Pakistani university heads hold wide-ranging cooperation talks with China Association of Higher Education

A high-level delegation of Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC), led by Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar and comprising heads of leading Pakistani universities, visited the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE), where the two sides mapped out an ambitious agenda for academic cooperation

BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jul, 2026) A high-level delegation of Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC), led by Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar and comprising heads of leading Pakistani universities, visited the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE), where the two sides mapped out an ambitious agenda for academic cooperation.

Dr. Akhtar proposed a long-term "Pak-China Higher Education Framework 2035" to guide the two countries' educational partnership, built on five pillars: language and culture exchange, talent and human capital development, innovation and research cooperation, digital transformation of universities, and a Pak-China Knowledge Corridor.

He also suggested establishing a Pak-China University Leadership Academy for professional development, noting that as the second phase of CPEC focuses on people-to-people ties, higher education can play a defining role. To mark 75 years of Pak-China diplomatic relations, he invited CAHE's leadership to visit Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tahir Mumtaz Awan, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Sargodha, emphasized that culture exchange centers can play a vital role in strengthening Pakistan-China cooperation, adding that Confucius Institutes provide an important platform for academic collaboration and can help train universities to undertake similar initiatives.

He noted that people-to-people exchanges remain a key pillar of CPEC 2.0, making the ongoing collaboration and coordination between the two sides highly significant. Dr. Awan further stated that the Confucius Institute and the Pakistan Institute of China Studies would extend full support and facilitation to Chinese partners, ensuring close coordination under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Dr.

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Qaisar Abbas to advance future cooperative initiatives.

Pakistani vice chancellors tabled concrete proposals.'

The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) sought CAHE's advice on establishing a Higher Education Teachers Development College, offering to host a Chinese team within two weeks.

The University of Sindh proposed a 100-university CAHE-HEC consortium, beginning with the ten institutions represented at the meeting.

Bahria University highlighted cooperation in AI and quantum technologies and a proposed Higher Education Maritime Centre in Karachi, while Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) emphasized CPEC Centre collaboration and Gwadar-focused research. COMSATS University stressed the need for skills-based, personalized curricula as academia moves toward Industry 4.0 and beyond.

Zhang Daliang, Vice President of the CAHE side, proposed establishing six university clusters under a bilateral alliance, a China-Pakistan Research and Innovation Network, joint AI and digital education courses, and expanded training of Pakistani teachers through China's higher education training centers.

It also welcomed more Pakistani students to China and announced the alliance's annual conference for October, alongside the 2026 International Forum on Higher Education to be jointly held by CAHE and Tongji University in Shanghai this December.

It is to be noted that the Pakistani delegation, chaired by HEC Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, comprised heads of leading universities including NUST, COMSATS University Islamabad, Bahria University, University of Sindh, BUITEMS Quetta, UET Peshawar, Kotli University AJK, and the University of Sargodha.