Islamabad: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved eight projects of the higher education sectors worth Rs28.872billion for providing scholarships and strengthening of infrastructure and other facilities.

A mega project worth Rs20.904 billion for Overseas Scholarships (Phase-III) has been approved to send 2000 Pakistani scholars to foreign universities for doctoral studies.

Other approved projects include establishment of College of Nursing and Community Medicine at Peoples University of Medical Sciences, Nawabshah with a cost of Rs603.093million, establishment of sub-campus of National Textile University at Karachi at a cost of Rs875.563 million, establishment of Science Laboratory and Creative Art Centre, Sukkur IBA University worth Rs852.694 million, development of academic and research facilities at University of Kotli worth Rs13388.875 million, establishment of Women Campuses at Kohat and Bannu worth Rs1957.893 million and Institute of Science and Technology at Bahawalpur at a cost of Rs2290.009 million.

It is pertinent to mention that most of the development projects will be executed in less-developed areas such as Nawabshah, Sukkur, Kotli, Bahawalpur, Kohat and Bannu.

HEC, since its establishment in 2002, has been carrying out a comprehensive programme of higher education reforms and institutional building and has adopted a holistic approach for expansion and improvement of the sector.

The ultimate goal of the whole effort is that access to quality higher education is increased and our academics, researchers and higher learning institutions play an effective role for developing a knowledge-based economy, and identify and provide solutions for various challenges faced by Pakistani society.