5,780 scholars availing HEC scholarship returned to country after studies

Islamabad: Under HEC’s overseas scholarship programmes, Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has sent almost 5,780 scholars to different academically advanced countries for Masters, MPhil as well as for PhD studies.

As per the press release issued by the higher education commission on Saturday, out of the total students, 3,807 scholars or almost 65% of the total students returned to Pakistan after completing their education abroad.

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This Overseas scholarship programmes by the commission produce highly qualified human resource, which can increase the socio-economic development of the country, says the press release issued by HEC.

The press release furthermore added that since 2003, the intellectuals have been getting education from best universities in Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, China, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom as well as United States.

Describing the different steps of the procedure, the press release stated that under the programmes, interested candidates, fulfilling the eligibility criteria, were required to apply against the publicized scheme.

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The eligible applicant had to score at least 50 % marks in the aptitude test held by the higher education commission. The merit list in this regard was made on the basis of aptitude test and academic score, and the nominated applicants had to get admission or receive acceptance letter before interview.

Final selection of the applicants was made by international professors via interview.

At last, the selected applicants were advised to get visa of the host country. Before departure, the commission offered one-way airfare as well as two-month advance stipend in the form of crossed cheque which can only be deposited in the account of the scholar.

The rest of the scholarship amount will be paid on annual basis into the bank accounts of either the partner institutes of higher education commission or the Pakistan missions abroad.

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The partner institute or high commission will afterwards remit funds into HEC scholar’s account every month.

In light of the HEC Vision 2025, higher education commission makes a strategy to take the number of PhD faculties in higher education institutions to approximately 40,000 to cater to the growing higher education requirement of the country, says the commission.

A number of overseas as well as indigenous PhD schemes will assist in producing the qualified faculty members in different academic disciplines who will serve in various educational institutes all over the country.