ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Wednesday hosted a send-off ceremony for 209 Pakistani students who have won scholarships to study at top Hungarian universities under the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme.

“The scholarship recipients constitute the 11th batch of Pakistani students under the programme. This year, around 26,000 students applied for the scholarships, reflecting the growing interest of Pakistani youth in international higher education opportunities. With the award of 209 scholarships for the academic year 2026, the total number of scholarship awardees has reached 1,636 since the programme launch in 2016,” says a press release issued by the HEC.

The commission chairman, Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, was chief guest of the pre-departure ceremony while HEC Executive Director Dr Ziaul Haq, Deputy Head of Mission in Pakistan Dr Dora Gunsberger at Embassy of Hungary, Director General Human Resource Development (HRD)/Global Engagement (GE) Divisions HEC Aayesha Ikram, and Rector Air University retired Air Marshal Dr Abdul Moeed Khan alongside heads and faculty of various other higher education institutions were also present. The ceremony was also attended by parents of the scholarship recipients and alumni of the programme.

Speaking on the occasion, HEC Chairman Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar advised the scholarship recipients to respect and follow the laws of Hungary, make full use of the academic and cultural diversity around them, and return with knowledge and experiences that could contribute to Pakistan’s development.

He highlighted the quality of Hungarian universities and the opportunities available to Pakistani students to acquire high-quality education and research experience in an international academic environment. Dr Akhtar extended his gratitude to the Hungarian government and the Hungarian embassy for their persistent support to Pakistani students.

Dr Dora Gunsberger emphasised that the send-off ceremony was not only an occasion to celebrate the new scholarship winners but also an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable success of the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme over the past decade.

HEC Executive Director Dr Ziaul Haq described the HEC’s Human Resource Development (HRD) Division as the “most beautiful part of HEC”, highlighting the transformative impact of scholarship opportunities on young Pakistanis.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2026