LAHORE: Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan in collaboration with Pakistan High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka organised a joint Pre-departure Orientation and Scholarship Award Ceremony for Sri Lankan students in Colombo.
Out of 1400 Sri Lankan students who applied for the scholarship, 396 Sri Lankan students have secured Allama Iqbal Scholarships under HEC’s project, Pak-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme. Under the Allama Iqbal Scholarships Programme, 237 Sri Lankan students are already studying in Pakistan.
Alongside Executive Director HEC Dr Shaista Sohail, Director General (Scholarships) HEC Aayesha Ikram, and Project Director HEC Jehanzeb Khan, the parents of the successful awardees were also present during this event.
Addressing the ceremony, Executive Director HEC Dr. Shaista Sohail congratulated the scholarship awardees and highlighted the importance of Pak-Sri Lanka long-lasting friendship. She shed light on the HEC functions and the objectives of Pak-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Programme. She said that HEC has been putting efforts to increase access to higher education, enhance quality and ensure relevance. She added that the Pakistani universities are putting emphasis on soft skills in view of their significance in the today’s world.
She briefed the audience about the other offerings of HEC for the academic fraternity of Sri Lanka, which included, a faculty exchange program, training of Sri Lankan senior civil servants in Pakistan, and the establishment of a centre of Asian Civilization and Culture in Sri Lanka.
High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Maj-Gen Umar Farooq Burki (retd) shed light on the life and services of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, after whom the scholarship programme for Sri Lankan students has been named. He said the scholarship programme will bring the people of Pakistan and Sri Lanka closer and strengthen the brotherly bonds between them.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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