CIDCA chief vows to strengthen collaboration with HEC to uplift higher education in Pakistan

Islamabad: Chairman China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Luo Zhaohui has resolved to strengthen collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan for the uplift of higher education sector in Pakistan.

Welcoming Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, who visited the CPEC Headquarters in Beijing on his invitation on the sidelines of HUAWEI Connect 2024 event, the Chairman CIDCA reiterated his support to all higher education projects being executed under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), said an official statement issued here.

The meeting was in continuation of Zhaohui’s visit to Islamabad in April 2024 wherein he had visited the Air University and interacted with students and faculty from various universities connected through Smart Classrooms.

Zhaohui expressed satisfaction over the execution of Smart Classrooms, as HEC has set up 100 Smart Classrooms connected to high-speed, dedicated internet through Learning Management System (LMS).

“It was a matter of great pleasure to see teachers and students connected from remote areas through a seamless high-speed internet using these classrooms. This is an important area of further collaboration and CPEC can play an important role in this regard,” he underlined.

Reiterating his support to CPEC projects, especially those related to higher education, he showed keen interest in training Pakistani youth, particularly from Balochistan and erstwhile FATA.

He mentioned the available funds for such initiatives, including interest free loans from China. He also hinted at availability of scholarships for Pakistani students to pursue higher education in China.

Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad highlighted three major projects for consideration under CPEC, including Smart Classrooms (Phase II), solarisation of universities, and capacity building of the human resource through intensive training programmes for youth in the emerging fields.

He emphasised the need for a long-term strategy to formalise collaboration in these areas through outcome-based projects.

The two sides also brought under consideration various potential areas for collaboration, including partnership for online education between Pakistani and Chinese universities, establishing Chinese language centres in Pakistan, taking medical and health education initiatives, training programmes for provincial and village management, customised training programmes based on Pakistan’s indigenous needs, training of master trainers in key fields, and leadership training and exposure programmes for university administrators in China.

During the visit, the Chairman HEC was accompanied by Member Information Technology Division HEC Dr. Jamil Ahmad and Project Manager Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP) M. Azeem Khan.

Education Attache at Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Beijing also accompanied the delegates during the meeting.