ISLAMABAD, Friday, May 30, 2025 (WNP): Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula, met with Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, on Friday to explore avenues for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the higher education sector, aiming to strengthen academic ties and promote excellence through collaborative initiatives.

The meeting was held at the HEC Chairman’s Office in Islamabad, where both sides discussed a broad range of potential partnerships, including student and faculty exchange programs, curriculum development for quality assurance, knowledge-sharing in digital education, and joint research in fields such as agriculture, science and technology, medicine, engineering, and artificial intelligence.

Ambassador Dr. Jemal underscored the priority placed by Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed on ensuring quality in education and advancing modern technological integration in the sector. He noted that Pakistan’s rich experience in higher education presents valuable opportunities for Ethiopia’s human capital development.

The envoy further emphasized the importance of “education diplomacy” as a key pillar in forging long-term and sustainable relations between the two nations.

Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed welcomed the initiative, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s educational growth. He briefed the ambassador on recent developments in Pakistan’s higher education system, particularly its progress in digital learning platforms and research capabilities.

Dr. Mukhtar assured full support from HEC in establishing institutional linkages and facilitating opportunities for Ethiopian students to pursue higher education in Pakistan’s public universities.

He also extended a formal invitation to senior officials from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education and heads of leading Ethiopian universities to participate in the upcoming 6th Vice Chancellors Forum, scheduled to be held from June 23 to 25, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco.