The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan has decided to establish China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) academic research and development unit.

In this connection, HEC has invited expression of interest to hire a consultant who will work to expand CPEC consortium of China-Pakistan universities to include general, engineering, agriculture, medical and business/management universities. HEC is a government institution responsible to set agenda for reforms, roadmap, and targets for bringing qualitative and quantitative improvement in higher education sector in the country.

CPEC is a collection of projects currently under construction at a cost of $46 billion, intended to rapidly expand and upgrade Pakistani infrastructure as well as deepen and broaden economic links between Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China. The corridor is considered to be an extension of China’s ambitious One Belt, One Road initiative.

The HEC said higher education institutions can play a major role in reaping real benefits of CPEC by bridging a gap in language and cultural sector of both the countries. Enhancing geographical linkages via improved road, rail and air transportation system, frequenting people to people contact as well as academic, cultural and regional knowledge sharing and facilitating trade and businesses by win- win model will result in well connected, integrated region of shared destiny, harmony and development.

HEC aims to strengthen the role of higher education sector in CPEC, especially in the area of scientific research and higher education. The consultant will work to enhance cooperation between two countries in teaching and scientific research.

In the proposed unit, the consultant will make efforts to achieve the objectives and tasks defined in the Articles of CPEC Consortium. The different programs which will be initiated under the proposed unit are: cooperation, coordination and academic exchanges among members; study of China-Pakistan history, language and culture; research on CPEC-related areas; training and high level specialised talent cultivation.

Through the proposed unit, the HEC intends to develop joint research centres and laboratories linking Chinese and Pakistani universities and enabling funded scholarships and short training visits of Pakistani faculty and students in Chinese universities.

In this regard, the consultant is being hired to promote mobility of faculty, students and staff among Pakistani and Chinese universities and facilitate faculty development in areas of critical deficiencies; MS and PhD programmes will also be introduced in Pakistani universities with the help of top Chinese universities.