Education collaboration: Over half of students sent to France have returned

HEC chief says they are working to jointly set up a university in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Over half of all Pakistani students sent to France for higher studies by have returned to the country.

This information was shared at an event organised by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Thursday in collaboration with the French Embassy and Campus France on Thursday.

HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said that over 700 Pakistani students had been sent to France by the commission. Of these, around 450 students had returned.  Noting that the number of universities in Pakistan had risen to 182, Dr Ahmed said that they were working on a plan to set up a French university in Pakistan. Moreover, he said that Pakistan and France were planning to organise a conference on archaeology in Lahore soon, and a similar exhibition will also be held in Paris next year.

Ambassador of France Martine Dorance said that France had reframed its partnership with Pakistan in scientific cooperation under the Pakistan-France Joint Research Programme (PERIDOT).

“I have no doubt that this will strengthen the partnership between our two countries, and will… create a sustainable academic cooperation,” she said.

Earlier, Minister of State for Federal Education Balighur Rehman said Pakistan and France enjoy cordial relations.

“I hope these collaborations will help Pakistani universities and scholars to learn from their French counterparts,” Rehman said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2017.