The British Council Karachi has announced to launch British Prime Minister's Initiative - Second Phase (PMI-2) for international education. Tony Blair launched his Prime Minister's Initiative (PMI) for international education on Aril 18, 2006 in London.
The initiative is a new five-year strategy, which will build on the success of the first PMI to secure the UK's position as a leader in international education and sustain the managed growth of UK international education delivered both in UK and overseas.
Speaking at the launching ceremony held at a local hotel here on Tuesday, Ron Rimmer, Deputy Head of Mission - British Deputy High Commission- said that phase one of the initiative previously launched in 1999 with the purpose to encourage international students to study in UK.
He said the second PMI, however, aimed at doing more than just recruiting more students from across the world. In addition to ensuring the quality of students' experience, it was also aimed at building strategic partnerships and alliances and developing marketing and communication strategies to position the UK as a leader in international education.
As such it is not just an education initiative and thus involves several different British government departments working together to ensure the success of initiative. These include the British Council on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, the Foreign Office, UK Trade and Investment and UK visas.
He said that the UK Trade and Investment would help promote the initiative and help identifying clear links to enhance export opportunities for a wide ranging of academic, vocational and corporate training providers.
UK universities would be encouraged to go into partnership with leading Pakistani universities to develop joint degrees and research. To date five UK universities have opened regional offices in Pakistan and the Chairman of Pakistan's Higher Education Commission has announced an increase in funding to set up more substantial links with the UK universities.
UK visas had provided financial support to the PMI, including for research into the role of visa operation in students' choice, he said.
He said, "our visa sections here in Karachi and in Islamabad are fully committed to provide a high quality, fair and speedy service to genuine students going to UK education establishments."
They are fully integrated into the overall process for recruiting top quality students for the UK education establishments. They have streamlined visa application processes and formed partnerships with the British Council and the education sector to help support and facilitate international students.
He said that in 2005 they issued 7000 student visas and in the first three months of 2006, 1860 visas. If this trend continues for the rest of 2006 as expected, this would represent an increase of approximately seven percent on the number issued last year.
Marcus Gilbert, Director - British Council Karachi, George Paterson, Head, Glasgow City Mission to Pakistan, Rubeena Hoodbhoy, Chairperson, Pakistan National Education Consultants Association and Sharne Procter, Director, International and Postgraduate Service, University of Glasgow also spoke on the occasion.
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