Eighty Syrian students to study in Pakistan on fully funded scholarships  

Eighty Syrian students will study in Pakistan on fully funded scholarships in undergraduate and graduate programs.

The development came after Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain visited Syria and discussed education related matters with his counterpart Dr. Darem Tabba.

It was also decided that Pakistani teachers will extend their services to Syria’s National Center for Distinguished (NCD) for one year with the aim to produce talent and skillful education.

As per plan, the Syrian students would be provided scholarships under different aid programs running in the country’s higher education sector. The fields of scholarships include medicine, dentistry, engineering, physical, natural & applied sciences, agriculture, education and others.

The 20 out of total 80 shall be offered at Pakistan’s top ranked Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) with preference to students from NCD.

Moreover, six months fully funded (local hospitality) research fellowships at QAU would also be provided to Syrian students and faculty members while seeking scholarships here.

Rana Tanveer also proposed a consortium of agriculture and livestock universities between Pakistani and Syrian universities which will encourage MSC & PhD students / scholars to carry out joint research relevant to common agriculture & livestock issues of both sides. The consortium will nominate faculty for exchange visits between Pakistan and Syria as well as to provide research facilities for joint research endeavors.

Allama Iqbal Open University and National Curriculum Council Pakistan will collaborate with Syrian Directorate of distance learning for knowledge exchange and proposal for establishment of AIOU campus in Syria.

The HEC will establish Pakistani cultural corners in Syrian universities mainly located in Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Homs and Hama.

In order to materialize and monitor the overall engagements agreed between Pakistan and Syria, both sides agreed to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) consisting of senior officials from both sides in areas of School education, Higher education and TVET sector together with ambassadors of the two countries. The group will meet biannually and submit its report to both sides.

The Minister also visited the Hama Education Platform (HEP) meant to deal with distance educational learning operations, where he witnessed live lectures being broadcast on Syrian Education channel.

Following HEP, the delegation also visited Industrial High School of Hama, which is a TVET sector training institute. Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain accompanied by his Syrian counterpart also attended the launching ceremony of educational initiative “Iqra (read)” at the Basic Education School in Qatana City, Damascus.

His visit was a follow up visit of the Syrian Education Minister to Pakistan last year.