ISLAMABAD: Higher education is the only sector through which real socio-economic changes can be brought in the country. This is why the British Council has been supporting higher educational institutes.

This was said by Country Director British Council Pakistan Peter Upton while talking to participants of a gathering in which a letter of intent (LoI) was signed to further strengthen cooperation between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the British Council Pakistan on Thursday.

The partnership will cover Knowledge Exchange Programme, Leadership Programme, Policy Dialogue, Transforming English Language Skills, Researchers Links Initiative, Inspire Transnational Education Partnerships and Quality Assurance Training Programmes for University Quality Enhancement Cells etc. All specified activities will be completed within a period of three years, i.e. by June 2017.

Mr Upton said the council had been supporting different programmes of HEC for the 10 years.

“The council is committed to further strengthening cooperation with HEC. Pakistan has an excellent human capital and HEC has been trying to get maximum output from it,” he said.

HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said the commission had achieved many targets with the support of the British Council and it was expected that this cooperation would further strengthen in future.

“Our joint initiatives have benefited faculty, researchers and management staff of our universities. Around 70 per cent of vice-chancellors of universities have visited United Kingdom (UK) for professional development programmes. A number of good joint research projects have been initiated between researchers and institutions of both countries,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2014