ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Monday emphasised the need to expand partnership between Oxford University and Pakistan to facilitate students.

The minister was addressing a high-level delegation from British university.

The delegation was headed by Prof Stephen Blyth, Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, said a press release issued by the Planning Commission.

The minister said Oxford was the oldest university which had a long history with Pakistan and several officials holding key positions in the public sector of the country had graduated from the university.

“Pakistan has a youth bulge and several initiatives have been taken particularly in the education sector by the government to facilitate them,” said the minister. He urged the delegation to further expand the cooperation between Oxford University and Pakistan so that more students could benefit.

The minister also highlighted the importance of the UK’s prestigious Chevening scholarships which must be increased to facilitate the Pakistani students by 50 per cent funding by both the countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Adeel Malik of the University of Oxford, said Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) was one and a half years old and the idea was to pick underprivileged students and work out a collaboration between Oxford and Pakistan.

He said it was the first time such a high level delegation with senior members of the university visited Pakistan by partnering with other programmes.

The OPP was the brainchild of Professor Adeel Malik. Professor Stephen Blyth assured the minister that scholarship programmes for Pakistani students would be extended in future.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2022