Japan gives $2.5m in scholarships to Pakistan

JDS scholarship aims to impart public administration education to govt officials

ISLAMABAD:

The Government of Japan, on Thursday, announced a generous grant aid of 315 million Japanese Yen, equivalent to approximately $2.25 million, for the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) programme in Pakistan. The Exchange of Notes for this programme was signed between Charge’d Affaires ad interim of Japan to Pakistan, ITO Takeshi and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Muhammad Humair Karim.

The JDS programme is aimed at supporting Pakistan’s social and economic development by providing government officials with the opportunity to pursue Master’s or Doctoral degrees in Japan. By enhancing their knowledge in public administration, the programme aims to strengthen the relationship between Japan and Pakistan. The participants of the JDS programme, who are actively involved in policy formulation and implementation, will enrol in partner universities in Japan. This will not only enable them to acquire further knowledge in their respective fields but also provide them with an understanding of Japanese culture and traditions.

Since its launch in Pakistan in 2018, the JDS programme has seen 31 government officials successfully complete their degrees, while 35 are currently pursuing their academic goals in Japan. An additional 18 officials will be dispatched to Japan in the middle of 2023.

The signing of the sixth batch of the programme in Pakistan marks a significant milestone. This batch offers 17 seats for the Master’s degree and one seat for the Doctoral degree.

Speaking at the ceremony, KINOSHITA Yasumitsu, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Pakistan Office, KINOSHITA Yasumitsu emphasised the value of JDS in nurturing talent, promoting intellectual growth, and enabling young government officials to reach their full potential. He expressed the desire that the skills and knowledge gained through the JDS programme would ultimately contribute to powerful assistance for the government of Pakistan.

Takeshi highlighted Japan’s understanding of the importance of social and human capital development in Pakistan. He emphasised that responsive and accountable public administration is a key enabler for the country’s development. Therefore, building the capacity of young civil servants in various technical areas is essential to strengthen public administration and effectively address the multidimensional challenges faced by Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2023.

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