As part of his visit to the United States, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal visited the University of Illinois Chicago to explore opportunities for academic, research and healthcare collaboration between Pakistan and the United States.
During the visit, the Minister held detailed discussions with the University’s Provost, Vice Provost and Dean of the medical faculty on potential areas of cooperation between the University of Illinois Chicago, the Prime Minister’s proposed Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Centre (JMCRC) and the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Center (PKLI). The discussions focused on future collaboration in medical education, research, innovation and advanced healthcare.
Sharing the Prime Minister’s vision for the Jinnah Medical Complex, Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the Government of Pakistan is committed not only to developing state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure but also to building international academic and clinical linkages that will help the institution emerge as one of the leading medical centres in the region.
The Minister highlighted that PKLI is advancing towards cutting-edge robotic surgery and expressed Pakistan’s interest in learning from UIC’s globally recognized expertise in robotic surgery, medical research and innovation. To initiate institutional engagement, he connected PKLI President Professor Dr. Saeed Akhtar virtually with the University’s leadership and medical faculty, enabling an initial discussion on possible areas of cooperation and future engagement.
The two sides exchanged views on expanding collaboration under the US-Pak Knowledge Corridor by incorporating medical sciences alongside higher education. Potential areas discussed included faculty and student exchanges, scholarships, joint research initiatives, advanced surgical training and institutional partnerships.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal also shared Pakistan’s intention to benefit from internationally recognized models of academic medicine and integrated healthcare systems, noting that such experiences could provide valuable insights for the development of Pakistan’s emerging medical institutions.
Recalling Pakistan’s successful academic partnership with the United States, the Minister highlighted that during his previous tenure he played a key role in expanding the Pakistan-USEFP Fulbright Scholarship Programme by securing Pakistan’s financial contribution, helping make it one of the largest Fulbright programmes in the world. He said this reflects Pakistan’s enduring commitment to investing in human capital and strengthening international academic cooperation.
The leadership of the University of Illinois Chicago welcomed the exchange of ideas and expressed interest in maintaining dialogue with Pakistani institutions to explore future collaboration in medical education, research and healthcare innovation. During the discussion, the University shared its Brazilian model of integrated healthcare and medical education, which Minister Ahsan Iqbal said could serve as a valuable model for the development of the Prime Minister’s Jinnah Medical Complex in Pakistan.
