Thailand To Award Scholarships To Pakistani Students

The Higher Education Commission(HEC) and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Thailand will sign a Document of Understanding on award of scholarships to Pakistani students.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2018 ) :The Higher Education Commission(HEC) and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Thailand will sign a Document of Understanding on award of scholarships to Pakistani students.

It was agreed in a meeting held here during the visit of delegation consisting educationists from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), a news release said on Thursday.

The delegation was received here by the Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC and senior HEC management. Talking to the delegates, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed shared the initiative and achievements of HEC with regard to promotion of higher education in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan had only 59 universities before the inception of HEC in 2002, while only 800 research publications had surfaced. He maintained that the number of universities has now reached 188, while the number of research publications currently is 12000 annually.

He said HEC envisions 40 per cent of PhD faculty in the country's universities by 2025. The Chairman stressed the need for identifying potential areas in which HEC and AIT can collaborate. He said HEC gives great importance to joint research projects with foreign countries.

During the meeting, it was agreed that Pakistani faculty members will be given opportunities to go for a sabbatical. Besides, modalities for collaborative research especially in the fields of water resources, Engineering, solar energy, food security, structures and urban planning and environment will be finalised with mutual consultations.

The two sides will jointly conduct research and hold seminars apart from considering participation in non-academic activities. In order to materialise the meeting decisions, a trilateral working group consisting of two members from Pakistani academia and AIT each will be constituted.

The AIT will be represented by Dr Naveed Anwar, Executive Director, AIT Solutions and Mr Shawn P. Kelly, Director, Office of the External Relations, AIT, Thailand, while Mr Muhammad Raza Chohan, Director General, Academics will serve as HEC's focal person.

The AIT delegation was headed by Prof Worsak Kanok Nukulchai, President AIT while it comprised Prof Voratas Kachitvitchyanukul, Dean, school of Engineering and Technology, Prof Rajendra Shrestha, Dean, School of Environment Resources and Development, Dr Fiaz Shah, Head, Development Management and Director, Yunus Centre, Mr Shawn P.

Kelly, Director, Office of the External Relations, and Dr Navid Anwar, Executive Director, AIT Solutions. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Nukulchai said, "AIT is a neutral platform for regional engagements and it values international collaboration".

He stressed the need to revitalise partnership with Pakistan. He said research and development endeavours are a boon for the mankind, as they lead to sustainable development. He said AIT offers 30 academic programmes and has 2000 postgraduate students, adding that it has developed 200 academic partnerships.