In a historic event held at Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), the inaugural session of the Pak-UK Education Gateway Mobility Partnership for Students marked the beginning of a ground-breaking collaboration between universities in the United Kingdom and Pakistan. This partnership is set to revolutionize higher education, fostering stronger ties and promoting equitable and diverse academic environments.
The Pak-UK Education Gateway Student Mobility Partnership being executed at LCWU is focused on enhancing research, academic and professional collaborations between UK universities and Lahore College for Women University which is Pakistan’s largest women university. The leading university from UK is University of Bolton whereas other partners also include University of Manchester, University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, UCL and UPSIGN.
The project titled, “Socially Inclusive and Equitable Education as a Driver for Sustainable Development.” aims to facilitate academically rigorous short-term mobility opportunities for Master’s and Ph.D. students in both Pakistan and the UK. Five PhD students from LCWU will directly benefit from this mobility program, enhancing the quality of their research and academic pursuits. Additionally, three students from the UK are expected to undertake mobility to Lahore College for Women University Pakistan, broadening the scope of this transformative initiative.
The event was graced by esteemed figures, including Professor Dr. Shagufta Naz, Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University, and Dr. Aqsa Shabbir, the principal investigator/lead of the project from LCWU, Prof. Dr. Uzma Qureshi Director DFDI LCWU, Samina Durrani Director finance Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Prof. Dr. Amina Moazzam CO-PI. Distinguished guests from the UK included Professor Zubair Hanslot, Provost at the University of Bolton, Professor Dr Nusrat Hussain from the University of Manchester, Dr Roshelle Ramakisson, University of Bolton, Dr Khalid Mehmood from UPSIGN and Ms Varda Dar, Program Manager at the British Council.
Professor Dr Shagufta Naz, Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University, highlighted the expected outcomes of the project, which included increased knowledge and collaboration, empowerment of women in leadership roles, heightened awareness of women’s education dimensions, improved equity, diversity, and inclusion, and contributions to sustainable development goals.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of this partnership, with a strong emphasis on gender balance, ensuring that this initiative catalyzes positive change in higher education, she added.
Prof. Dr. Shagufta Naz stated, “The project promises knowledge and expertise transfer, research infrastructure visits, participation in symposiums and seminars, short courses, training, and summer schools. The learnings will be widely disseminated through digital content and social media, motivating other students towards quality research.”
Dr. Aqsa Shabbir, principal investigator/lead of the project, added, “This project sets ambitious goals, including reshaping higher education leadership with a focus on equity and diversity, quantifying the impact of quality higher education on female graduates’ employability, addressing socio-psychological challenges faced by female teachers in higher education, tackling gender disparities in STEM fields, and exploring the role of higher education in addressing the socio-psychological impacts of climate change, particularly on women.” Dr. Naveed Iqbal, the Co-Principal Investigator of the project, has stated that our objective is to illuminate the transformative experiences of students participating in this partnership. Throughout this journey, we will share stories of empowerment, cultural exchange, and educational equity through documentaries and LCWU Web TV.
