NUST & HEC Signed MoU to Strengthen Pakistan’s PhD Pipeline

The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) signed a landmark MoU today, designating NUST — through its Iqbal Executive Development Centre (IEDC), Jinnah School of Public Policy & Leadership (JSPPL), as the official GRE Preparatory Training Partner under the US–Pakistan Knowledge Corridor PhD Scholarship Program. The agreement was signed by Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Chairman HEC, and Dr. Osman Hasan, Pro-Rector Academics NUST, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan’s higher education landscape.

This partnership directly addresses a critical admission gap faced by Pakistan’s PhD aspirants. Through structured, faculty-led, 48-hour (4-week) intensive GRE preparatory workshops, NUST will equip scholars with the competitive verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills required to gain admission into the world’s leading universities. The program supports HEC’s strategic objective of building a national pipeline of approximately 10,000 PhD scholars, with a focus on priority sectors including STEM, health, and agriculture.

Under the agreed framework, HEC will lead participant selection and national outreach, while NUST will provide qualified faculty, state-of-the-art training facilities, and all course materials at zero cost to participants. Training will be delivered in Islamabad, Karachi through PNEC, and Quetta through NBC. Notably, the Quetta sessions mark the first-ever training program delivered from the JSPPL/IEDC platform at NBC a historic expansion of NUST’s national footprint.

Each cohort is valued at approximately Rs. 1.12 million (Islamabad) and Rs. 1.456 million (outstation). Beyond the financial dimension, this collaboration reflects NUST’s deep strategic alignment with a flagship national initiative — reinforcing its role as Pakistan’s premier knowledge institution and a catalyst for developing the next generation of global scholars and national changemakers.