The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has awarded over 4,000 foreign scholarships to Pakistani students, enabling them to study at 25 of the world’s leading universities, Federal Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui informed the National Assembly (NA).
Responding to a query from MNA Asiya Naz Tanoli, the Education Minister emphasized that all scholarships were awarded on merit through an open competitive process, as stipulated under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) approved scholarship programs.
The minister shared a list of universities where Pakistani students have been placed, including top institutions in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, Sweden, Turkey, and New Zealand. This list, available with Daily Times, reflects the HEC’s commitment to fostering international academic linkages.
According to the documents, the HEC facilitated the placement of students in these prestigious universities under various scholarship schemes funded by the PSDP. Among the key initiatives are the Fulbright Scholarship Support Program (HEC-USAID Phase-III), which has benefited 550 MS students and 266 PhD candidates. Additionally, the Law Graduates Scholarship Program for Balochistan has provided opportunities for 100 students to pursue BS, LLM, and PhD degrees abroad.
Under the Overseas Scholarship Program for MS/MPhil leading to PhD in selected fields (Phase-III), 854 Pakistani students have been granted scholarships to study abroad. Furthermore, the Pak-US Knowledge Corridor (Phase-I) development project has enabled 1,000 scholars to pursue PhD studies in various countries.
The HEC also offers 100 fellowships for faculty members under the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program Phase-III. Moreover, 400 candidates are awarded scholarships annually under HEC’s Foreign Scholarship Projects titled “Academic and Research Linkages” with different countries under Bilateral Agreements.
These scholarships, as per the HEC, are designed to support academic excellence and build research skills, with a focus on studying at top-ranked universities in technologically advanced countries across all disciplines, considering national needs.
Upon completion of their studies, scholars are expected to return to Pakistan and contribute to the country’s academic and research institutions. The HEC has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several universities to offer subsidized tuition fees, ensuring that talented youth can pursue higher studies in fields such as Engineering and Technology, Medical Sciences, ICT, Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences, and the Physical and Social Sciences.
Additionally, the HEC is offering a six-month International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP) for students enrolled in full-time PhD programs in Pakistan. This program aims to enhance the quality of doctoral research by providing opportunities for training and research at advanced research laboratories abroad.
The HEC has also signed an MoU with the government of Hungary, offering 800 scholarship slots for Pakistani scholars in 2024, with 400 principal nominees and 400 on the waiting list.
Furthermore, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) has mandated the HEC to select and nominate Pakistani students for two different types of scholarships under the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission General Scholarship Program for Masters and PhD. The HEC nominates 10 students annually for the Commonwealth Scholarship for Faculty PhD.
After the closure of the “1000 Cuban Government Medical Scholarships Program” in 2010, the Cuban government resumed offering one undergraduate medical scholarship to Pakistani students in 2016 through the HEC. Other scholarship schemes include the Chulabhorn Graduate Institute (CGI) Scholarships, fully funded for excellent international students pursuing a Master’s degree, and the University of Politehnica Bucharest in Romania, which requests four nominations annually from Pakistan.
Additionally, the Moroccan Agency of International Cooperation (AMCI) offers scholarships to Pakistani students for admission to Moroccan public institutions, with 10 students selected annually by the HEC through a competitive process.