The three-day event aims to bring together leaders and decision makers from universities, industry, and government to invigorate and rethink higher education in the 21st century.
By Naveed Naqvi
ISLAMABAD: Government officials and educationists from Pakistan and United States came together here Wednesday to inaugurate the International Summit on Higher Education and Workforce Development in the 21st Century.
The three-day event that will continue through December 2, 2022 is being attended among others by officials from the University of Utah and the Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal
The summit is being organised by the US-funded Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA) and focuses on the role of higher education in the 21st century, highlighting the fluid nature of learning and employment, and explores how universities can reposition themselves in this ever-changing landscape.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Iqbal remarked that the government of Pakistan is open to improving the higher education system and is looking into various options to capitalise on the abundant youth potential in the country.
He appreciated Pakistan’s 75-year partnership with the US government and celebrated the support provided by the US government to academia through specialised investment in higher education.
The Minister said that academic institutions and the public and private sectors should join hands to accelerate this development, and tasked Pakistani higher education officials to improve higher education.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said that HEC will continue working with the US government to build a cadre of experts to improve graduate employability.
Senator Keith Grover, Utah State Senator from the United States noted, “It is the ultimate goal of an institute to provide necessary skills for youth so they can positively contribute to the workforce both locally and globally.”
United States Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome celebrated the 75 years of partnership between the US and Pakistan and said, “In a country where more than 60 percent of the population is below the age of 30, we must continue to help youth achieve their full potential.”
HESSA is supported by the United States through USAID, and is implemented in collaboration with 16 Pakistani public universities and other stakeholders, with a focus on strengthening universities’ capacity to deliver market-driven education, research, and graduate employability.
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