The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Higher Education System Strengthening Activity, organized a high-level dialogue in collaboration with HEC and 16 Pakistani universities. Hosted by the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, academic leaders from public sector universities gathered at this event to discuss innovative strategies and introduce reforms to guide universities towards sustainability.

The Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA), implemented by the University of Utah, brings together an extensive network of American professors to support its partner universities in strengthening their institutional performance.

The opening session of this 2-day dialogue was chaired by Ms. Kate Somvongsiri, Mission Director USAID/Pakistan, alongside Prof. Dr. Tariq Rafi, Chairman Sindh Higher Education Commission.

The event provided a forum to the Vice Chancellors to stimulate discussions on emerging issues in higher education, foster peer-to-peer learning, and facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices among partner universities. Participants stressed the importance of an extended leadership training, to equip Vice Chancellors with the skills needed to effectively manage emerging challenges.

Prof. Dr. Tariq Rafi, Chairman Sindh Higher Education Commission, appreciated USAID’s partnership on higher education. He said, “This initiative will advance the organizational performance of public sector universities, and we stand committed to make our programs more demand-driven for better graduate employability.” He encouraged the audience to actively contribute to this process for the improvement of educational institutions.

The first day continued with sessions on HESSA work planning within the context of the mid-term evaluation report and the key accomplishments so far at each partner university. For instance, NUST has established ‘Connected Learning’, NUTECH has initiated STEM Bootcamps, and most of the partner universities have restructured their student services including addition of wellness centers. The subsequent session featured a presentation on the monitoring framework and consultations on enhancing the effectiveness of HESSA’s approach and the impact of project interventions.

The second day began with a session dedicated to reviewing the strategic plan preparation initiatives by partner universities. This was followed by a panel discussion on ‘Transforming Universities towards Sustainability’, moderated by Dr. Akbar Zaidi. Panelists included Dr. Sarosh Lodhi, Vice Chancellor, NED University of Engineering & Technology; Dr. Shakeel Khoja, Dean School of Mathematics and Computer Science (SMCS), IBA Karachi; and Ms. Malahat Awan, Director, Alumni Affairs & Resource Mobilization, IBA Karachi.

Overall, the event marked a significant milestone for HESSA as it transitions into its fourth year of implementation. Emphasizing strategic planning, academic relevance, and the importance of cross-component coordination, the discussions reinforced the need for continued collaboration and accelerated efforts by partner universities. With two years remaining, the focus of HESSA will remain on refining capacity building programs and enhancing institutional support.