EduAsiaNews, Islamabad — Pakistan has recorded its most consequential presence in the history of its participation in international higher education forums. A 45-member delegation led by Chaudhry Abdul Rehman, Chairman of the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP), travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, to take part in the Eurasia Higher Education Summit (EURIE) 2026, held from 7 to 9 April. The delegation brought together board chairpersons, presidents, vice chancellors, and senior academic leaders from 17 prominent universities — a coordinated and strategically deliberate national presence on the world stage.
Chaudhry Abdul Rehman made clear that this participation was far more than a ceremonial exercise. “Pakistan is here not merely to be seen, but to forge real partnerships that will transform the face of our higher education on a global scale,” he said on the sidelines of the summit. The Pakistan Pavilion, the largest among all participating nations, drew a steady stream of visitors from delegations across multiple continents, reflecting the world’s growing interest in the academic potential of a nation of 240 million people.
One of the most memorable moments came from the main podium. Prof. Dr. Sumaira Rehman, Rector of Superior University and a member of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, took the stage as the only female keynote speaker at the opening ceremony. Before hundreds of academic leaders from around the world, she laid out a narrative of Pakistan’s higher education transformation, a story rarely heard on the international stage. “Pakistan has a compelling story to tell the world,” she declared. She introduced the Leading with Character framework, a values-based approach to education that integrates academic excellence with moral responsibility.
The outcomes were tangible. Discussions at the Pakistan Pavilion culminated in the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding with institutions from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The Pakistani delegation also held a high-level meeting with Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, President of Turkey’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK), who extended a special invitation for Pakistani universities to join Turkey’s 500 Research Projects Programme — opening a wide door for scientific collaboration between the two countries.
The summit, attended by participants from 61 countries and more than 380 universities, served as a reminder that academic diplomacy is now no less important than political diplomacy. For Pakistan, Istanbul was not merely a city of passage, it was the stage on which the country declared itself a rising force in higher education, ready and willing to partner with the world. (**)
