Title: THE ROLE OF CPEC UNIVERSITIES IN ADVANCING SINO-PAKISTANI EDUCATIONAL INTEGRATION: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Authors: Saeed Ullah, Sajjad Ali, Hazrat Umar And Mukht Yar Ali

Abstract: The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a broad framework for global connectivity, with the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) emerging as its flagship project. Beyond infrastructure and trade, CPEC is reshaping higher education cooperation between China and Pakistan. This paper examines the role of CPEC universities and related initiatives in fostering educational integration under the BRI. It highlights how university alliances, scholarship programs, and joint research centers function as knowledge hubs that drive technology transfer, capacity building, and people-to-people exchange. While these efforts strengthen Pakistan’s higher education system and advance China’s educational diplomacy, challenges persist in areas such as quality assurance, cultural adaptation, and reintegration of graduates into the domestic labor market. The study argues that CPEC universities are not just academic institutions but strategic nodes in a knowledge corridor, combining education, diplomacy, and development. It calls for balanced policies that promote cooperation while safeguarding autonomy, ensuring that integration delivers sustainable and equitable outcomes for both countries.

Keywords: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC); Higher Education; Educational Diplomacy; Sino-Pak Cooperation; Knowledge Integration.

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