ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have renewed their cooperation in higher education through a new five-year agreement between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP).
The agreement, covering financial years 2026-27 to 2031-32, will continue several flagship academic programmes, including Fulbright Master’s and PhD scholarships, the Visiting Scholar Programme, Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Programme and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship.
Under the renewed partnership, 66 PhD scholars are expected to receive support over five years, alongside opportunities available through other programme streams.
The initiative will enable Pakistani students, researchers and academics to pursue advanced studies and research in the United States, with the expectation that beneficiaries will contribute to the country’s development after returning to Pakistan.
HEC has committed at least $4.54 million annually, with its total contribution capped at Rs6.48 billion over the five-year period. Funds will be released according to an agreed schedule, subject to the availability of government funding.
Officials said the selection process would remain strictly merit-based, with no reserved quotas for any particular region, group or category. HEC will also participate in selection panels and help identify priority disciplines linked to Pakistan’s national development and security needs.
A Joint Review Committee, comprising representatives of both partner institutions, will meet twice a year to evaluate the programme’s performance and impact.
To strengthen financial oversight, USEFP will submit annual audited accounts to HEC, while relevant financial records will remain available for review.
The agreement also expands cooperation beyond scholarships, including nationwide awareness campaigns, potential faculty and administrator exchanges, and other academic initiatives.
The latest pact builds on the Fulbright-HEC PhD partnership signed in 2016, under which $25.786 million was committed to support 125 Pakistani scholars during FY2016-20.
