Pakistan-US university partnerships boosting social sciences and humanities: Chairman HEC  

ISLAMABAD: “The university partnerships in Social Sciences and Humanities between the higher learning institutions of Pakistan and the United States are instrumental in providing a boost to the waning interest among academics and researchers in these fields.”

This was stated by Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC) while addressing the Follow-up Workshop for Pakistan-US University Partnerships in Social Sciences and Humanities that began here on Wednesday.

These partnerships, a joint initiative of Higher Education Commission and the US Embassy in Pakistan, are an on-going activity since 2012 and aim to establish long-term, ongoing relationships between Pakistani institutions of higher learning with those in the United States, in the fields of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Under this programme, $1 million grant is funded by the US government and provided to American universities to establish a three-year partnership with a Pakistani university in Social Sciences and Humanities fields in order to assist universities with professional development for faculty, curriculum reform, joint research, as well as increasing mutual understanding between Pakistan and the United States through sustainable, peer-to-peer relationships.

The two-day workshop will review the on-going projects under these partnerships. It involves sessions on Sustainability of Partnerships, Academic Linkages and Network, DVC Session with US Partners, University Partnerships – Success and Challenges.

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed urged the participants to share their achievements and learn from each other’s experiences. “Let’s review what we have achieved through these partnerships and celebrate our success. I will request all of you to share success with people in your institution and also with other institutions in your surrounding community.” He further added it was time to pay back society by providing it with solutions to local problems.

The Chairman thanked the US Government, particularly US Embassy, for their continuous support for development of Pakistan’s higher education sector and initiating these partnerships for promoting research in areas of Social Sciences and Humanities.

“Cooperation with Pakistan in higher education is a priority for the United States.  U.S.-funded university partnerships between Pakistani and American universities are enhancing curricula and research quality.  In doing so, they will benefit future generations moving through the Pakistani higher education system,” said Thomas Leary, Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy in Islamabad.

All the University Partnerships are for three-year duration.  The projects which started in 2012 will finish this year after completing their three years. This include partnership between National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad and University of North Texas in English Linguistics in Literature, and English Language Teaching; Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and Ball State University in American Studies; Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad and San José State University in Distance Education, Computer Science; Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi and University of Texas at Austin in Behavioral Sciences; Gender Studies, Mass Communications; University of Gujrat and University of Oklahoma in Mass Communication and Media Studies; Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Peshawar and Southern Methodist University in Psychology; Isra University, Hyderabad and Ball State University in Business Administration; Consortium of Five Pakistani Universities in KPK and the University of Kentucky in Business Administration. KPK universities include Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Kohat University of Science and Technology, University of Peshawar, Bannu University of Science and Technology, and IMSciences, Peshawar.
The partnerships which started in 2013 and will complete next year include that of National College of Arts, Rawalpindi and Boston Architectural College in Architecture and Cultural Preservation; Azad Jammu and Kashmir University, Muzaffarabad and San José State University in Linguistics and English Education; Karakoram International University, Gilgit and University of Oregon in Business Management and Environment Sciences; Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore and Arizona State University in American Literature; Lahore College for Women University and George Washington University in Gender Studies; University of Karachi and George Mason University in Public Administration; National Academy of Performing Arts, Karachi and University of Texas at Austin in Composition, Instrumental and Vocal Music; and Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi and Southern Polytechnic State University in Communication Design.

Similarly, the partnerships started in 2014 include International Islamic University, Islamabad and University of North Carolina Wilmington in Politics and International Relations and English; Lahore University of Management Sciences and American University in the field of Leadership Training and Entrepreneurship for Pakistani Females (for one year duration only). Two more partnerships will be formed between National College of Arts, Lahore and a US University in Film and Television Arts, and University of the Punjab, Lahore and a US Institution in Sociology and Development Studies.