In the Higher Education sector, we work with all 20 women universities in Pakistan. 350 female scientists and researchers are part of our 165 links with UK universities in STEM subject areas. 150 women leaders have already been trained through 25 leadership programmes since 2010, two of which were designed exclusively for women registrars and deans. We recently conducted a national research study around women leadership in higher education – the first of its kind. Since 2013, 1140 female students have received scholarships for masters and undergraduate study in Pakistan, and 18 female PhD students have received travel grants to pursue their research in Scottish Universities. In 2020-21, over 50% of Commonwealth Masters and PHD Scholarships were awarded to women.
Engagement in virtual events
Organised under our Women of the World (WOW) programme, the Live with WOW Women sessions and WOW Virtual Fair 2021 reached out to more than 600,000 individuals. The live sessions that ran thorughout the year, and the four-day virtual festival that featured panel discussions, interactive workshops, talks and performances, explored a range of social, economic and environmental issues particularly significant to women and girls that have been unmasked by the pandemic. These activities also brought to light many areas where women are being left behind, along with showcasing the incredible things that they have achieved despite the challenging circumstances.