INSPIRE – International Strategic Partnerships in Research and Education is a British Council funded project that aims to significantly strengthen the academic and research partnerships between the UK and a strategic selection of countries in Central South Asia, including: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan.

INSPIRE includes:

• Institution to Institution Strategic Partnerships: These partnerships are networked at institution to institution level. The strategic partnerships are aimed at internationalization of the institutions, capacity-building and building effective and sustainable impact. Currently, 10 partnerships are running successfully across Pakistan operating across the macro level and including sector bodies, government policy makers and institution levels. Further 17 partnerships have been initiated under round 2 of the Strategic Partnerships, under a variety of subject areas ranging from Health and Environment to energy and education.

• Leadership Programme: Under the INSPIRE project and following a scoping visit by the Leadership Foundation, training programmes were planned for Vice-Chancellors and Pro-Vice-Chancellors and senior representatives of Higher Education Commission. These are designed to improve the participants’ strategic planning and leadership, and enhance their capacities by introducing management tools and providing an orientation to working in the universities of the UK.

• Policy dialogue: The programme aims to strengthen leadership at institutional and national levels, to enable leaders in HE to further their country’s progression towards international standards in partnership with the UK and improving UK’s understanding of HE opportunities in Pakistan and its perception.

• Talented Researchers Exchange Programme: This programme is aimed at stimulating and nurturing young academic talent in the UK and Central South Asia through exciting and relevant research opportunities, and international peer networking. Initially 10 researchers received this award to proceed with their research in the UK in 2009. Later on in February 2010, a workshop was also conducted for potential young researchers from Pakistan in the UK. The objective of the workshop was to enhance research and presentation skills in these young researchers to enable them to progress further in their research. A group of master trainers was developed, that went on to cascade this training to over 700 young researchers across Pakistan.