The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, an independent, autonomous, and constitutionally established institution, will develop academic collaboration with Sri Lanka through Pakistan-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme.
HEC Chairman Dr. Tariq Banuri during a meeting with Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Maj. Gen. (R) Shahid Hashmat at the Commission Secretariat in Islamabad has indicated the initiative to collaborate with Sri Lanka to develop higher education, The News reported.
Hashmat expressed his strong commitment to play active role in executing the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme. He affirmed that the program will further strengthen the bilateral relations and will improve people-to-people contact.
Dr. Banuri said that the HEC accords high importance to international collaborations, adding that the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme is one of the examples of its commitment to promotion of higher education in the country.
Under the program, the HEC will extend educational assistance to Sri Lankan students and faculty. The project includes 1000 scholarships for Sri Lankan students, faculty exchange initiatives, training of Sri Lankan civil servants, holding of Pakistan Higher Education Expo in Sri Lanka, and establishment of a Department of Language and Culture at University of Colombo.
It was agreed in the meeting that the project will be executed from Fall 2019, while a credible and transparent merit-based system will be put in place for the selection of students and faculty.
