and students.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-44233-USAID,-HEC-sign-MoU-for-advanced-studies
LAHORE: US Public Affairs Officer Brinille Eliane Ellis has said that encouraging Pakistani students to study in the United States is one of their top priories, and a great way to foster better understanding between the two countries.
He said this at the two-day US-funded South Asian US College education fair held at the Forman Christian College (FCC).
The fair featured four representatives from the US higher education institutions.
Students from across Punjab, especially Lahore, obtained information about student life and studying opportunities in the United States directly from the representatives.
EducationUSA, a US State Department-funded global network of student advising centres, organised the event.
Also on hand were representatives from the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the Educational Credential Evaluators from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who joined the tour to demonstrate the unique benefits of a US university education.
This is the second South Asian annual education fair tour organised by EducationUSA. Last year, US university representatives travelled across the region from Sri Lanka to Bangladesh to Nepal and then to Pakistan. The programme was so successful that it was repeated again this year, while Afghanistan was also included in the list of countries.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\04\13\story_13-4-2012_pg7_15
KARACHI: Pakistan is the fifth largest country to apply for British visas, a diplomat said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is providing huge source of revenue in the shape of students in the UK, said Ms Mandy Ivemy, a senior British diplomat.
Visa issuance ratio to Pakistanis is around 75 percent, which is high against other countries, said Ivemy, Regional Manager for Gulf, Iran and Pakistan, United Kingdom’s Border Agency based in British High Commission in Islamabad at a meeting with members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
“Every year Pakistanis make around one million journeys to the UK to meet their relatives, for business purposes or to take education,” she said.
“Owing to huge number of applications, the agency was responsible to take a lot of checks, while processing applications,” she added.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-103525-Pakistan-fifth-largest-country-to-apply-for-British-visas
PAKISTAN has become the top growth market in the struggling international education industry, even though revenue from its neighbour India fell almost $1 billion in a single year.
New Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal that Australia's fourth-biggest export industry is turning to new markets to counter a $2.2bn loss of revenue last year.
Experts say some of the new students are attracted to Australia by the prospect of working or even claiming refugee status.
Earnings from the top 12 markets all fell last year, topped by India, which slumped by 37 per cent, but Pakistan bucked the trend, with revenue rising 15 per cent to $253 million.
The Philippines was the only other significant market to record an increase, with earnings rising 13 per cent to $205m. All other top 25 markets experienced declines.
Revenue from Pakistan has risen steadily, more than tripling over the past five years. Earnings from the boom-bust Indian market have almost halved in two years, collapsing from a 2009 peak of $3.1bn.
Shabbir Ahmad, a PhD economics student at the University of Queensland, said fellow Pakistanis were being lured to Australia by the availability of scholarships from both countries.
Dr Shabbir, who is studying for his second doctorate, said he had come to Australia because the leading academics in his field -- efficiency and productivity analysis -- were based here.
He said while his family had been denied public health and schooling in Australia, the overall experience had been positive. "As far as the academic environment goes, I'm very happy, and people are very welcoming," he said.
However, international education researcher Alan Olsen said the growth in the Pakistani market was in vocational training, not top-end higher education.
Mr Olsen said that while the number of Pakistani students had increased by about 1200 last year, private vocational students had claimed about 1000 of them.
International Education Association of Australia executive director Phil Honeywood said some colleges had moved staff to Pakistan to help meet the demand. He said most Pakistani students came for genuine educational purposes, but significant numbers were here for work and residency opportunities in a peaceful country. "It's dangerous in Pakistan," said Mr Honeywood, a former Victorian tertiary education minister.
He said many Pakistanis studied for business diplomas at private colleges at a cost of about $9000. This gave them advance standing in university degrees, which in turn conferred the right to work for two years in Australia after graduating...
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/pakistan-bucks-student-trend/story-e6frgcjx-1226356707116
Australia has said that it will open a trade office in Faisalabad and immediately lower customs duties on imports from Pakistan – steps that are aimed at giving a boost to bilateral trade.
Speaking at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) on Thursday, Acting High Commissioner of Australia Paul Molloy also announced that his country would provide $100 million in aid for various development projects in Pakistan.
He promised that visa concerns, highlighted by FCCI members, would be addressed and asked the business community of both sides to try to deepen trade ties.
He assured that he would facilitate the visit of an FCCI trade delegation to Australia. Australia had a liberal investment policy and an open economy, he said.
Molloy said more than 100 students of Pakistan were getting Australian scholarships every year.
FCCI Vice-President Rehan Naseem Bharara, while highlighting the tremendous trade potential between the two countries, stressed the need for Australia to give special market access to Pakistan, which is suffering a lot as a partner in the war against terror.
In order to strengthen economic activities, he said, exchange of trade delegations and joint trade fairs were a prerequisite.
Agriculture support
At another event, Paul Molloy, while addressing scientists at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), affirmed that Australia would continue to support and develop the agricultural sector of Pakistan.
“UAF is working with different Australian organisations on various projects that will bring prosperity, especially for the farmers,” he said.
He asked the scientists to keep working with commitment and share their innovative ideas with Australia for attracting funds in order to excel in different sectors that would pave the way for development. “Idea is an issue, but money is not,” he remarked.
Speaking on the occasion, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad announced that Lorry Water House’s chair would be established at the campus soon to address genetic and breeding issues of various crops.
“UAF is a partner and beneficiary of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research project and engaged in citrus and mango research activities. We need to expand our areas in order to address various issues including water, energy and climatic changes,” he suggested.
However, Ahmad pointed out that the same Australian research programme in India was quite diversified, covering a wide range of activities with a special focus on food security, water resources and climatic changes. He called for introducing the programme on the same pattern in Pakistan.
Ahmad said UAF would send 10 PhD students to the University of Sydney in the near future to strengthen their capabilities, which would help Pakistan cope with agricultural problems.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/390363/australia-to-cut-duties-on-imports-from-pakistan/
Twenty-two Pakistani scholars have been awarded a total of $490,000 worth of grants by the United States government for research on various fields related to economic development and markets.
The 22 winning proposals were selected from more than 180 research applications from all over the country and abroad. The selection was made by a 15-member committee consisting of internationally acclaimed scholars with extensive research experience in Pakistan and abroad, says a press release.
"This is yet another example of the US support for Pakistan's development priorities. We believe that this research will help lay foundations to the growth of Pakistan's economy, thus contributing to a more prosperous future for the people of this country," US embassy coordinator Richard Albright said.
http://paktribune.com/news/US-provides-490000-for-research-on-economic-uplift-250438.html
Higher Education Commission (HEC) has awarded 1647 scholarships to PhD scholars, studying in higher education institutions of Pakistan, for undertaking research at top ranking universities of 37 academically advanced countries.
The scholarships has been awarded under International Research Support Initiative Programme (IRSIP).
These foreign scholarships have been awarded in all the major disciplines including physical sciences, agriculture and veterinary sciences, biological and medical sciences, social sciences, management sciences and engineering.
It was informed during the 22nd meeting of IRSIP award committee which was presided over by the Executive Director HEC, Prof. Dr. Sohail H. Naqvi.
The meeting was apprised that through this innovative programme, HEC is offering six month research fellowship abroad to full time PhD students enrolled in Pakistan to enhance their research capabilities.
It is of utmost importance that the doctoral studies carried out in Pakistan are of a standard that is at par with any international reputed institution. This is only possible if candidates are provided with adequate support in research projects.
The indigenous PhD students sometimes face problems in research due to paucity of resources therefore the scheme is helping to provide doctoral students exposure internationally so they could carry out research projects of high standard.
It was also informed that the scheme is also assisting ongoing Indigenous PhD programmes by providing a mechanism for PhD scholars to travel abroad and conduct research in academically advanced countries.
This is providing exposure to the PhD scholars which will enhance the quality of research that they will be conducting in Pakistan.
The programme has also been greatly helpful to develop academic linkages between Pakistani and leading foreign institutions. The fellowship package covers travel, bench fee and living expenditure.
As an outcome of this programme, the number of international research publications by Pakistani scholars has been increased from 304 to 662 with 117% increase while the number of local publications has also been increased from 380 to 552 with 45% increase.
The Executive Director HEC and participants of the meeting appreciated the outcome of the programme and termed it as flagship programme of the HEC.
The establishment of the HEC in September 2002 has heralded a revolution in higher education in Pakistan; the HEC has accomplished more in nine years since its establishment than was achieved in the first 55 years of Pakistan's existence.
In Pakistan, under the HEC, in addition to quality reforms, there has been a strong resurgence of research and innovation.
In particular, there is a significant growth in the number of PhDs awarded out of Pakistani universities.
As a result of phenomenal increase in research publications, the world share of Pakistan's research has gone up by 300 percent in the last five years.
http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/general-news/72612.html
Most people don’t think of foreign students as an economic resource, yet that is precisely what they are. Each year, students from other countries spend billions of dollars in the U.S. economy, pumping money not only into the colleges and universities they attend, but the surrounding businesses as well. In addition, many foreign students go on to become highly innovative scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who add value to the U.S. economy in myriad ways that are often difficult to quantify. Given the economic value of the education they receive in U.S. universities, it is unfortunate that so many foreign students are forced by our nonsensical immigration policies to return to their home countries rather than putting their knowledge to use in this country.
According to a new report from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, “international students and their dependents contributed approximately $21.81 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2011-2012 academic year.” More precisely, the monetary contributions of foreign students and their families consisted of $15.8 billion in students’ tuition and fees, $14 billion in students’ living expenses, and $397 million in living expenses for their dependents. Subtracted out of the total was U.S.-based financial support of $8.4 billion. Spending by students and their dependents totaled $3.2 billion in California, $2.6 billion in New York, $1.5 billion in Massachusetts, $1.4 billion in Texas, $1.1 billion in Pennsylvania, and $1 billion in Illinois. In the modest words of the NAFSA report: “By any measure, international education makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy.”
However, as the report notes, the “$21.81 billion” figure is a conservative estimate that does not include the “multiplier effect” which spending by foreign students has on the U.S. economy. That is, some of the money spent by foreign students becomes someone else’s income, some of which is also spent, becoming a portion of someone else’s income, etc. Just as importantly, the NAFSA estimate doesn’t capture the contributions which many foreign students go on to make as part of the high-skilled U.S. workforce and the U.S. business community. For instance, the National Science Board estimates that, in 2009, immigrants accounted for 41.6% of all science-and-engineering workers in the United States who had a doctorate and 33.4 percent those with a master’s degree. According to a report from the Brooking Institution, “among people with advanced degrees, immigrants are three times more likely to file patents than U.S.-born citizens.” And a report from the Kauffman Foundation found that “immigrants were more than twice as likely to start businesses each month than were the native-born in 2010.”
In short, $21.81 billion in spending is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to measuring the economic contributions of foreign students. Given this fact, it is mind-boggling that so many foreign students are forced to return home after completing their studies in U.S. universities. In many cases, the United States is training workers for its own economic competitors. This does not make good business sense. A more enlightened immigration policy would encourage foreign students to stay in the United States and put their knowledge to use strengthening the U.S. economy. Perhaps lawmakers can put this on their “to do” list as they contemplate immigration reform over the coming year.
http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/11/20/foreign-students-add-billions-of-dollars-to-the-u-s-economy-each-year-and-thats-just-the-beginning/
LONDON: There has been a significant drop in the number of genuine applications for studying in the UK universities from Pakistani students since the introduction of harsh immigration policies and vilification of immigrants under the new Conservative-LibDem coalition government.
Chief Executive of Universities UK, Nicola Dandridge, said that universities are reporting a significant drop in the number of students applying from overseas, particularly from India, Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia but Pakistani students are not only discouraged by the UK’s immigration crackdown but they also face disproportionate treatment from the immigration officers who process their applications in Dubai and during face-to-face interviews conducted in Pakistan.
She said that crackdown on bogus foreign students have driven large numbers of genuine overseas applicants to competitor countries, damaging not only universities but also the UK economy.
She said the senior ministers calling for a crackdown on “bogus students” had given the impression that overseas students were no longer welcome and was driving them towards competitor countries such as the US, Canada and Australia.
Home Secretary Theresa May last month announced the introduction of face-to-face interviews for 100,000 applicants for student visas a year.
This means that most Pakistani applicants will have to face interviews in British High Commission in Islamabad. After 9/11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda, the number of students from Islamic countries, particularly Pakistanis, shot up as American officials started picking on Pakistani students and Britain was seen as a benign country but that is not the case anymore as Pakistani students, including visitor visa applicants, are also a suspect in the UK now and their applications are rejected on mass scale.
Overseas students are estimated to be worth GBP8bn a year to the British economy, a figure projected to rise to GBP16.8bn by 2025, according to a study by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Office for National Statistics’ figures released in November showed a 26% fall in the number of visas issued for the purposes of study in the year to September 2012 but Dandridge said “anecdotal evidence suggested the downward trend was set to accelerate.”
Pakistan was amongst the top ten nationalities issued entry clearance visas for the purpose of study in 2011. Of the total 261,405 student visas issued, 35,660 students visas were issued to Pakistani applicants. In 2010, the number of Pakistani students issued visas was 26,490.
But Pakistan is not included in the top ten nationalities for the year 2011 when a total of 61, 381 student visitors were issued with a visa for a maximum six-month duration. Nearly 70,000 people were issued student visitor visas in 2012 but Pakistan was not added in the top ten countries.
A home office spokesperson refused to share the reasons why Pakistanis were not amongst the top ten countries’ category but referred to a statement by Mark Harper, the immigration minister. It says: “The UK’s education system is one of the best in the world but to maintain this reputation it is vital that we tackle the abuse of the student route, while making sure Britain remains open for business.”
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-153546-Student-applications-from-Pakistan-in-UK-drop
According to the OECD’s 2009 Global Education Digest, 6.3 per cent of Pakistanis were university graduates as of 2007. The government plans to increase this rate to 10 per cent by 2015 and 15 per cent by 2020. But the key challenges are readiness for growth of the educational infrastructure and support from public and private sector.
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According to 2008 statistics, Pakistan produces about 445,000 university graduates and 10,000 computer science graduates per year. Pakistan Telecom Authority indicates that as of 2008 there are nearly 22 million internet users and over 80 million mobile phone subscribers. A combination of all these educational and technological factors gives Pakistan great leverage to progress towards targeted curriculum development and dissemination through e-learning..
http://dawn.com/2011/02/28/towards-e-learning/
Here's an excerpt of OECD Global Education Digest 2009:
In 2007, 9% of all mobile students originated from South and West Asia. Overall, 1.5% of the region’s tertiary students go abroad, which is lower than the
global average. India, for example, accounts for 5.5% of
the global total of mobile students. Yet, its outbound
mobility ratio is very low with only 1 out of 100 tertiary
students from the country studying abroad. Outbound mobility ratios are generally low across the
region with the notable exceptions of Nepal (5%) and Pakistan (3%). In 2007, the outbound mobility ratio increased by 0.5 percentage points.
http://www.ifap.ru/library/book433.pdf
F visas (student visas) to Pakistani citizens continue to be very low but increased from 1,224 in 2012 to 1,535 in 2013.
Similarly, H visas (temp work visas) remain very low but increased from 1238 in 2012 to 1,301 in 2013.
The largest number of non-immigrant visas issued to Pakistanis are business visa...B1 and B2. Such visas increased from 35,768 in 2012 to 39,701 in 2013.
Similar US visas issued to Indians are several orders of magnitude higher.
http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2012AnnualReport/FY12AnnualReport-TableXVII.pdf
http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2013AnnualReport/FY13AnnualReport-TableXVII.pdf
While congratulating the students, USEFP Executive Director Rita Akhtar said, “The USEFP is pleased to be able to help talented Pakistani students like you, achieve admission to US colleges and universities. US colleges and universities welcome Pakistani students as they add to the already-rich diversity in the classroom.”
The event was a networking platform designed to prepare the students for their educational experience. Since its beginning, the USEFP has helped thousands of Pakistani students achieve their dreams of US higher education through its scholarship programmes and free-of-charge advisory services.
Education USA Advising Manager Umair Khan offered some tips to the students. He explained that professor-student relations were less formal in the United States than in Pakistani universities.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/734928/all-my-bags-are-packed-eighty-pakistani-students-all-set-for-their-voyage/
“We are waiting for the final proposal from the provincial [Sindh] government,” revealed the EUEF director of scholarships programme, Yvonne Hunter. “The government is interested [this time] and I hope the plan will materialise soon.”
During her visit to Karachi last week, Hunter explained that the EUEF was established to promote higher education in developing countries. “Our aim is help in community development through self-sufficiency in the education sector by providing students from developing countries easy access to higher studies in Europe.”
The scholarship programme is not new to Pakistan. According to Azfar Bukhari who is the project manager and media co-ordinator for EUEF, they had tried to launch the programme two years ago but had been unsuccessful. “This time, however, the government is more interested,” said Bukhari hopefully.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Hunter said that her team has been assured of full cooperation by the Sindh government to make the programme a success. “Apart from the Sindh government, the government of Balochistan as well as the federal government are keen to participate,” she said. “In Pakistan, everything is very easily politicised so we want to ensure our efforts are not used as part of an electoral campaign by some political party.”
In response to a query regarding the level of interference and assistance required of the government, Hunter said: “Of course we need their assistance, but not at the cost of transparency and credibility.” She maintained that the government will only be brought on as stakeholders if they assure the EUEF of unbiased work. “We want to make the programme a success without making it controversial.”
According to the director, the foundation will award scholarships to up to 10,000 eligible students every year. These scholarships will be honoured in universities and colleges already affiliated with the EUEF across Europe. “Not to forget these scholarships will be valid till the end of the study programme, not just for the first term.”
The students will be given ample choice to select from both graduate and postgraduate degrees and higher national diplomas. The eligibility to apply to the programme is HSC or GCE A level, without a gap of more than a year during the candidate’s regular studies.
The applicants have to appear for a simple aptitude test that will be conducted by the National Testing Service. This is to test basic knowledge and English language skills. The first 10,000 high scorers will be awarded the scholarships. “We have kept the selection procedure simple and transparent to avoid any controversies. We want to accommodate as many students as possible.” Hunter explained.
According to the EUEF office bearers, the programme aims to enable Pakistani students to study abroad so that they can gain exposure of developed countries making them less vulnerable to volatile issues in their home country. “We are offering 10,000 scholarships every year for the next five years, which makes it 50,000 by the culmination of our project.” The programme will ultimately provide Pakistan with 50,000 highly skilled professionals by the time it concludes.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/744354/study-abroad-10000-pakistani-students-to-be-given-scholarships-to-study-in-europe-in-2015/
http://www.eueducationfoundation.eu/
On the tennis courts of a posh Islamabad country club, veteran coach Mahboob Khan drills his charges, but they aren’t dreaming of the pristine lawns of Wimbledon.
For these young Pakistanis, taking up tennis has a more practical application — as a ticket to a top US university on a sports scholarship.
In a 36-year coaching career Khan, still a striking, athletic figure at 65, has produced dozens of players who have played on the pro tour and in satellite events and represented Pakistan at the Davis and Fed cups.
But he says in recent years the trend has been for even the most promising youngsters to lower their ambitions and see the sport simply as a springboard to a college education they might otherwise struggle to afford.
His own daughter Sara Mahboob, 24, was number one in Pakistan for six years but quit competitive tennis to look for a job based on her sociology degree — from James Madison University in Virginia, US.
Her rival, Pakistan’s former number two Natasha Afridi followed a similar path, as did several other of their contemporaries.
The big hurdle is money. Financial support is crucial as a player tries to make the step from promising youngster to tour professional.
For Sara Mahboob, the lure of financial security offered by a scholarship and degree proved too great.
“It’s not very easy to get sponsors in Pakistan, especially for a female tennis player,” she said.
“So I had to make that tough decision on wether I was going to go pro or go to college, and going to college seemed like a better option.”
Pakistan’s best player is doubles specialist Aisamul Haq Qureshi who reached eight in the world doubles ranking in June 2011 but now lies 57th.
He reached the US Open doubles final in 2010 with Indian partner Rohan Bopanna, but a new generation of youngsters at the Islamabad Club courts show little interest in following in his footsteps.
“I don’t want to become a best player or something, but just to play tennis for some school scholarships in a good university abroad,” said Ammar Dhaga, 12, the son of a top bureaucrat at the water and power ministry.
His friends Sachal Ali Mirza, 11, and Shehryar Khokhar, 10, share his ambition.
“I am playing tennis because I like it and also because I want an international scholarship in America for tennis,” said Khokhar.
Khan says Pakistan has tennis potential, but a major injection of funds is needed to stop the talent heading to college instead.
“Right now we have the talent, the question is whether the private sector is robust to come forward and sponsor these players,” he said.
“At least Rs40 million are needed to give a push to tennis and that’s a lot of money for Pakistan.”
Senior Pakistani academics from 33 universities met with 21 US partner institutions in Washington DC for a four-day workshop from October 26 to 30. The workshop allowed participants to promote community engagement, interactive teaching methods, collaborative research, and academic regional integration in Pakistan and the United States. The event was organised through the University Partnerships Program, an educational initiative sponsored by the US Mission to Pakistan with support by the US Department of State in Washington DC.
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HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed addressed the 55 participants in a videotaped message saying, “The United States-Pakistan University Partnerships Program forges a spirit of academic collaboration between our countries’ higher education communities and contributes to the overall quality of higher education. Regular and meaningful discourse among scholars, students, and faculty has supported the Higher Education Commission’s goals to promote social sciences and humanities in Pakistan. Further, it has helped align research priorities and needs throughout the country.”
The University Partnerships Programme is a flagship higher-education program sponsored by the US Mission to Pakistan. It provides over $25 million dollars in funding to 44 universities in Pakistan and the United States to create three-year partnerships that foster collaboration, curriculum reform, and joint research. Since 2012, approximately 500 faculty members, administrators, and students from both countries have participated in this exchange programme. The first University Partnerships Best Practices Workshop was held in 2013 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-348538-Pakistani-American-academics-meet-to-p
The university located in Darra Adamkhel has the capacity to admit 120 students. However, 106 candidates submitted application for admissions while 84 of them were enrolled. None of the students who sought admission in the first-ever university in Fata is female.
The university premises have not yet been provided electricity, telephone connections and drinking water. Still the tribespeople have expressed joy over the opening of the university for students from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
Talking to The News, Vice-Chancellor Dr Syed Tahir Shah said the university had hired a consultant for preparing a master plan and design for the university. “The consultant would design the community centre, different blocks and other projects,” he added.
Dr Tahir Shah said the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) would start work on the project in 2017 after approval of the design by the government.
He said the Tribal Electric Supply Company would construct a dedicated feeder for the university while Pakistan Telecommunication Company would lay cables to its premises in Darra Adamkhel.
He added the government had approved a tubewell for the university while funds had been released for the projects.The vice-chancellor said that President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain had issued directives for making appointments on merit. “The President made it clear that it was a federal university and competent persons across the country should be recruited for it,” he added.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Tahir Shah explained that one professor, eight regular lecturers and five visiting lecturers had already been appointed while a selection committee had been constituted to recruit the administrative staff.
He pointed out that a selection board had been constituted to recruit senior officials and faculty members.He disclosed that students from Fata and also Hyderabad, Sindh, had got admission in the university. Meanwhile, the Registrar of the Fata University Tasbihullah and Controller of Examination Nasir Shah, have taken charge of their duties.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1295046/
Habib University (HU) has signed an agreement with University of California, Berkeley, which will assist the university's students to attend summer sessions in the United States, said a statement issued on Saturday.
Under the new agreement, Habib University students will be able to take classes under six-week session, eight-week session, or the entire 10-week term at University of California with choice of studying various courses from a range of over 600 courses taught by UC Berkeley faculty.
The students will also have the option to reside on or off campus in the town of Berkeley, with easy access to downtown San Francisco, it added.
Know more: Pakistani students in US
Habib University students will have to undergo internal selection process where each prospective student will have to display a serious intent to study, provide insights into the possible courses of study, and explain their learning expectations from the multicultural experience and the entrepreneurial potential of Silicon Valley and UC Berkeley.
UC Berkeley also hosts the annual Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture Series on Pakistan under The Berkeley Pakistan Initiative.
The 4th Mahomedali Habib Distinguished Lecture took place on November 6, 2016, at Berkeley. The lecture was titled “The Indus Civilisation – Changing Perspectives on Regional Origins, Diverse Character and Complex Legacy”, and was delivered by famed archaeologist and one of the world’s leading authorities on the ancient Indus Civilisation Dr. Jonathan Mark Kenoyer.
Habib University has signed several agreements with many foreign universities which have opened new avenues of learning and collaboration for HU students and faculty.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/140927-American-education …
Over one million international students are now enrolled at American higher education institutions, maintaining the US’s long-standing position as the world’s top host nation for international students. The 2015-2016 academic year – the latest year for which data is available – showed a 14.7 percent increase in Pakistani students studying in the US. We are proud that this is the highest level in five years, with our universities and colleges hosting 6,141 students. This includes the increase in students studying at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as those enrolled in the Optional Practical Training. This is a testament to the unmatched quality of higher education in the US in the eyes of international students and their families.
International students from diverse backgrounds strengthen ties between the US and various countries around the world, developing the relationships between people and communities that are necessary to solve global challenges. We highly value inclusion and actively support students from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and geographic backgrounds on campuses across the US. American students and communities benefit from the unique and diverse perspective that international students bring to expand their own worldviews, which helps prepare all of us for a shared, successful future in an interconnected world.
US colleges and universities take pride in providing safe, hospitable environments for all of their students. I want to stress how welcome you are in the US. Many universities have come together to send a specific and direct message to students around the world through the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign. I join them in welcoming you to the US, where our colleges and universities offer valuable educational opportunities to help you meet your life and career goals.
The consular officials at Embassy Islamabad, the Consulate General Karachi, the Consulate General Lahore and at the US embassies and consulates around the world continue to work diligently to process student visa requests. Information about the visa process is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html or https://pk.usembassy.gov/. The EducationUSA advisers are ready to answer questions about studying in the US, and you can find an adviser at educationusa.state.gov
Those of you who have received offers of admission have an opportunity to accept this life-changing opportunity and join your peers in experiencing the unique value of an American higher education.
There were 5,354 Pakistani students in 2015, up 14.7% from 6.141 students in 2015, according to US Institute of International education.
There were 165,916 students from India, 9,662 from Nepal and 6,513 from Bangladesh....all higher than Pakistan's 6,141 students in the United States. Even hostile Iran has 12,269 students in US, a lot more than Pakistan's 6,141.
https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors/Data/International-Students/All-Places-of-Origin
The scheme reduces processing times for visas, with most applications finalised in less than three weeks according to IRCC.
In order to access the benefits of SDS, prospective students need to provide additional information to show they meet language proficiency and financial requirements.
For example, they need to submit proof they have reached a score of at least 6 in IELTS and have a guaranteed investment certificate of CA$10,000.
The expansion of the scheme meets the Canadian government’s goal of attracting students from a more diverse range of country, IRCC stated.
“There is a high demand for higher education in Canada from… Pakistani students”
“By expanding the SDS to prospective students from Pakistan, IRCC is encouraging a more diverse range of students to choose Canada,” an IRCC spokesperson told The PIE News.
The industry, whose focus on diversification was made urgent by events such as the Saudi crisis in 2018, welcomed the development and expressed hope the scheme will be expanded further.
“This is very much a welcome development and we are pleased to see IRCC’s efforts trying to help more international students access our higher education system… it certainly supports broader priorities in our sector around diversification,” Universities Canada assistant director of international relations Cindy McIntyre told The PIE.
“There’s recognition in the sector that there is a high demand for higher education in Canada from a large cohort of Pakistani students, so I think that does make sense,” she added, explaining that the organisation’s latest data showed that about 2,400 Pakistani students were enrolled in Canadian universities in 2016/17, making the country the 9th largest source.
President and CEO of CICan Denise Amyot agreed that there is an increasing demand for international education from Pakistani students.
“As more and more young Pakistanis look overseas to pursue their education, we are confident this will make Canadian colleges and institutes all the more attractive,” she said.
“We also hope that this will be a step towards further expansion of the Study Direct Stream, which could benefit many other countries, including francophone markets.”
Pakistan was the 19th largest nationality for student visa holders in Canada by December 2018, according to IRCC figures, and the 47th source countries for language schools.
At Languages Canada, the organisation’s executive director Gonzalo Peralta welcomed the development but called on the government to recognise the needs of the private sector members, which have registered a lower growth last year compared to the public sector.
“Although Pakistan is a very minor source country for language students to Canada, we are fully behind government policies that support student mobility and our educational institutions,” Peralta said.
Peralta added that he would like to see the program address the needs of the country’s private sector members and to support the diversification of its international language student population.
“While our public sector members have benefited from SDS, accredited and designated private sector members have not had the same access,” he explained.
“And because diversification is such an important strategy for our sector, it would benefit Canada if the program were available in its appropriate form in other regions of the world.”
Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences 2015, Vol. 9 (2), 447-460
From 1998 through 2010, the number of students studying overseas has increased sharply
from 13,127 to 36,366
https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=928082082020093075064007070070017112025034090043062053107092014090007121068109028078110007008044037025023020114126085122067004023074045075046075079072090085078071084014089041092020092027068098001022108022115065109069067119011118094065112125068085068029&EXT=pdf
It is quite meaningful that over last decade the Pakistani Government has focused upon the
internationalization of higher education through outbound approach. The Government of
Pakistan established Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, to promote higher
education and improve the quality of education in Pakistani institutions, in 2002.
So far HEC has sent a total of 8537 scholars in different countries abroad for attaining
higher education (MS/MPhil/PhD and Post-Doctoral level) under different categories2 out
of which 4203 has completed their studies. Till June, 2011, there were a total of 775
scholars who had been abroad out of which 689 were males and 86 females. The male –
female ratio was 89% to 11%. The least number of females had been abroad due to family
and cultural reasons.
The highest number of scholars had been in the Engineering and Physical Sciences i.e. 731
and 731. In Engineering and Technology 203 and 135 had been in France and Germany
only. In Physical sciences the higher number of students had been to Austria and Germany
i.e. 188 and 126 respectively. For Biology and Medical sciences 303 scholars had been
abroad. For Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences 343 students had been to different
countries. In social sciences 249 scholars had been abroad. For business education, total 0f
129 scholars had been to various countries. For Arts and Humanities only 43 scholars went
abroad.
http://uis.unesco.org/en/uis-student-flow
China 28,000 (Not included in UNESCO numbers)
Australia 11,324
United States 7,412
United Kingdom 5,594
Malaysia 4,649
Germany 4,204
Canada 2,802
Saudi Arabia 2,165
Turkey 1,822
Italy 1,339
South Korea 1,272
Kyrgyzstan 830
Sweden 806
Finland 675
Qatar 638
Bahrain 580
Cyprus 551
Hungary 469
France 410
Norway 344
New Zealand 326
Oman 300
Netherlands 289
Iran 282
https://pk.usembassy.gov/the-united-states-and-pakistan-break-ground-on-u-s-education-foundation-of-pakistan-headquarters/
Islamabad, February 16, 2022: Today marks a new milestone in the 75 years of the U.S.-Pakistani relationship with the groundbreaking of the first permanent headquarters for the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP).
U.S. Embassy Islamabad Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler noted: “Today’s ground-breaking is just the next step in the tremendous work of USEFP and each of you who are dedicated to bringing our people together through education, and eager to watch it continue for decades to come.”
In 1950, the United States and Pakistan officially formed a bilateral commission – now known as USEFP – to exchange Masters’ and PhD students. Today, USEFP manages a wide range of educational and professional exchange programs, including the largest Fulbright Program in the world, between Pakistan and the United States, and many thousands of alumni of those programs are leaders throughout the country.
Rita Akhtar, Executive Director of the USEFP, added that the Capital Development Authority’s land donation to this project and the participation of iconic architect Nayyar Ali Dada were further indications of how favorably Pakistan views the opportunities afforded by U.S. higher education.
The new headquarters will serve as a state-of-the-art facility for managing U.S. government-funded exchange programs, such as the Fulbright program, and for the Islamabad advising center of EducationUSA, the official U.S. government resource for all students interested in pursuing education opportunities in the Untied States
https://thepienews.com/news/ncuk-new-pakistan-partner/
The new partnership will support BIC’s students to progress to an NCUK partner university, with the foundation year course covering English language and academic skills. The foundation year program at BIC will begin in 2023.
NCUK has over 45 partner universities located in countries including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada.
The new partnership is part of a wider initiative between NCUK and Oxbridge Digital in Pakistan.
As part of the collaboration, Oxbridge Digital is finding and recommending educational institutions to join the NCUK Delivery Partner network and deliver NCUK qualifications across a range of locations in Pakistan.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative, Usman Akram, managing director of Oxbridge Digital said, “Since the day we opened our doors in Pakistan, Oxbridge Digital has been partnering with UK Higher Education Institutions to empower students by providing them with opportunities that are both accessible and affordable.
“We’ve taken a step closer to achieving this goal with our new partnering with NCUK. We are looking forward to working with them to grow the number of Study Centres in Pakistan that play an integral role in changing lives of the students here.”
NCUK announced a new partnership with Royal Colleseum School earlier this year.
https://uis.unesco.org/en/uis-student-flow
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