**University of Utah Professors Visit Fatima Jinnah Women University to Advance Higher Education Initiatives**
Prof. Dr. Aslam Chaudhry and Prof. Dr. Michael Barber from the University of Utah visited Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) as part of efforts to review and bolster higher education initiatives launched under USAID’s Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA). Their visit focused on assessing the progress, ensuring the sustainability of these initiatives, and crafting a strategic roadmap for the future.
During their visit, the two professors held a meeting with FJWU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza (Pride of Performance, T.I.), along with Prof. Dr. Azra Yasmin (Director, Campus II), Prof. Dr. Ghulam Behlol (Dean, Faculty of Education), and Prof. Dr. Bushra Yasmin (Director QEC/Institutional Lead, Student Support Services). Discussions centered around the impact of HESSA initiatives and key institutional strategies aimed at enhancing educational quality and student support services.
Professors Chaudhry and Barber reiterated their commitment to assisting FJWU in scaling up major initiatives, notably the implementation of the university’s Institutional Strategic Plan and further strengthening student support services. They also emphasized the importance of leveraging the skills and expertise of FJWU’s HESSA-trained faculty and staff to expand capacity-building efforts at other higher education institutions across Pakistan.
The Vice Chancellor commended the ongoing support from the University of Utah team, noting their pivotal role in shaping a forward-looking strategic agenda for the university. She announced that FJWU’s Institutional Strategic Plan has been formally approved by the university syndicate, with annual reviews of key performance indicators and performance follow-ups to ensure alignment with the financial plan and tangible outcomes.
Additionally, Dr. Mirza highlighted the successful completion of cascading capacity-building programs for Heads of Departments and administrative staff. She also noted that integrated student support activities were conducted in two phases over the past and coming year, focusing on six key areas: financial aid, career readiness, student leadership and co-curricular engagement, alumni engagement and development, student entrepreneurship, and mental health and psychosocial support.
The meeting concluded with a unified commitment to further enhance FJWU’s systems in alignment with HESSA’s overarching goal of providing a high-quality learning environment that fosters students’ employability and personal development.
