Higher Education Commission (HEC) is all set to establish the University of Central Asia and Pakistan (UCAP) in Islamabad with a funding of Rs 2.84 billion. This institute is aimed towards students from Central Asian countries.

To establish the university, about Rs. 600 million had already been allocated in the 2016-17 budget. An additional Rs 500 million for the same will be allocated in the upcoming fiscal year. With the funding, the construction of the basic structure of the UCAP is set to commence in the coming days, once some lingering procedural issues have been taken care of.

Location Yet to Be Decided

The final location for the university hasn’t been determined yet. However until then, the classes for UCAP are set to begin in September 2018 at COMSATS University, Islamabad.

The allocation of land for UCAP will be finalized in August this year.

The government aims to promote cultural exchange, economic and social development and international peace and stability by offering top quality education for Central Asian students and making Pakistan a hub for education.

This will also facilitate increased cooperation between the Central Asian States and Pakistan, which would have a great impact on regional understanding.

The UCAP will initially offer different programs in Schools of Business and Leadership. The process of induction of staff, faculty, and head of departments is under way. The finalization of admissions and courses on offer will be completed after the induction of staff and faculty.

Anyone can apply for the head of the university as well as for faculty positions at UCAP, no matter what country he or she belongs to. However, he/she must fulfill the rest of the selection criteria as set by HEC.

The provision of land and basic structure for the university will be taken care of by the government of Pakistan, while Central Asian countries can also participate in the operational costs by offering scholarships and other monetary support.