Ending the ‘brain drain’ in Pakistan by transforming Academic Institutions into Knowledge Enterprises!

“I am grateful to the British Council for inviting me to the NCEE Leadership Master class Series. The Master class series greatly contributed to helping me understand the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation for both leadership and management.”  

These were the words of Engr. Muhammad Asghar, Rector, National University of Science and Technology (NUST) about the British Council’s Master Classes.

Master Classes are part of the British Council’s wider commitment to the development of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan’s Knowledge Exchange (KE) initiative in the country. Master Classes are aimed at building skills, understanding and confidence in the people who will be leading on and delivering Knowledge Exchange (KE) in the university sector – developing KE professionals who can operate in supportive environment. Led by UK Experts in a particular field and facilitated by an expert in Pakistan these Master Classes are a perfect example of partnership between the people of UK and Pakistan. Vice Chancellors, Registrars, Senior Management of Universities and key representatives from the industry are the participants of these Master Classes.

By encouraging better understanding and collaboration between universities, businesses and the community, it is hoped to stop the ‘brain drain’ that is a deep concern for Pakistan. The content delivered in these Master Classes was filmed and is being converted into the material to be distributed to the Senior Academics. Almost 3000 faculty members directly and over 250,000 students indirectly are expected to gain benefit from these materials. This will bring fundamental, long-term changes in the way universities operate in Pakistan by helping them release knowledge and research into the wider community.

  

Kashif Khan, Associate Professor and Director of industrial linkages and collaboration at the Iqra University Islamabad, sees this as an opportunity to: “develop from core academic institutions and transform into knowledge enterprises.”

So far the British Council has organised six series of Master Classes covering a wide array of subjects such as: Working with SMEs and Rural Communities, Enterprise Education, Student Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial University Leadership, Public & Community Engagement and Strategy into Action. These Master Classes were delivered by National Centre for Entrepreneurship Education, National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, Cumbria University and Thomas Lawton of the UK.

 

The last Master Class on Supporting Student Enterprise will be delivered by Prof. Alison Price, Director of Education Department at National Centre for Entrepreneurship Education in September 2012.

The Knowledge Exchange is a platform jointly developed by the British Council and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan that facilitates universities to create partnerships with business, government and other organisations to exchange skills and ideas.