ISLAMABAD/LAHORE, APR 1 /DNA/ – Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), Lahore has successfully completed the third cohort of Women Empowerment & Mentoring Programme (WEMP), a flagship initiative of the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan. The programme is aimed at empowering women faculty through structured mentoring, leadership development and professional capacity building.
Attending the WEMP online closing ceremony, Managing Director NAHE Dr. Noor Amna Malik called for scaling a mentoring culture through the nationwide Mentoring Programme for Universities (MPU). She commended LCWU for successfully institutionalising mentoring practices and recognised WEMP as a model initiative contributing to women’s empowerment in Pakistan’s higher education sector. She particularly appreciated the leadership of Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Uzma Quraishi in effectively implementing the WEMP, noting that the successful completion and continued growth of the third cohort is a testament to LCWU’s strong commitment and the program’s impactful cascading effect.
Dr. Malik also shared her expectations for LCWU to implement the MPU with the same dedication and enthusiasm, highlighting that the MPU represents the expansion of the WEMP from 18 universities to all public and private sector higher education institutions across Pakistan. She emphasised the importance of implementing the MPU as a gender-inclusive initiative, further strengthening the mentoring culture at a national scale.
She reiterated the importance of fostering mentoring cultures, continuous professional development, and capacity-building initiatives aligned with national higher education reforms, while reaffirming NAHE’s commitment to supporting universities in developing sustainable mentoring frameworks and strengthening faculty development programs across Pakistan.
In her welcome address, Vice Chancellor LCWU Prof. Dr. Uzma Quraishi highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering women’s leadership and professional excellence in higher education. She appreciated the contributions of mentors, mentees, and program organizers in cultivating a strong mentoring culture within the institution.
A comprehensive report of the third cohort was also presented by Dr. Tahira Kalsoom, Secretary WEMP, outlining the key achievements of the programme. The report emphasised structured mentoring engagements, professional development workshops, leadership training, and reflective learning practices that significantly enhanced participants’ academic confidence, communication skills, and leadership competency. It also underscores the program’s role in strengthening mentor–mentee relationships and promoting collaborative learning among faculty.
The Women Empowerment and Mentoring Program (WEMP) has emerged as a significant platform for developing female academic leaders, strengthening the faculty mentoring culture, and enhancing professional confidence and leadership skills. The successful completion of its third cohort reflects LCWU’s vision of empowering women educators and preparing future academic leaders to contribute meaningfully to both national and global higher education landscapes. The closing ceremony reaffirmed the shared commitment of the HEC and LCWU to fostering inclusive leadership, professional growth, and sustainable mentoring practices across the sector.
