The Oxford Pakistan Programme (the “OPP”) is the first initiative of its kind, in which a concerted attempt is being made to generate momentum on various Pakistan-related activities at the University of Oxford.

The OPP has three core objectives:

1. Address the underrepresentation of Pakistani and British Pakistani students at Oxford;
2. Address the lack of academic profile of Pakistan, and Pakistan-related areas of interest, among the academic faculty at Oxford; and
3. Promote the relationship of academic institutions in Pakistan with Oxford in order to develop their global connectivity.

20 Pakistani students every year cannot accept offers from Oxford because they cannot afford it. Only around 12 undergraduate and 45 graduate students attend Oxford every year, despite 60% of Pakistan’s 220 million people being under the age of 30.

The OPP is addressing these issues with the following solutions:

1. Raising private funding to support students and researchers, in the form of scholarships, research grants, a Hardship Fund, a Visiting Students Programme and a Visiting Fellows Programme.
2. Developing a network of academics and administrators in Oxford, as well as business people, policymakers and professionals around the world, who will collectively work towards addressing these issues.
3. Building a platform to consolidate and, where necessary, increase, Pakistan-related activity at Oxford.