ISLAMABAD, Feb 25: Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Attaur Rahman on Monday said there was a sharp increase in the scholarship programmes and that over 2,500 HEC scholars were currently pursuing their higher studies in the world leading universities.

He was speaking at a farewell ceremony organized for 50 HEC scholars who were leaving for MS Studies in South Korea. On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the HEC and the Hanyang University, South Korea.

The scholars, proceeding under the programme called MS Level Training in Korea Universities/Industry, will study at the Hanyang and the Seoul National universities, said a press release issued here.

The event was also attended by Shin Un, ambassador of Republic of Korea and various other stakeholders including officials of the Engineering Development Board, Pakistan Engineering Council, Planning Commission, and some Korean companies.

An eight-member delegation from South Korea, led by Dr Jung Youn Won, Vice-President Hanyang University, also arrived in Pakistan for the MoU signing ceremony.

On the occasion, the HEC chairman said in the last four to five years important steps had been taken to develop the higher education sector in the country.

He said the HEC had identified the brightest of minds among faculty members, researchers and fresh graduates and sent them to the top institutions in the world. He informed the participants that some 260 of these scholars would return this year after completing their studies, while another 400-500 would return next year.

Dr Atta said the commission was placing special emphasis on the engineering education and a large portion of the scholarships had been reserved for the engineering graduates. He said South Korea was selected as a partner country because it had excelled in the academia and industry.

“We want to get benefit form the expertise of our Korean friends. The Korean universities and industry are strongly interlined and we want our scholars to learn in that environment,” he added.

The HEC chairman also said the HEC had established various universities of engineering, science and technology of in the country in collaboration with the developed countries including Germany, France, Italy, China, Austria and South Korea.

Shin Un, the Korean ambassador, on the occasion lauded the efforts by the HEC to develop human resource. “In today’s world, the human resources are much more important than the natural resources and in this context the steps taken by HEC are very timely and appropriate,” he said, adding that South Korea would prove to be a good partner in this effort.