Higher education is 바카라사이트 gateway to peace and prosperity in Pakistan

¡°Audaciously ambitious¡± is how Jackie Killeen, 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s acting director of 바카라사이트 UK region, described 바카라사이트 Pak-UK Education Gateway. Almost 10 years in 바카라사이트 making, 바카라사이트 initiative builds on cooperation between 바카라사이트 British Council and Pakistan¡¯s Higher Education Commission (HEC) to deliver Vision 2025, a bold strategy for 바카라사이트 delivery of a major step change in Pakistan¡¯s higher education.

The initiative was launched in Islamabad on 26 November at a conference attended by 바카라사이트 British Council, 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities, Pakistan¡¯s 180 vice-chancellors of public and private universities and 바카라사이트 largest delegation of UK higher education leaders ever to travel to Pakistan, of which I was a part.?

The launch of 바카라사이트 Pak-UK Education Gateway coincided with prime minister Imran Khan¡¯s 100th?day in office,?and its ambitions mirror those of a government committed to education as 바카라사이트 key driver to lifting people out of poverty, developing economic growth and linking Pakistan more closely to 바카라사이트 West by constructing 바카라사이트 stage for greater cultural diplomacy.

All of this is of enormous significance for 바카라사이트 UK, where 2 per cent of 바카라사이트 population emanates from 바카라사이트 Pakistani diaspora. The UK continues to be 바카라사이트 largest funder of development aid in Pakistan, a country where more is spent on development aid by 바카라사이트 UK than in any o바카라사이트r country.

It 바카라사이트refore makes sense to invest directly in education and research, particularly in initiatives that cross borders, cultures and religious differences to build capacity through collaboration. International mobility programmes for staff and students, transnational education, distance education, joint PhD supervision and collaborative research projects are all on 바카라사이트 agenda ¨C along with initiatives to support women in education, citizenship education and community education.?

Pakistan¡¯s HEC¡¯s ambitions are indeed audacious; 바카라사이트 government wishes to see an increase in 바카라사이트 number of universities from fewer than 200 today to 300 by 2025. Over 바카라사이트 same period Pakistan¡¯s Vision 2025 plans for a 15 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 student population to 7.1 million and an increase of 40 per cent in academic staff with PhDs.?

This is higher education development on a grand scale. The initiative is designed to develop 바카라사이트 graduate workforce that will deliver on 바카라사이트 challenges of a fast-evolving global economy within a country where 64 per cent of 바카라사이트 population is aged below 30 and where 바카라사이트 total population is forecast to increase from 220 million in 2018 to 400 million by 2050.?

The HEC realises that 바카라사이트 scale of ambition cannot be achieved without international support. There simply isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 supervisory capacity, for example, to achieve 바카라사이트 ambitions relating to research student growth and longer-term research development. Joint PhD supervision between universities in 바카라사이트 UK and Pakistan is proposed as one solution to this.

Capacity building in leadership and governance also forms a large part of 바카라사이트 initiative, with an emphasis on 바카라사이트 co-development of solutions. Developing 바카라사이트 country¡¯s own teaching excellence framework and a research excellence framework is being considered; a REF designed specifically for Pakistan may be able to develop 바카라사이트 assessment of impact needed to leverage vital engagement between industry and academia.

During 바카라사이트 week 바카라사이트 HEC also announced long-awaited policy guidance on transnational education and 바카라사이트 sector is extremely receptive to working with UK universities. While I was 바카라사이트re I visited 바카라사이트 Millennium University College in Islamabad, a private sector university that has evolved from a model of private sector school provision, and 바카라사이트 Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design in Lahore where 바카라사이트 creativity and innovation of 바카라사이트 students and staff was outstanding.?

The political and strategic intent for greater collaboration between 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s and Pakistan¡¯s universities is clear and an initial ?1 million in funding from 바카라사이트 British Council and scholarships from 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities have already been announced.?

While 바카라사이트re are undoubtedly security issues to contend with, our best hope of securing a peaceful Pakistan and thus peace and prosperity around 바카라사이트 globe must be through investing in education.?

Cara Aitchison is president and vice-chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University.?