ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) Pakistan has announced the launch of Hanns Seidel Scholarship Program (HSSP): Support for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan. This academic support program aims to strengthen and promote stability in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region by providing higher-education opportunities to young, talented students from Afghanistan who are already registered as refugees in Pakistan and enrolled at Pakistani universities.
HSF Pakistan Resident Representative, Dr. Steffen Kudella, stressed that HSSP is fully in line with the policies of the Government of Pakistan. He said in a video message today:
The scholarship program aims to enable Afghan students in Pakistan to contribute to the rebuilding of their home country when returning to Afghanistan. By offering scholarships to registered Afghan refugees at Pakistani universities, HSF and its local partners will also strengthen the regional role of Pakistan as a constructive contributor to peace, stability and connectivity in South Asia.
HSSP includes around 30 full financial grants positions per year for all Afghan students with above-average academic record, volunteer experience and political interest. It covers the full duration of their academic studies in Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees at HEC recognized universities all over Pakistan.
The scholarships also include conceptual support from HSF Pakistan and its local partner organization, the National Dialogue Forum (NDF). HSF and NDF both plan to organize educational events for the HSSP fellows on a range of relevant topics such as social cohesion, human rights, political systems, digital and soft skills and research knowledge.
Mr. Sheharyar Khan, the Executive Director of NDF, highlighted:
NDF supports pluralism, progressive values and inclusiveness in Pakistan and beyond. We are happy to play our part and contribute towards more regional stability as well as integration through dialogue and exchange. Together with HSF, we will support the education of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and provide them with opportunities for a brighter future.
Along with this academic and conceptual support, the scholarship holders will also be equipped with opportunities for professional development through internships and on-the-job trainings.
HSSP is scheduled to be launched in October 2021 and will be funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. More information about the program including the application process and formal requirements will be shared at HSF Pakistan’s web page in the coming weeks.
HSF is the oldest German political foundation in Pakistan. For more information on HSF’s work in Pakistan please visit: pakistan.hss.de. Press contact: islamabad@hss.de.