MORE THAN 15,000 students in Pakistan are studying for UK qualifications without leaving their country, as universities from the two nations expand their academic partnerships.
Minister Stephen Doughty announced more than £300,000 in new funding to support links between British and Pakistani universities during his first official visit to Pakistan this week, a statement said.
The funding will be made available through the Pakistan-UK Education Gateway, a £10 million programme supported by Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission and the British Council. A further £1.3 million in funding will be open for applications next month.
Speaking in Islamabad, Doughty said, “UK institutions can clearly see the opportunities here in Pakistan. This is a win-win, giving students the chance to gain globally recognised qualifications without having to move overseas to study."
Doughty announced more than £300,000 in new funding to support links between British and Pakistani universitiesFCDO
Zeneb Abid, who completed an LLB and an LLM through the University of London and now serves as an alumni ambassador, said her education had helped her access opportunities in Pakistan and overseas.
“The opportunities that I got were both from the local market and international market as well,” she said.
Abid said closer cooperation between the two countries could create further opportunities for students and support the exchange of knowledge.
Another example is the partnership between Cardiff Metropolitan University and Pakistan’s National University of Sciences and Technology, which has helped hundreds of women pursue careers in areas including robotics and artificial intelligence.
The UK accounts for about 65 per cent of Pakistan’s transnational education market, in which students can study for overseas qualifications through local institutions.
Professor Dr Zia Ul Haq, executive director of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission and a graduate of the University of Glasgow, said his own experience showed the value of studying in the UK.
“I myself was one of the beneficiaries,” he said.
He said his UK education had helped shape a career that took him to the position of university vice-chancellor before he became one of Pakistan’s senior higher education officials.
The UK government’s International Education Strategy aims to increase the value of education exports to £40 billion a year by 2030FCDO
During his visit, Doughty met education leaders, university representatives and the British Council to discuss ways to expand cooperation between the two countries.
He said the two countries wanted to expand their university links further.
“By the end of this decade, we hope that more than 100 British universities will be working in partnership with institutions in Pakistan,” he added.
The UK government’s International Education Strategy aims to increase the value of education exports to £40 billion a year by 2030. International education generated more than £32bn in export revenue for the UK in 2022, including nearly £1bn from international campuses.
