HESSA - Introduction

The USAID-funded Higher Education System Strengthening Activity focuses on raising the capacity of Pakistan’s Higher Education Institutes including Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST), Mirpur to address the country’s mismatch between graduate skills and modern workplace needs. Government, industry, academia, and international education experts will work together to undertake sustainable policy development, technical skill-building, and the establishment of student support systems.

HESSA is led by the University of Utah, the University of Alabama, and the Institute of International Education (IIE). These implementing partners will offer expertise in higher education, university design, administrative leadership, student support, research, curriculum development, and graduate preparedness to help Pakistan reach its potential in delivering competitive graduates to the global workforce.

The team will work closely with the Government of Pakistan to prepare fifteen institutions to be best-practice leaders in the country, thereby creating a ripple effect through the Pakistan higher education ecosystem and, in turn, the country’s economic potential.

The project is especially committed to supporting the success of both Pakistani women and disadvantaged students and will work to create pathways of success for these underserved populations.

HESSA group of VCs Strategic Dialogue in Marriat, Islamabad on Oct 24-25, 2022