Afghan Ambassador, Chairman HEC discuss collaboration in higher education

ISLAMABAD, April 10: Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Pakistan, visited Higher Education Commission Secretariat in Islamabad. He was accompanied by Jallat Khan Zahid Fayaz, Second Secretary for Education and Cultural Affairs.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC welcomed the delegates and presented an overview of HEC’s initiatives and achievements during last 13 years. He explained how Government’s commitment to develop higher education and a considerable increase in funding has brought remarkable changes in the sector.
The Chairman said that the primary focus of HEC has remained to develop human resource in all disciplines and providing ample opportunities to faculty, research scholars and students to harness their potential. “Areas having a direct impact on country’s socio-economic growth have been prioritized. Encouraging and funding innovative and relevant research, entrepreneurship, ensuring adherence to quality assurance criteria, developing physical and technological infrastructure, improving governance at universities are some of the key areas where HEC has put its maximum effort,” he said.
The Ambassador thanked the people of Pakistan for hosting three million refugees for over three decades. He agreed that cooperation in the field of education will play a key role in bringing the government and people of the two countries more closer to each other.
Both sides agreed to work on a joint mechanism to be finalized with approval of both the countries. -PR