30 HEC scholarships awarded to Balochi females

Under the faculty development program of Higher Education Commission (HEC), 30 scholarships had been awarded to female faculty members of Sardar Bhaudar Khan Women’s’ University (SBKWU) Quetta, the first Women’s’ University of Balochistan.
According to details, MS leading to PhD and PhD level scholarship had been awarded in three categories: overseas scholarships, split and indigenous scholarships. The awarded scholarships would cover various disciplines like economics, mathematics, computer science, management science, botany and zoology etc.
Addressing a special scholarship award ceremony, SBKWU Vice Chancellor Sultana Baloch congratulated the scholarship awardees and lauded the efforts of HEC for undertaking initiatives to increase access to higher education in Balochistan. She was of the view that faculty development programmes had been greatly helpful in strengthening the capacity of faculty at SBKWU.
She said that 30 additional scholarships would be awarded in various disciplines as well. She appreciated the transparent selection process which had enabled capable and deserving candidates to get the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in leading institutions of academically advanced countries. Project Director and Focal Person HEC Wasim Hashmi Syed conducted the orientation session and provided them guidelines of HEC scholarships’ policies to assist them in getting admission in HEC recognized international universities.
Since its inception, HEC has paid special attention towards promoting higher education in Balochistan. The main initiatives include special scholarship schemes for the faculty and youth, implementation of the federal government’s quota policy to award local and foreign scholarships and the establishment of a well-equipped HEC regional centre at Quetta. The number of universities had been increased from two to seven, including the establishment of the first women’s university. It had launched special projects for the development of basic infrastructure in higher education institutions in the province, including labs, class rooms, seminars rooms, labs, transport facilities, digital libraries and video conferencing facilities.
HEC had awarded 2,000 scholarships to students of Balochistan and FATA under the project ‘Provision of Higher Education Opportunities for Balochistan and FATA’ during the last four years. Under the second phase of the project, 1500 additional scholarships would be awarded to students of Balochistan and FATA. HEC has also arranged a foundation course for 684 students of Balochistan at Quetta. Up to 66 scholars have completed their studies and among them, seven scholars had shown outstanding performance and clinched gold medals from leading universities in the country.
Recently, 600 scholarships for Masters leading to PhD for natives of Balochistan had been announced under the ‘Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package’ at a cost of Rs 3,138.692 million. The project is geared towards providing access to higher education for the financially constrained youth of Balochistan, who despite possessing academic merit are unable to continue further studies. The offered scholarship would cover costs of tuition, accommodation and living expenses of the selected candidates.