ISLAMABAD:The Higher Education Commission (HEC) accords high importance to engagement with the international world for academic and research activities as it will help develop the higher education sector.
This was stated by Dr. Tariq Banuri, Chairman HEC while talking to Mr. Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to Austria who called on him at the Commission Secretariat on Wednesday.
Dr. Banuri asserted that the government and HEC welcome the world partners with open arms to collaborate in service, instruction and research endeavours. He stressed the need for efforts to promote exchange of students and faculty members. “HEC looks forward to placement of Pakistani faculty at international organizations for a specific period of time in order to expand their exposure,” he underlined. He maintained that this will also help control brain drain from Pakistan. He emphasized on addressing visa restrictions for students aspiring to take admission in Austrian higher education institutions.
The Ambassador said that efforts are afoot to address visa issues, adding that there are a number of collaborative opportunities for Pakistani students and scholars to pursue their advanced studies and research in Austrian institutions. He said entities like Austrian Academy of Sciences, and International Anti-Corruption Academy, Laxenburg can be approached to seek collaboration for education programmes and capacity building of Pakistani students, faculty members, and researchers.
Dr. Banuri expressed his desire for revival of Pakistan’s membership of International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg. To this, the Ambassador assured him of his full cooperation to revive Pakistan’s membership of this important institution. Ambassador Khan promised to promote closer collaborative professional relations between Pakistan and Austrian Academies of Sciences to promote innovative joint research that is mutually beneficial.