The ambitious higher education reform programme launched in Pakistan in 1999 is now paying dividends and at present more than 2,500 government funded scholars are studying for a PhD abroad and 3,500 at home, reports Associated Press of Pakistan. So said Federal Education Minister Ahsan Iqbal at the first Asia-Europe Education Ministers Conference held in Berlin last week.

"Pakistan has been successful in breathing new life into the higher education sector and all this has been possible due to the highly fruitful partnerships created with Germany, Austria, France, Netherlands, UK, Sweden, China, Thailand and South Korea," the Minister said.

Iqbal stressed the need to work towards a world in which fruits of progress are shared by the people everywhere. Setting aside a "one size fits all solution" he endorsed the views of South Korea that an unequal and unbalanced relationship in higher education is not desirable. "We need to create a shared vision of global prosperity. The test of our leadership lies in turning globalization of knowledge into an opportunity for people in all regions," he observed.