UEA, Pakistan’s ICL partner to deliver undergraduate programs

From next year, UEA will offer undergraduate courses in Lahore through a partnership with ICL, a Pakistani higher education institution providing local students access to internationally recognised degrees without studying abroad.

Its purpose-built campus is expected to open in January 2026 and will offer UEA’s LLB Law, BSc Computing Science, and BSc Computing Science and Software Development programs.

ICL founder Shazad Tahir said the partnership was a “moment of immense pride and joy”. 

This partnership with ICL represents an exciting opportunity for UEA to contribute to the development of higher education in Pakistan

_{Steven McGuire, University of East Anglia}

“In our pursuit of academic excellence, we sought a partner that shares our unwavering commitment to innovation and student success,” he said. 

“The UEA with its global reputation for research and dedication to student achievement, perfectly embodies our ideals.”

He added that the collaboration would “empower generations of Pakistani students to benefit from UEA’s esteemed programs without leaving their homeland”. 

The alliance was formed after representatives from the UK university visited Lahore in April and noted ICL’s ambitions and the quality of its facilities.

It is affiliated with the International School Lahore (ISL), which has been operating since 2020 and currently educates around 10,000 students, including 2,700 A-level students. 

Meanwhile, ICL staff visited the UK in September to tour UEA’s campus and finalise the partnership agreement. 

“This partnership with ICL represents an exciting opportunity for UEA to contribute to the development of higher education in Pakistan,” said professor Steven McGuire, pro-vice-chancellor for international and deputy vice-chancellor, UEA.

“It aligns with our mission to make world-class education accessible globally and offers a new pathway for talented students in Lahore to gain a UEA degree.”

UEA’s partnership in Pakistan follows meetings in Dhaka with Bangladesh’s University Grants Commission, including chairman professor SMA Faiz, as the country drafts a policy for international university branches similar to India’s.

According to its website, UEA currently has a network of 200 university partners around the world. 

While Pakistani students are fueling a rise in student mobility, with countries like the US, UK, and Germany witnessing the largest growth, there’s increasing conversation about how cost considerations are leading to a pivot towards transnational education activities in Pakistan — something The PIE News heard at its PIE Live Europe 2025 conference.

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