Pakistan is set to host the Muslim World’s Vice Chancellors’ Forum next month in Islamabad. On Monday, the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, extended an official invitation to Somali officials for the event.
Scheduled from February 4 to 7, the forum will bring together over 150 vice-chancellors from universities in OIC member states to foster collaboration in higher education across the Islamic world.
A Somali delegation, led by Minister of Education Farah Abdulkadir and Somalia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan, visited the HEC Secretariat on Monday to meet Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed. The delegation’s visit followed their participation in an international girls’ conference that concluded on Sunday.
Discussions during the meeting focused on opportunities to develop the higher education sectors in both Pakistan and Somalia. The Somali delegation included the Director General of the Ministry of Education, Abdullahi Omar, as well as education advisers Ms. Deka and Ms. Asma from the Somali Embassy. HEC representatives, including Adviser on Global Engagement Awais Ahmad and Director of Administration Tariq Iqbal, were also present.
According to an HEC press release, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed highlighted the commission’s initiatives to increase scholarship opportunities for international students, particularly youth from Muslim countries. He cited the success of the Afghan Student Scholarship Programme, which has enabled numerous Afghan students to study at Pakistan’s top universities.
Dr. Ahmed assured the Somali delegation of HEC’s support in advancing Somalia’s higher education sector and providing Somali students with access to academic programs in Pakistan. He emphasized potential collaborations in quality assurance, agriculture, and information technology.
Additionally, Dr. Ahmed introduced the delegation to “Ilm-Bank,” a virtual platform designed to function as a knowledge consortium for higher education institutions in OIC countries. The platform aims to promote cross-border education, training, and research, connecting students and scholars with resources across member states.