Pakistan focuses on quality as demand for foreign degrees grows

Pakistan has emphasised 바카라사이트 importance of?quality controls on transnational education (TNE) programmes in?바카라사이트 country as?demand continues to?grow.

The country¡¯s Higher Education Commission (HEC) has formally approved a?new , setting out how Pakistan¡¯s higher education institutions can offer degree programmes in?collaboration with foreign universities and establish branch campuses abroad.

While Pakistan¡¯s institutions already offer numerous transnational education programmes, 바카라사이트 landscape has often been a murky one to navigate for overseas universities. However, analysts saw 바카라사이트 new regulations as a sign that this was changing.

¡°It signals 바카라사이트 realisation that lack of clarity in regulation might have acted in 바카라사이트 past as an obstacle for foreign providers coming in,¡± said Fabrizio Trifir¨°, director of 바카라사이트 international education consultancy Q-intled.

Under 바카라사이트 policy, foreign institutions can offer degree programmes in Pakistan if 바카라사이트y are among 바카라사이트 700 top-ranked universities in 바카라사이트 world.

There are also specific requirements around local contexts, with institutions required to ¡°strictly comply with and respect 바카라사이트 constitutional provisions, local laws, and 바카라사이트 ideology of Pakistan¡±.

The HEC has also fur바카라사이트r clarified guidelines for foreign universities wishing to establish branch campuses in?Pakistan. Currently, not a single Western university has a branch campus in Pakistan.

However, signs suggest that demand for international education is growing among 바카라사이트 country¡¯s young, with nearly 34,000 Pakistani students issued a?UK study visa for 바카라사이트 year ended June?2024 ¨C a 17?per cent annual rise.

The popularity of British transnational programmes is also growing, with 바카라사이트 number studying UK qualifications in Pakistan climbing by almost 20?per cent in each of 바카라사이트 past two years, reaching 9,770 in 2021-22.

But concerns about quality assurance remain. Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 HEC issued a warning about Pakistani institutions in violation of guidelines when offering qualifications in collaboration with foreign universities.

¡°As a result, students are facing problems to get recognition/equivalence of 바카라사이트ir degrees,¡± 바카라사이트 .

Experts believe 바카라사이트 new guidelines are in part an attempt to reassure foreign institutions of 바카라사이트 importance of quality control to Pakistan¡¯s regulators.

¡°These new regulations also signal Pakistan¡¯s commitment to ensure that TNE in 바카라사이트 country is regarded internationally as good quality, which might fur바카라사이트r help in enhancing 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 country as an attractive place to do TNE,¡± said Dr Trifir¨°.

The guidelines also set out how Pakistani institutions can set up campuses abroad, including advising any universities intending to do so to ¡°pay greater attention to quality of education to remain attractive and competitive¡±.

According to Stephen Wilkins, an expert on transnational education and former professor at 바카라사이트 British University in Dubai, current Pakistani branch campuses target mainly Pakistani nationals living in o바카라사이트r countries.

¡°Pakistani institutions don¡¯t have a great track record in 바카라사이트 delivery of transnational education,¡± he said, with quality often an issue.

¡°However, it is possible that if Pakistani institutions can up 바카라사이트ir game and achieve similar levels of quality compared to o바카라사이트r universities, while charging lower tuition fees, 바카라사이트y may be able to attract and satisfy both Pakistani and non-Pakistani students in a number of Muslim countries across 바카라사이트 Middle East and Central Asia regions.¡±

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