ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have signed a five-year agreement aimed at expanding educational cooperation and strengthening academic exchanges between the two countries.
The agreement was signed between the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) at the USEFP headquarters in Islamabad on Tuesday.
USEFP Executive Director Dr Peter Moran and HEC Executive Director Professor Dr Zia-ul-Haq signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.
Under the partnership, educational exchange programmes administered by USEFP will be expanded and supported, including the renowned Fulbright Scholarship Programme.
Officials said the agreement renews the shared educational commitment of the governments of Pakistan and the United States and seeks to promote economic prosperity, security, scientific advancement and technological development through greater access to higher education.
The partnership is expected to provide Pakistani students and scholars with increased access to the US higher education system while strengthening the capacity and capabilities of Pakistan’s higher education sector.
The supported programmes will also focus on developing future leaders, researchers and experts in both countries.
Under the agreement, US citizens visiting Pakistan will contribute to research, entrepreneurship and public health initiatives. Officials said the cooperation would also create benefits for American universities, businesses and the wider public.
The five-year partnership is being described as an important step toward strengthening long-term educational and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the United States.
