The Higher Education Commission launched the Mentoring Program for Universities on March 17 in Islamabad to train leadership and faculty across public and private higher education institutions. The ceremony at the HEC Secretariat brought together senior management while vice chancellors of universities participated virtually.
Run through the National Academy of Higher Education, the Mentoring Program builds on HEC’s Women Empowerment and Mentoring initiative launched in November 2024 for 18 women universities. That earlier effort produced 890 mentors and mentees and demonstrated a model that NAHE now seeks to expand nationwide.
Engr. Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar stressed that mentorship of academic leadership and faculty is essential to institutional development, noting Pakistan’s abundance of senior academicians whose expertise the program will harness. He highlighted readiness for mentorship as a key factor in strengthening universities.
Dr. Noor Amna Malik, Managing Director NAHE, described how the women-focused mentoring initiative became institutionalised and created a support system within academia. She explained that the Mentoring Program will help remove interpersonal and psychological barriers, guide beneficiaries to address institutional challenges, and develop leadership capacities that contribute to both personal growth and institutional transformation.
Dr. Uzma Quraishi, Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University, noted that LCWU produced 240 mentors across three cohorts who are now cascading their learning across the campus. She emphasised that the program’s modular design allows universities to add need-based components tailored to local challenges.
The gender-inclusive Mentoring Program aims to foster a culture of mentorship, collaboration and knowledge sharing across Pakistan’s higher education landscape. With an open window for universities to propose targeted modules, the initiative seeks to support emerging leaders, maximise potential, develop skills and enhance overall academic performance.
