At a meeting held at the HEC Secretariat in Islamabad on February 18, 2026, HEC Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Germany to advance higher education and technical capacity. The session was attended by German Ambassador Ina Lepel, Executive Director HEC Dr. Zia Ul Haq and representatives from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Chairman Akhtar highlighted Germany’s global leadership in engineering and technology as a benchmark for curriculum reform and laboratory standards. He said strengthening ties between Pakistani and German universities will ensure students and researchers gain the specialised skills needed to drive industrial growth and support national economic priorities.
Both sides agreed to create more robust frameworks for university-to-university collaboration, increasing joint research initiatives and faculty exchange to modernise curricula and foster innovation. The Chairman urged expanded placement of Pakistani scholars in German institutions, promoting both short-term research stays and long-term degree programmes so academics can benefit from advanced pedagogical approaches and world-class laboratory environments.
Participants also discussed strengthening the German alumni network in Pakistan by creating formal platforms for returning scholars to share expertise and mentor peers. Ambassador Lepel reaffirmed Germany’s support for the HEC vision and described the bilateral synergy as a cornerstone of international educational cooperation and scientific progress.
Chairman Akhtar praised DAAD for its scholarship programmes and role in facilitating academic mobility, noting that continued collaboration will be instrumental in reinforcing Pakistan’s higher education ecosystem and its linkages with industry.
