Jamshoro (January 16, 2026): Vice-Chancellor of Shaheed Allah Buksh Soomro (SABS) University of Art, Design and Heritages Jamshoro, Prof. Dr. Arabella Bhutto, played a prominent role as representative of Pakistan at the South Asian Regional Conference on State of Higher Education and Future Pathway (SARCHE 2026), held in Dhaka from January 13 to 15. A Higher Education Commission led delegation of Vice-Chancellors from Pakistan and only Vice-Chancellor from Sindh, Prof. Dr. Arabella Bhutto participated in the Conference.
The three-day regional conference titled “South Asian Regional Conference on State of Higher Education and Future Pathway (SARCHE 2026)” was inaugurated by Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate, and was organized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh under the Higher Education Acceleration and Transformation (HEAT) Project, funded by the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank.
Prof. Dr. Arabella Bhutto actively participated as a committee member in drafting the Dhaka Declaration on Higher Education, a key outcome of the conference. During the concluding session, she, along with the Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan Prof.
Dr. Zia ul Haq and representatives from other South Asian countries, signed the Dhaka Declaration 2026, reaffirming collective regional commitment to strengthening higher education.
Prof. Dr. Arabella Bhutto also represented Pakistan through cultural celebrations, highlighting the country’s academic and cultural presence at the regional forum. She had the opportunity to meet and interact with Chief Adviser Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Chairman UGC Bangladesh Dr. S. M. A. Faiz, and presented souvenirs of SABS University Jamshoro to several international dignitaries.
The conference featured participation from 30 international delegates representing the United Kingdom, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, as well as officials from the World Bank. Eight in-depth sessions were conducted focusing on governance, quality, inclusion, research, innovation, sustainability, and social engagement in higher education across South Asia.
Participants described SARCHE 2026 as a milestone toward reviving the SAARC platform, with all South Asian countries pledging renewed commitment to regional collaboration and future pathways for higher education.
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