Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Doughty Announces £300,000 for UK-Pakistan University Links
Stephen Doughty visited Pakistan and announced new money to help British and Pakistani universities work together.
More than £300,000 is available now through a larger education programme.
Thousands of students in Pakistan already study for UK qualifications without moving abroad.
A partnership between universities has helped hundreds of women pursue careers such as robotics and artificial intelligence.
Doughty said the two countries want many more universities to work together.
The UK hopes more than 100 British universities will partner with Pakistani institutions by the end of the decade.
The UK also aims to earn £40 billion a year from education exports by 2030.
Minister Stephen Doughty announced more than £300,000 to support partnerships between British and Pakistani universities.
The funding is part of the £10 million Pakistan-UK Education Gateway, supported by Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission and the British Council.
More than 15,000 students in Pakistan study for UK qualifications without leaving the country; the UK accounts for about 65% of Pakistan’s transnational education market.
A Cardiff Metropolitan University partnership with Pakistan’s National University of Sciences and Technology has helped hundreds of women pursue careers including robotics and artificial intelligence.
Doughty said the UK hopes more than 100 British universities will partner with Pakistani institutions by the end of the decade.
- Who
- UK Minister Stephen Doughty, British and Pakistani universities, and education leaders.
- What
- Doughty announced more than £300,000 to support university links between the UK and Pakistan.
- When
- During Doughty’s first official visit to Pakistan this week; another £1.3 million will be open for applications next month.
- Where
- Islamabad and other locations in Pakistan and the UK.
- Why
- To expand university partnerships and provide students with access to UK qualifications and educational opportunities.
Benefits of university partnerships
Considerations and limits
Access to qualifications and opportunities
Benefits of university partnerships
Doughty and alumni cited access to globally recognised UK qualifications, career opportunities, and knowledge exchange without students needing to move overseas.
Considerations and limits
The articles provide no critical or opposing assessment of the partnerships; they report the funding and stated benefits.
- New funding
- More than £300,000
- Programme
- Pakistan-UK Education Gateway
- Programme value
- £10 million
- Further funding
- £1.3 million will be open for applications next month
- Students in Pakistan studying UK qualifications
- More than 15,000
- UK share of Pakistan's transnational education market
- About 65 per cent
- Partnership ambition
- More than 100 British universities working with Pakistani institutions by the end of the decade
- UK education exports target
- £40 billion a year by 2030