Marking a significant milestone in bilateral higher education relations between the UK and Pakistan, a high-powered British delegation is currently on an official visit to Pakistan. The delegation, accompanied by senior officials from the British Council and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, visited the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST). Led by Sir Steve Smith, UK Government International Education Champion, the delegation comprised eminent personalities from the government and academia, seeking to explore opportunities for academic collaboration and research partnerships. Engr Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Rector NUST, greeted the guests upon arrival at the university. Ensuing was a comprehensive discussion, encompassing the university’s national and global accomplishments, R&D initiatives and efforts towards building a sustainable knowledge economy through a robust ecosystem of research, innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation. While appreciating NUST’s growth, Sir Steve Smith underscored that NUST’s active collaborations with as many as 247 universities across 52 countries reflect the university’s forward-thinking approach and commitment to fostering a globally interconnected academic environment that promotes knowledge exchange and cross-cultural understanding. Rector NUST emphasised that the visit not only signifies strengthening of educational ties between the two nations but also underpins the shared commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding and nurturing the next generation of global leaders. Facilitated by the HEC-Pakistan and the British Council (BC), the UK delegation’s visit will support the objectives of the flagship initiative “Pakistan UK Education Gateway” launched in 2018, which aims to enhance partnership between the higher education sectors of Pakistan and the UK under a structured programme jointly funded by the Government of Pakistan and BC. Key areas of collaboration under this undertaking are: transnational education, innovative and collaborative research, higher education leadership, quality assurance and standard setting, distance learning, and international mobility.
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