ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is moving towards developing a non-elitist society and the hybrid mode of learning, in this pursuit can play a vital role, President Dr Arif Alvi said whilst addressing the closing ceremony of a virtual conference titled ‘Rethinking and Reshaping a Resilient Higher Education System’.

The country is quickly transitioning into an era, wherein hybrid education is changing the whole spectrum of society by opening new possibilities and opportunities, he said, adding knowledge is becoming dynamic and non-static.

The conference was jointly organised by Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the British Council. Minister for Education and Professional Training Mr Shafqat Mahmood and HEC Chairman Tariq Banuri attended the session.

The three-day conference brought together scholars and higher education experts from United Kingdom and Pakistan, to discuss how universities in both countries have responded to the spread of Covid-19 and ways to strengthen strategic transnational education partnership between them.

The president appreciated HEC-BC partnerships, which have led to development of Pakistan’s first Open and Distance Learning Policy. He pointed out that Covid-19, besides its catastrophic impact on all spheres of life, has created opportunities by making institutions adopt new highways towards progress.

He said that hybrid learning has made it easier for women to get educated and empowered, adding, it is the government’s priority to make education less expensive.

There is need for development of a certification system to examine and assess students, he said, and underlined the significance of the Pakistani diaspora in the UK and across the world, especially professionals, in terms of their role in the upliftment of systems in the country.

Mr Mahmood said that 1.5 million young Pakistanis are critical assets of the country, and the government is committed towards investing in youth development.

“In this pursuit, the contribution of partners like the UK government and the British Council, who are consistently lending their hand to us, are highly valuable,” he added.

Mr Banuri said it is high time to strengthen international collaboration to share not only the best practices but also challenges the entire world is facing because of Covid-19., adding: “We have to learn from each other and advance our educational agenda forward.”

In his remarks, Minister for South Asia, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Tariq Mehmood Ahmed said the HEC-BC partnership has ushered a new era of bilateral engagement and productive outcomes.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2020