The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and 16 Pakistani universities, hosted a high-level dialogue at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi to address sustainable educational reforms. Organized through the Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA), the two-day event brought together academic leaders from public universities to explore innovative strategies for long-term sustainability. HESSA, led by the University of Utah, connects American professors with Pakistani partner universities to enhance institutional performance.
The opening session was chaired by Kate Somvongsiri, USAID/Pakistan Mission Director, alongside Dr. Tariq Rafi, Chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission. The gathering provided Vice Chancellors with an opportunity to discuss the evolving challenges in higher education, share ideas, and promote peer learning. Leadership training sessions were a key focus, equipping university leaders with tools to tackle emerging issues more effectively. Dr. Rafi praised USAID’s commitment to higher education, noting that the initiative would improve the performance of public universities and better align their programs with the needs of the job market. Day one featured discussions on HESSA’s work planning, mid-term evaluation results, and milestones achieved by partner institutions. Examples included NUST’s ‘Connected Learning’ program and NUTECH’s STEM Bootcamps. Other universities have restructured their student services and established wellness centers.
The day concluded with a presentation on HESSA’s monitoring framework and consultations to enhance the project’s impact. Day two opened with a review of strategic planning efforts by partner universities, followed by a panel discussion on transforming universities for sustainability.
Moderated by Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director of IBA Karachi, the panel included Dr. SaroshLodhi, Vice Chancellor of NED University, Dr. ShakeelKhoja, Dean of the School of Mathematics and Computer Science at IBA, and Ms. MalahatAwan, Director of Alumni Affairs and Resource Mobilization at IBA. As HESSA enters its fourth year, the discussions emphasized the importance of strategic planning and collaboration to further refine capacity-building efforts. With two years remaining, the focus will be on enhancing institutional support and accelerating the progress of participating universities.
