More Pakistani Students Studying Abroad

Although the growth in the total number Pakistanis studying abroad has slowed since the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001 in the United States, the world's sixth most populous nation continues to be among the leading sources of foreign students in America, Europe, Australia and new emerging higher education destinations in Asia.

49,000 Pakistani Students Abroad in 2011 Source: OECD 

As the number of Pakistani students in the United States has declined from a peak of 8,644 students (ranked 13th) in 2001-02 to 5,222 in 2009-10 (ranked 23rd), English-speaking OECD nations of the United Kingdom and Australia have become the biggest beneficiaries getting increasing market share of the Pakistan education market. Both nations have benefited in spite of the fact that the UK and Australian visa rejection rates for Pakistanis are higher than for students from other nations.

A recent British Council report says that 9,815 Pakistani students (Source: HESA) put Pakistan among one of the top six countries which account for 54 percent of the UK’s (non-EU) international students. Since September 2001, it has become the market leader, a place previously held by the US. In addition to Canada in North America, several Northern European countries, including Sweden and Finland, have also become quite active in marketing their education in Pakistan. As a result, these nations are attracting thousands of Pakistani students to their universities.

There is also an upward trend in Pakistani students studying in Australia. 8,458 Pakistani students studied in Australia in 2009/2010, increase of 11/4% over 2008/2009 (Source: AEI).

The US is beginning to pick up more of the Pakistani education market share after a significant decline since 911, with its simplified visa procedures and increased marketing efforts, and the excellent scholarship opportunities that they have to offer Pakistani students. Pakistan now has the world's largest Fulbright Scholarship Program with over 200 scholarships offered to Pakistani students for advanced degrees in 2011.

Beyond the traditional destinations in OECD nations, newly industrialized countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are more visible in Pakistan and perceived as offering quality education at lower prices.

Pakistanis take education seriously. They spend more time in schools and colleges and graduate at a higher rates than their Indian counterparts in 15+ age group, according to a report on educational achievement by Harvard University researchers Robert Barro and Jong-Wha Lee.

With rising urban middle class, there is substantial and growing demand in Pakistan from students, parents and employers for private quality higher education along with a willingness and capacity to pay relatively high tuition and fees, according to the findings of Austrade, an Australian govt agency promoting trade. Private institutions are seeking affiliations with universities abroad to ensure they offer information and training that is of international standards.

Trans-national education (TNE) is a growing market in Pakistan and recent data shows evidence of over 40 such programs running successfully in affiliation with British universities at undergraduate and graduate level, according to The British Council. Overall, the UK takes about 65 per cent of the TNE market in Pakistan.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Pakistani Graduation Rate Higher Than India's

India and Pakistan Contrasted in 2011

Educational Attainment Dataset By Robert Barro and Jong-Wha Lee

Quality of Higher Education in India and Pakistan

Developing Pakistan's Intellectual Capital

Intellectual Wealth of Nations

Pakistan's Story After 64 Years of Independence

Pakistan Ahead of India on Key Human Development Indices

Scholarships at Foreign Universities

Institute of International Education--Open Doors

UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency Report

Austrade on Education in Pakistan

Views: 4145

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 9, 2015 at 10:12pm

#Pakistan tennis teens going abroad to study on sports scholarships at top universities http://tribune.com.pk/story/918285/tennis-pakistani-teens-ticket-to...

On the tennis courts of a posh Islamabad country club, veteran coach Mahboob Khan drills his charges, but they aren’t dreaming of the pristine lawns of Wimbledon.

For these young Pakistanis, taking up tennis has a more practical application — as a ticket to a top US university on a sports scholarship.

In a 36-year coaching career Khan, still a striking, athletic figure at 65, has produced dozens of players who have played on the pro tour and in satellite events and represented Pakistan at the Davis and Fed cups.

But he says in recent years the trend has been for even the most promising youngsters to lower their ambitions and see the sport simply as a springboard to a college education they might otherwise struggle to afford.

His own daughter Sara Mahboob, 24, was number one in Pakistan for six years but quit competitive tennis to look for a job based on her sociology degree — from James Madison University in Virginia, US.


Her rival, Pakistan’s former number two Natasha Afridi followed a similar path, as did several other of their contemporaries.

The big hurdle is money. Financial support is crucial as a player tries to make the step from promising youngster to tour professional.


For Sara Mahboob, the lure of financial security offered by a scholarship and degree proved too great.


“It’s not very easy to get sponsors in Pakistan, especially for a female tennis player,” she said.

“So I had to make that tough decision on wether I was going to go pro or go to college, and going to college seemed like a better option.”

Pakistan’s best player is doubles specialist Aisamul Haq Qureshi who reached eight in the world doubles ranking in June 2011 but now lies 57th.

He reached the US Open doubles final in 2010 with Indian partner Rohan Bopanna, but a new generation of youngsters at the Islamabad Club courts show little interest in following in his footsteps.

“I don’t want to become a best player or something, but just to play tennis for some school scholarships in a good university abroad,” said Ammar Dhaga, 12, the son of a top bureaucrat at the water and power ministry.

His friends Sachal Ali Mirza, 11, and Shehryar Khokhar, 10, share his ambition.


“I am playing tennis because I like it and also because I want an international scholarship in America for tennis,” said Khokhar.

Khan says Pakistan has tennis potential, but a major injection of funds is needed to stop the talent heading to college instead.

“Right now we have the talent, the question is whether the private sector is robust to come forward and sponsor these players,” he said.

“At least Rs40 million are needed to give a push to tennis and that’s a lot of money for Pakistan.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 2, 2015 at 7:45pm

Pakistani, American academics meet to promote higher education linkages

Senior Pakistani academics from 33 universities met with 21 US partner institutions in Washington DC for a four-day workshop from October 26 to 30. The workshop allowed participants to promote community engagement, interactive teaching methods, collaborative research, and academic regional integration in Pakistan and the United States. The event was organised through the University Partnerships Program, an educational initiative sponsored by the US Mission to Pakistan with support by the US Department of State in Washington DC.

----------


HEC Chairman Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed addressed the 55 participants in a videotaped message saying, “The United States-Pakistan University Partnerships Program forges a spirit of academic collaboration between our countries’ higher education communities and contributes to the overall quality of higher education. Regular and meaningful discourse among scholars, students, and faculty has supported the Higher Education Commission’s goals to promote social sciences and humanities in Pakistan. Further, it has helped align research priorities and needs throughout the country.”

The University Partnerships Programme is a flagship higher-education program sponsored by the US Mission to Pakistan. It provides over $25 million dollars in funding to 44 universities in Pakistan and the United States to create three-year partnerships that foster collaboration, curriculum reform, and joint research. Since 2012, approximately 500 faculty members, administrators, and students from both countries have participated in this exchange programme. The first University Partnerships Best Practices Workshop was held in 2013 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-348538-Pakistani-American-a...

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 5, 2015 at 7:09am

Univ of #Kentucky to Host 140 #Fulbright #Pakistan Students at Seminar on U.S. Social Justice Movements | UKNow http://uknow.uky.edu/content/uk-host-fulbright-pakistan-seminar-us-...

The University of Kentucky will host 140 Fulbright students from Pakistan, who recently arrived in the United States for their graduate studies, at the Fulbright Pakistan Fall Seminar Nov. 5-8, 2015. The seminar, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan, will focus on how social justice movements have shaped contemporary U.S. life and culture.

The seminar will also address how to be successful in the U.S. higher education system, and participants will have the opportunity to work with a number of returning-student mentors. The seminar will provide professional development and networking opportunities and will acquaint participants with the culture of the Upper South region of the United States. In addition, participants will visit the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

The seminar’s thematic sessions include “The Making of Modern Kentucky: Race and the Fight for Equal Rights,” “Tools of U.S. Social Justice Movements” and “U.S. Social Movements Today.” These sessions will expose students to critical issues facing U.S. society and will introduce some of the ways the U.S. responds to movements for social change. Participants will develop a greater understanding of the cultural context in which they are living.

The sessions will be led by distinguished faculty members of UK, U.S. Department of State program officers, and members of the Lexington community, including a retired Lexington Herald-Leader reporter, and local leaders of the Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah, American Spiritual Ensemble, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and The Plantory.

Dr. Carol E. Jordan, executive director of the University of Kentucky Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women, will give the keynote address at 7:30 p.m. on November 5, at the Embassy Suites Lexington Hotel. Members of the media are welcome to attend and should RSVP to Andrea Gils. Interviews with Fulbright Students from Pakistan and program administrators can also be arranged by request. 

Since 1950, the U.S. and Pakistani governments have partnered to operate and manage the Fulbright Program in Pakistan with the goal to help Pakistanis learn more about the United States and to help Americans learn more about Pakistan. Close to 3,000 Pakistanis and 880 U.S. citizens have been awarded Fulbright grants to study or research in the United States and in Pakistan, respectively. There are currently 419 Pakistani students in the United States pursuing master’s and Ph.D. degrees through the Fulbright Program, making it the largest Fulbright Foreign Student program in the world.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 360,000 participants from more than 160 countries with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 8, 2017 at 11:31am

U.S. universities and colleges are hosting 6,141 students from Pakistan, writes David Hale. 
https://www.geo.tv/latest/140927-American-education

Over one million international students are now enrolled at American higher education institutions, maintaining the US’s long-standing position as the world’s top host nation for international students. The 2015-2016 academic year – the latest year for which data is available – showed a 14.7 percent increase in Pakistani students studying in the US. We are proud that this is the highest level in five years, with our universities and colleges hosting 6,141 students. This includes the increase in students studying at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as those enrolled in the Optional Practical Training. This is a testament to the unmatched quality of higher education in the US in the eyes of international students and their families.

International students from diverse backgrounds strengthen ties between the US and various countries around the world, developing the relationships between people and communities that are necessary to solve global challenges. We highly value inclusion and actively support students from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and geographic backgrounds on campuses across the US. American students and communities benefit from the unique and diverse perspective that international students bring to expand their own worldviews, which helps prepare all of us for a shared, successful future in an interconnected world.

US colleges and universities take pride in providing safe, hospitable environments for all of their students. I want to stress how welcome you are in the US. Many universities have come together to send a specific and direct message to students around the world through the #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign. I join them in welcoming you to the US, where our colleges and universities offer valuable educational opportunities to help you meet your life and career goals.

The consular officials at Embassy Islamabad, the Consulate General Karachi, the Consulate General Lahore and at the US embassies and consulates around the world continue to work diligently to process student visa requests. Information about the visa process is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html or https://pk.usembassy.gov/. The EducationUSA advisers are ready to answer questions about studying in the US, and you can find an adviser at educationusa.state.gov

Those of you who have received offers of admission have an opportunity to accept this life-changing opportunity and join your peers in experiencing the unique value of an American higher education.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 8, 2017 at 5:07pm

Number of Pakistani students in the United States rose 14.7% in 2016 over 2015. 

There were 5,354 Pakistani students in 2015, up 14.7% from 6.141 students in 2015, according to US Institute of International education. 

There were 165,916 students from India, 9,662 from Nepal and 6,513 from Bangladesh....all higher than Pakistan's 6,141 students in the United States. Even hostile Iran has 12,269 students in US, a lot more than Pakistan's 6,141. 


https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors/Data/Internati...

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 13, 2018 at 4:37pm

156 #Pakistani #Fulbright scholars heading to #America. #Pakistan’s Fulbright program is one of the largest in the world. #Pakistani participants will attend 70 U.S. universities to study & conduct research in engineering, social sciences, energy, etc. https://pk.usembassy.gov/156-pakistanis-heading-to-u-s-for-fulbrigh...

Islamabad, July 12, 2018 –American Embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Hoover and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce spoke to 156 Pakistani Fulbright Scholarship recipients preparing to leave for the U.S., where they will pursue advanced studies and research.

The Fulbright Program is the American government’s flagship academic exchange program, and, thanks to contributions by both the American and Pakistani governments, Pakistan’s program is one of the largest in the world. The Pakistani participants will attend 70 U.S. universities to study and conduct research in a wide variety of academic disciplines, including engineering, social sciences and energy management.

The Chargé d’Affaires congratulated the students on being selected for the prestigious program but told them to begin thinking about how they can help Pakistan when they return.

“What you do next is what truly matters,” he said. “How you take the knowledge you’ll gain in America—whether from textbook, your professors or the everyday challenges of life—and use it to benefit all of society will determine where life takes you.”

Noting that “the President has said that we must empower women as pillars of our society and of our success,” Royce emphasized that 46 percent of this year’s students are women. She also singled out the work of Fulbright alumna Dr. Najma Najam, who founded Fatima Jinnah Women’s University and helped create “the next generation of the country’s women leaders.”

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program—which is administered by the U.S. Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP)—has provided more than 370,000 participants from around the world the opportunity to conduct research, implement skills and ideas, teach, and contribute to society. To learn more about the Fulbright Program and about U.S. education initiatives in Pakistan, visit usefpakistan.org and pk.usembassy.gov.

Comment by Riaz Haq on August 2, 2019 at 10:24pm

#Canada: #Pakistan added to Student Direct Stream (SDS) . 2,400 #Pakistani students enrolled in Canadian universities in 2016/17 make the country the 9th largest source of #foreign #students https://thepienews.com/news/canada-pakistan-added-to-student-direct...

The scheme reduces processing times for visas, with most applications finalised in less than three weeks according to IRCC.

In order to access the benefits of SDS, prospective students need to provide additional information to show they meet language proficiency and financial requirements.

For example, they need to submit proof they have reached a score of at least 6 in IELTS and have a guaranteed investment certificate of CA$10,000.

The expansion of the scheme meets the Canadian government’s goal of attracting students from a more diverse range of country, IRCC stated.

“There is a high demand for higher education in Canada from… Pakistani students”

“By expanding the SDS to prospective students from Pakistan, IRCC is encouraging a more diverse range of students to choose Canada,” an IRCC spokesperson told The PIE News.

The industry, whose focus on diversification was made urgent by events such as the Saudi crisis in 2018, welcomed the development and expressed hope the scheme will be expanded further.

“This is very much a welcome development and we are pleased to see IRCC’s efforts trying to help more international students access our higher education system… it certainly supports broader priorities in our sector around diversification,” Universities Canada assistant director of international relations Cindy McIntyre told The PIE.

“There’s recognition in the sector that there is a high demand for higher education in Canada from a large cohort of Pakistani students, so I think that does make sense,” she added, explaining that the organisation’s latest data showed that about 2,400 Pakistani students were enrolled in Canadian universities in 2016/17, making the country the 9th largest source.

President and CEO of CICan Denise Amyot agreed that there is an increasing demand for international education from Pakistani students.

“As more and more young Pakistanis look overseas to pursue their education, we are confident this will make Canadian colleges and institutes all the more attractive,” she said.

“We also hope that this will be a step towards further expansion of the Study Direct Stream, which could benefit many other countries, including francophone markets.”

Pakistan was the 19th largest nationality for student visa holders in Canada by December 2018, according to IRCC figures, and the 47th source countries for language schools.

At Languages Canada, the organisation’s executive director Gonzalo Peralta welcomed the development but called on the government to recognise the needs of the private sector members, which have registered a lower growth last year compared to the public sector.

“Although Pakistan is a very minor source country for language students to Canada, we are fully behind government policies that support student mobility and our educational institutions,” Peralta said.

Peralta added that he would like to see the program address the needs of the country’s private sector members and to support the diversification of its international language student population.

“While our public sector members have benefited from SDS, accredited and designated private sector members have not had the same access,” he explained.

“And because diversification is such an important strategy for our sector, it would benefit Canada if the program were available in its appropriate form in other regions of the world.”

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 16, 2019 at 9:03pm

Students Studying abroad 2017:

China 928,090

India 332,023

South Korea 105,399

Vietnam 94,662

France 89,379

US 86,566

Nigeria 85,251

Kazakhstan 84,681

Saudi Arabia 84,310

Italy 74,268

Nepal 64,054

Malaysia 63,253

Brazil 58.410

Russia 56,659

Pakistan 53,023

Source: UNESCO

http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?queryid=172

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 17, 2019 at 7:16pm

28,000 #Pakistanis studying in #China. 6,156 Pakistani #students in Phd, 3,600 in Masters, 11,100 in Bachelors and 3,000 in Short Term Exchange Programs. They's studying Chinese language, #engineering, #medicine, #computer science and other fields. #CPEC https://tribune.com.pk/story/1950783/1-28000-pakistanis-studying-ch...

Pakistan ranks third in the number of international students currently studying in China with 28,023 students, according to a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Education.

South Korea ranked first with 50,600 students, followed by Thailand with 28,608, India with 23,198, and the United States with 20,996.

A total of 492,185 international students from 196 countries studied in China, last year, up 0.62 per cent from the previous year. The number of students pursuing academic education increased by 6.86 per cent year-on-year to 258,122, accounting for 52.44 per cent of the total.

Students studying for master’s and doctoral degrees increased by 12.28 per cent to 85,062. Most international students in China have been self-funded, accounting for 87.19 per cent of the total.

The official data shows that China has become the top education destination for Pakistani students as out of all of them enrolled in Chinese universities, around 7,034 are studying on scholarships.

The number of Pakistani students has risen in China mainly because of a series of preferential policies offered by the Chinese government after the launch of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a pilot project of Belt and Road Initiative.

Currently, 6,156 Pakistani students are studying in Phd, 3,600 in Masters, 11,100 in Bachelors and 3,000 in Short Term Exchange Programs across China. Pakistani students are also studying Chinese language, engineering, medical, computer science and various other fields.

Various scholarships are provided by the Chinese government to lure international students over – most notably, students from the Belt and Road Initiative participating countries and regions have been facilitated to obtain scholarships under the Chinese Government Scholarship – Silk Road Program. Pakistani students also enthusiastically participate in cultural activities organised different universities across China.

They set up booths decorated with traditional Pakistani items and posters depicting different social and cultural activities and historical places in Pakistan.

Pakistani students also represent the country in the music, essay writing, and photography competitions to be organised under the Belt and Road Initiative in China.

Comment by Riaz Haq on November 29, 2019 at 4:35pm

Continued decline in #foreign #student enrollment in #America since the fall of 2016 has cost the #UnitedStates #economy $11.8 billion and more than 65,000 jobs, according to estimates from NAFSA: Association of International Educators. #Trump #visa https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/19/business/international-students-decl...

Fewer international students are coming to the United States. That's hurting American universities and the economy.

The continued decline in international student enrollment since the fall of 2016 has cost the US economy $11.8 billion and more than 65,000 jobs, according to estimates from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, an international association of professional educators.

"There's many variables, but largely it's been the policies and rhetoric from the current administration that's really driven the numbers to move in that direction," said Rachel Banks, director of public policy at NAFSA.
There's a perception among international students that getting a visa for the United States is more difficult, and they increasingly feel unsafe in America, NAFSA survey data show.

"It's not only the anti-immigrant rhetoric being expressed by this administration, there's also increasing concern with regard to gun violence in this country," said Banks. "There's been a number of shootings and that gets reported worldwide, and parents certainly take all of this into account when they are thinking about where they want to send their children to study."
New international student enrollments declined by 0.9% during the 2018-2019 academic year, following a 6.6% decline in new enrollments in the year prior, according to the most recent US Department of State Open Doors report. This marks the first time the United States has seen a three-year decline.
The Trump Administration has a different explanation for the lower enrollments. International students are discouraged by the high cost of US schools, said Caroline Casagrande, deputy assistant secretary for academic programs at the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural affairs. The Trump administration has made "more efforts than ever in outreach to international students," and "to mitigate against the cost of education in the US," Casagrande said in a call with reporters last week.

Pakistan ranks 22nd among top 25 nations sending foreign students to US:

https://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors/Fact-Sheets...


Rank: 22
InternationalStudentPlaceof OriginRanking,2018/19
$308,000,000
InternationalStudentEconomic Impact,2018*
161
U.S.StudyAbroad DestinationRanking,2017/18

Comment

You need to be a member of PakAlumni Worldwide: The Global Social Network to add comments!

Join PakAlumni Worldwide: The Global Social Network

Pre-Paid Legal


Twitter Feed

    follow me on Twitter

    Sponsored Links

    South Asia Investor Review
    Investor Information Blog

    Haq's Musings
    Riaz Haq's Current Affairs Blog

    Please Bookmark This Page!




    Blog Posts

    Biden's Gaza Ceasefire Veto Defies American Public Opinion

    Aaron Bushnell, an active serviceman in the United States Air Force, burned himself to death in front of the Israeli Embassy in protest against the US policy in Gaza. Before setting himself on fire in what he called an "extreme act of protest", he said he would "no longer be complicit in genocide". Polls show that the vast majority (63%) of Americans want an immediate end to the carnage being perpetrated by Israel in Gaza.  …

    Continue

    Posted by Riaz Haq on February 27, 2024 at 5:30pm

    Pakistan Elections: Imran Khan's Supporters Skillfully Used Tech to Defy Powerful Military

    Independent candidates backed by the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) party emerged as the largest single block with 93 seats in the nation's parliament in the general elections held on February 8, 2024.  This feat was accomplished in spite of huge obstacles thrown in front of the PTI's top leader Imran Khan and his party leaders and supporters by Pakistan's powerful military…

    Continue

    Posted by Riaz Haq on February 16, 2024 at 9:22pm — 1 Comment

    © 2024   Created by Riaz Haq.   Powered by

    Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service