Round Table Discussion on, 'Bridging Gaps, Building Futures: Investing in Women's Universities through Policy, Funding, and Partnerships'
The All-Pakistan Women Universities Consortium (APWUC), in collaboration with the British Council Pakistan, successfully hosted a high-level Round Table Discussion titled "Bridging Gaps, Building Futures: Investing in Women’s Universities through Policy, Funding, and Partnerships" on April 28, 2025. The hybrid-format meeting was graciously hosted by Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) and chaired by Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza (PoP, T.I.), Vice Chancellor FJWU and Chairperson of APWUC.
Vice Chancellors and representatives from 18 women’s universities participated in the discussions. The meeting was also honored by the presence of Dr. Noor Amna Malik, Managing Director, National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE)-HEC, and Co-Chair of APWUC, alongside Ms. Maarya Rehman, Deputy Country Director, British Council, and Ms. Nishat Riaz, Chief Executive Pakistan, Malala Fund.
The Round Table cantered on two critical agenda items keeping in view the unique challenges faced by women universities and their pressing financial constraints.
The discussion was surrounding around two agenda points: Unified Advocacy for Enhanced Funding under the Federal Budget 2025–26.
Enhancing Outreach through Strategic Funding and Partnerships to build institutional capacity.
Based on the discussion on agenda points, all VCs unanimously agreed and emphasized the urgent need for increased and equitable funding for women-focused higher education institutions. They highlighted the unique operational challenges faced by these universities, particularly regarding student hostels facilities, on campus faculty accommodations, and the gender-specific admissions restrictions. All VCs agreed that Higher Education Commission (HEC) to revisit the recurring budget allocation formula to better accommodate the realities and needs of women’s universities.
Moreover, the forum stressed the importance of building a robust university culture, especially in newly upgraded institutions transitioning from college to university status by pointing out the pressing needs for qualified faculty recruitment, research labs, and purpose-built infrastructure to meet the quality standards required for graduate and postgraduate programs, as well as for accreditation compliance.
Additionally, VCs proposed that the Consortium be leveraged as a platform for collective activities such as joint conferences, workshops, and resource-sharing initiatives, optimizing limited resources across institutions. the importance of public-private partnerships to expand outreach and create additional funding streams were also highlighted. The forum also acknowledged the British Council’s consistent and valued support as a significant collaborator.
The VC also urged to conduct a meeting with the chief minister Punjab from the platform of APWUC to share their concerns, challenges ground realities of women universities. In this regard, chief minister office will be approached by representative VC for organising the meeting.
Stressing the sustainability of the Consortium, Prof. Dr. Mirza advocated for dedicated funding support from HEC to effectively manage and operate APWUC’s activities and initiatives.
Dr. Noor Amna Malik echoed the spirit of collective action, encouraging universities to collaborate rather than replicate efforts, and commended the support of male Vice Chancellors for APWUC’s mandate. She reaffirmed HEC’s commitment to supporting women’s universities while respecting their autonomy and urged institutions to capitalize on each other's strengths for maximum benefit.
The event concluded with a strong consensus that a unified voice advocating for women’s higher education funding must reach the HEC and government policymakers effectively. The Round Table marked an important milestone in strengthening solidarity among women’s universities and advancing their shared vision for a more inclusive, empowered, and sustainable higher education future in Pakistan.
