Balochistan Point Voice of Nation
ISLAMABAD: The U.S. Embassy and EducationUSA celebrated International Education Week (IEW), November 16 to 20, with a series of events encouraging students across Pakistan to consider U.S. colleges and universities as their higher education destination. Known for cutting-edge programs and high-quality student experiences, U.S. universities continue to provide future leaders with a global learning environment in which to succeed and drive change in their communities.
“Thousands of Pakistanis are already studying in the United States, and we would like to see even more Pakistani students take advantage of the opportunities to study at our world class colleges and universities,” said Ray Castillo, the U.S. Embassy’s Minister Counselor for Public Affairs in Islamabad. “The U.S. government is committed to supporting academic advancement and exchange programs for Pakistani students from all backgrounds.”
Held virtually this year, IEW included the annual High Achievers’ and Counselors’ Recognition Ceremony to honor outstanding students and recognize hard-working counselors from local high schools in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Other activities included events aimed at supporting student artists and filmmakers across the country.
Senior university representatives including Vice Chancellors, faculty members and students joined a panel discussion co-hosted by the U.S. Embassy on its role in higher education in Pakistan and higher education opportunities for Pakistanis in the United States. The panelists comprised of the U.S. Embassy’s Minister Counselor for Public Affairs, Ray Castillo, Higher Education Commission Chairman, Tariq Banuri, and the Executive Director of the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP), Rita Akhtar.
“Pakistani students can compete with the best in the world, and we are committed to supporting their U.S. higher education dreams and celebrating their achievements through IEW events,” said USEFP’s Executive Director, Rita Akhtar. She highlighted the importance of study abroad experiences and encouraged students to participate in IEW activities to learn about the options available to them for study in the USA. “American students can learn a lot from their Pakistani class fellows and this is one of the important reasons that U.S. universities welcome and actively recruit good students from Pakistan.”
EducationUSA offers free guidance and assistance to students interested in applying to or learning about U.S. colleges and universities. It has offices in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore and its advisers travel throughout the country to provide advice studying in the United States. USEFP is a bi-national commission established in 1950 by the governments of Pakistan and the United States.
Published in The Balochistan Point on November 20, 2020
