Pakistani higher education institutions and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) are making major progress in modernizing student support services at Pakistani universities.

According to a press release released here on Monday, the goal of this program was to give students the fundamental abilities they would need to succeed in the cutthroat, international environment of today. At the third annual summit, which was arranged by USAID's Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA), more than 100 representatives and academics from 16 partner universities in Pakistan attended.

This four-day event demonstrates the strong collaboration between Pakistan and the United States and their shared goal of improving higher education access for all Pakistanis.

Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza, Member (R&D) Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, and Maura O'Brien, USAID Deputy Mission Director, chaired the first session of the four-day program. Universities must encourage a sense of belonging among their students, stressed Dr. Mirza. It's critical that universities give their students a sense of community and give them the tools they need to plan and direct their own destinies. Let's reaffirm our commitment to fostering welcoming and encouraging settings where every kid can succeed as we come together for this summit, the speaker continued.

In her remarks, Ms. O'Brien emphasized the significance of soft skills, saying that colleges may improve students' job prospects and better equip them to meet the demands of the modern workforce by placing a strong priority on the development of soft skills.

The Higher Education Commission, 16 partner universities, and the University of Utah are supported in their efforts to enhance institutional capacity to promote market-led education and research in Pakistan through the HESSA activity.

The six subject areas of financial aid, student leadership, student microenterprises, job readiness, alumni engagement, and mental health were discussed at the summit since they are critical to the support of Pakistan's higher education institutions.

Through high-quality education, the United States is dedicated to empowering all Pakistanis and bolstering higher education in the country. The series' first two annual summits were centered on the advancement of financial aid and student services.