ISLAMABAD: Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Republic of Belarus have agreed to discuss possibilities of mutual collaboration in various academic areas. It was decided in a meeting held on Monday between the officials of HEC and Republic of Belarus. The areas of mutual cooperation including space technology, nanotechnology, nano-electronics, sports, tourism, environmental technology and engineering. The Belarusian delegation comprising universities vice chancellors headed by first Deputy of the Ministry of Education Vadim Bogush was called on HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and the top management to explore avenues for collaboration and knowledge exchange with Pakistani higher education institutions. The HEC chairman welcomed the delegation and appreciated Belarusian expertise in scientific research and development including nano-technology, biotechnology, innovation, commerce, vocational education and green technology. He said that Belarus has excellent research facilities and HEC would like to learn from their experience. HEC would also send a group of vice chancellors to Belarus so that they could workout possibilities of academic collaboration. The HEC chairman stressed, “We need to go beyond MoUs and agreements to achieve academic partnership in a tangible and practical way”. He urged the delegates to suggest the potential areas in which both the countries could collaborate and work on joint projects. Minister Vadim Bogush said that he would make use of the opportunity of the visit and encourage exchange of knowledge in areas of nanotechnology, space technology and sports. He informed the gathering that Belarus has 50 universities for a population of only 10 million people. HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali shared an overview of the HEC’s functions, responsibilities and achievements. He said that the HEC has been actively taking steps for human resource development in the country, improving equitable access to higher education, boosting quality and excellence in learning and research, defining relevance of national priorities and providing universities with leadership and governance hierarchy. He also informed the delegation that HEC extends foreign and indigenous scholarships to students from across the country. He said that since the inception of HEC in 2002, the number of higher education institutions has increased and the quality of higher education has significantly improved. The Belarusian delegation comprised Belarusian State Technological University Rector Ihar Voitau, Mogilev State A Kuleshov University Rector Kanstantsin Bandarenka, Belarusian State University First Vice Rector Aleh Ivashkevich, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radio electronics first Vice Rector Anatoly Osipov, Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radio electronics first Vice Rector Aliaksandr Tsyhanau, Vice Rector on academics, foreign cooperation on additional adult education of the Belarusian State Technological University; Yury Bialykh, Vice-rector on Academics of the Grodno State University; Siarhei Aleninik, Chairman of the Department of Oriental Languages of the Minsk State Linguistic University; Vladimir Kovalenva, Vice Rector for Educational and Sports Activities of the Belarusian State University of Physical Training.