The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has launched the Global Scholars Network (GSN), a new digital platform designed to connect overseas Pakistani academics, researchers, professionals, and international experts with universities across Pakistan.
Developed through the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), the platform aims to strengthen academic collaboration between global experts and Pakistan’s higher education institutions through a centralized digital system.
What Is the Global Scholars Network?
The Global Scholars Network (GSN) serves as a national platform where overseas Pakistani scholars and international experts can register and collaborate with universities in Pakistan.
According to HEC, the initiative replaces fragmented and manual engagement processes with a structured, transparent, and centralized digital mechanism.
Areas of Collaboration
Registered experts will be able to contribute voluntarily in several academic and professional areas, including:
- PhD supervision
- Collaborative research projects
- Guest lectures
- Workshops and seminars
- Faculty development
- Curriculum enhancement
- Innovation and technology projects
- Industry-academia collaboration
The platform is intended to help universities access international expertise while strengthening research and teaching standards.
Verified Professional Profiles
The GSN platform allows scholars to create comprehensive professional profiles containing information such as:
- Academic qualifications
- Research interests
- Publications
- Professional experience
- Areas of specialization
After verification and approval, these profiles will become accessible to universities across Pakistan, enabling institutions to identify suitable experts for academic partnerships.
Benefits for Universities
Through the platform, higher education institutions will be able to:
- Search verified experts by discipline and specialization.
- Filter scholars by country and professional experience.
- Send collaboration requests.
- Manage ongoing academic engagements.
- Track partnership outcomes through an integrated digital system.
The centralized approach is expected to simplify collaboration between Pakistani universities and international scholars.
HEC Highlights Internationalization of Higher Education
HEC Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar said the launch of the Global Scholars Network represents an important step toward the internationalization of Pakistan’s higher education sector.
He noted that the platform will enable local universities to benefit from:
- Global academic expertise
- Stronger international research partnerships
- Improved teaching quality
- Enhanced academic standards
NAHE Emphasizes Transparency and Scalability
NAHE Managing Director Dr. Noor Amna Malik said the platform has been designed with scalability, security, and transparency in mind.
She added that GSN will also provide HEC with:
- Performance dashboards
- Engagement analytics
- Impact assessment tools
These features will support evidence-based policymaking and help monitor the effectiveness of academic collaborations.
Institute of Space Technology Supported Development
HEC acknowledged the technical contribution of the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in developing the platform.
The commission credited Vice Chancellor Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. Syed Najeeb Ahmad for providing leadership during the project’s development and recognized the IST development team, led by Director Information Technology Rizwan Majeed, for designing and implementing the platform.
