U.S. (GNP): Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, visited three leading universities in the United States—the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and DePaul University—to strengthen academic partnerships and explore opportunities for collaboration in youth development, higher education, innovation, and skills enhancement for Pakistani youth.
During his visit to the University of Chicago, Chairman Rana Mashood met Katie Hrinyak, Associate Vice President for Global Initiatives and Strategy, UChicago Global. The meeting focused on exploring avenues of cooperation in digital skills, leadership development, entrepreneurship, career readiness, and short-term training opportunities for young Pakistanis.
Chairman Rana Mashood briefed Hrinyak on the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and its flagship initiatives aimed at empowering youth through education, skills development, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities. Both sides expressed interest in developing future partnerships to promote youth empowerment and educational collaboration.
At the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Chairman Rana Mashood met Dr. Enrico Benedetti, Interim G. Stephen Irwin Executive Dean of the UIC College of Medicine and Warren H. Cole Chair in Surgery, and Dr. James (Jim) Hammerschmidt, Interim Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Executive Director of the Office of International Services.
During the visit, he toured UIC’s Robotic Surgery Laboratory, where he was briefed on the university’s pioneering work in robotic surgery, transplantation, and advanced healthcare technologies. Discussions centered on opportunities for collaboration in medical education, digital health, research, innovation, and skills development, with both sides expressing interest in strengthening academic partnerships and supporting capacity building between Pakistan and UIC.
Chairman Rana Mashood also visited DePaul University, where he met Dr. Robert L. Manuel, President of DePaul University, to discuss cooperation in higher education, youth development, and skills enhancement. The discussions explored collaboration in digital skills, career readiness, leadership development, entrepreneurship, online learning, academic exchanges, mentorship initiatives, and institutional partnerships.
During the meeting, Chairman Rana Mashood highlighted the growing academic relationship between Pakistan and DePaul University, noting that Pakistan is DePaul’s second-largest source of international students and the largest source of international undergraduate students. He observed that Pakistani student enrollment has increased significantly from 93 students in the 2021–22 academic year to 221 students in 2025–26, describing this expanding student community as a strong foundation for deepening collaboration between PMYP and DePaul University.
Chairman Rana Mashood also interacted with Pakistani students at DePaul University, commending their academic achievements and encouraging them to serve as ambassadors of Pakistan while fostering stronger educational, professional, and cultural linkages between Pakistan and the United States.
Reflecting on the engagements, Chairman Rana Mashood emphsized the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to expanding international academic partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for young Pakistanis. He emphasized that collaboration with leading global institutions in areas such as education, digital transformation, healthcare innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, and emerging technologies aligns with the vision of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme to equip youth with globally competitive skills and prepare them for the future economy.
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The visits underscored the shared commitment of PMYP and these distinguished American universities to exploring long-term partnerships that promote academic excellence, innovation, research collaboration, institutional linkages, and youth empowerment, creating new pathways for Pakistani students and young professionals to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
