International Higher Education Situation In Pakistan
International Higher Education Situation In Pakistan: Higher education in Pakistan has seen an immense growth over the last 10 years after the establishment of Higher Education commission (HEC). Currently, there are 183 recognized universities and degree awarding institutions in Pakistan both Public and Private, enrolling more than 1.2 million students. Almost 40% of higher education providers are from the private sector. Foreign providers also operate in the country mainly through the collaborative mode of delivering programs with local institutions. All such programs require the approval of HEC.
International Education in Pakistan is still limited in its scope when compared to other developing countries. Only 9 partnerships approved by the HEC are operating in Pakistan. Among those providing such collaborations 6 are from the UK while the other 3 belong to Australia, Malaysia and United States respectively. Pakistan is ranked as 4th largest host country for UK higher education after Singapore, China and Malaysia.
According to UK Higher Education Statistics Agency the number of students enrolled on a UK award in Pakistan was 46,640 in 2015-2016. The number has grown almost 33% in the last 5 years. UK Higher Education Statistics Agency review team on their visit was particularly impressed by few partnerships among them the most prominent was the millennium university college (TMUC) among other colleges and universities. TMUC currently acts as a delivery center for the provision of a range of university of London international programs and ACCA qualifications.
Chairman Higher Education Commission said in an interview that internationalization in higher education is imperative for improving and enhancing the quality of teaching and research in Pakistan. Government of Pakistan will not allow violation of the regulatory framework nor shall they compromise on quality of education.
It is recommended by the education experts that highly reputed universities in Pakistan as NUST, IBA, NED, LUMS, should be allowed to deliver their programs abroad and in future raise their quality of education to international standards to compete.
The issues of international qualifications, dual degree and joint degrees have been under extensive debate during the past many years in Pakistan. Hopefully, now Pakistani students aspiring to study for a recognized international qualification will be able to do so, without having to leave their home country, or spend huge foreign exchange and in the process the brain drain risk would be reduced.
If Pakistan is to compete in the rapidly changing and globalized world, it will have to embrace innovative and modern international curriculum and teaching methodologies through international education.