ISLAMABAD, OCT 13: /DNA/ – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan has awarded 200 fellowships to PhD scholars under its flagship International Research Support Initiative Programme (IRSIP), providing them with the opportunity to gain international research experience.

HEC hosted the award ceremony for IRSIP Batch 59 at its Secretariat on Tuesday. Since the programme’s inception in 2006, more than 6,900 scholars have received IRSIP fellowships.

Chairman HEC Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar was the chief guest at the ceremony, which was attended by Executive Director HEC Dr. Zia Ul Haq, senior HEC officials, vice chancellors, faculty members, awardees and their parents.

Addressing the awardees, Chairman HEC highlighted IRSIP’s role in human capital development and urged the scholars to make effective use of the opportunity while upholding national values. He emphasised that knowledge, skills and moral values are essential to academic and professional growth. Describing the fellowships as a valuable opportunity to shape the scholars’ careers, he encouraged them to broaden their research horizons and produce high-quality research with a meaningful impact on society.

Congratulating the IRSIP selection panel on completing the selection process, he reiterated HEC’s commitment to merit and transparency. He observed that discrimination is detrimental to society and stressed the importance of fairness in the implementation of HEC initiatives.

Executive Director HEC Dr. Zia Ul Haq underscored the importance of scholarships in advancing academic careers and contributing to national development. Highlighting the selection process for IRSIP fellowships, he reaffirmed HEC’s commitment to merit-based selection without discrimination. He said initiatives such as IRSIP enable scholars to engage with the international academic and research community while supporting their personal and professional development. He urged the awardees to remain committed to serving Pakistan after completing their fellowships.

In his opening remarks, Member HEC, Human Resource Development Division, Dr. Nasir Mahmood Khan highlighted the objectives of IRSIP. He informed the audience that HEC had received 806 applications from across Pakistan for Batch 59, reflecting the programme’s reach. Referring to HEC’s Transnational Education (TNE) Policy, he highlighted the Commission’s initiatives to promote international academic and research exposure for Pakistani students and faculty. He also announced that HEC had opened applications for the next IRSIP batch.

Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University Dr. Nasir Mahmood, who was part of the IRSIP selection process, also addressed the awardees. He encouraged them to represent Pakistan as ambassadors while pursuing their fellowships at leading international universities. He described the fellowship as both an achievement and a responsibility, urging the scholars to make the most of the opportunity and contribute to Pakistan’s development.

Launched in 2006, IRSIP offers six-month research fellowships abroad to PhD scholars enrolled in full-time doctoral programmes at Pakistani universities. The programme provides international research exposure, access to advanced research facilities and opportunities to work with foreign research supervisors. It also strengthens academic linkages between Pakistani and international institutions, promotes collaborative research, and helps scholars enhance their research skills and improve the quality of their doctoral work, including through publications in high-impact journals.