The Government of Pakistan and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have partnered on the Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA) to address important issues facing the higher education sector. By implementing the following activities, HESSA hopes to improve the employability (capacity, relevance, adequacy, and inclusivity) of Pakistani university graduates in the labor market:
1. Strengthen the institutional capacity and self-reliance of Pakistani HEIs through links to U.S. institutions of higher education
2. Improve the access, quality, and relevance of higher education program (particularly for marginalized communities)
3. Improve the skills and pathways to connect graduates to market-led, demand-driven employment (including self -employment and entrepreneurship and jobs).
To support those interventions, the program is built around the following technical areas of support:
• Component A- Leadership, governance, and management challenges at HEI
• Component B- Access, quality, and relevance of higher education programs, particularly for marginalized communities (Component B)
• Component C- Improved pathways to connect graduates with market led, demand-driven jobs
This project is meant to assist Component C, which aims to strengthen student development initiatives' impact on networks and community engagement, increase students' access to financial aid, scholarships, and other on-campus engagement services, and help students develop their soft skills for greater employability. Component C's six theme intervention areas are as follows:
1. Financial Aid
2. Career Readiness
3. Student Leadership & Co-Curricular
4. Alumni Engagement & Development
5. Student Entrepreneurship
6. Mental Health
Purpose & Objectives The goal of this activity is to gain a thorough understanding of the current state of student affairs services at public sector HEIs in Pakistan along the six thematic areas of the component, as well as the needs of students in this regard. This builds on the baseline assessment carried out by the USAID HESSA project. This assessment will offer a thorough situational study of this industry, highlighting gaps and needs, and it will be utilized to guide the creation and execution of the program's Component C activities. The results of the deliverables created for this activity will be included in the annual capacity-building and knowledge-sharing summit for HESSA Student Support Services in July 2022. The Pakistani HEI community as a whole will also be informed by any novel or significant findings from this assessment.
The objectives of this activity are as follows: 1. Conduct a needs assessment of current student affairs services at HESSA partner HEIs, including an analysis of the inclusivity of services along themes of gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, age, disability, minority status, geographic location, immigration status, and ethnicity.
2. Identify student perspectives on existing needs, gaps, and successes in student affairs services at HESSA partner HEIs
3. Develop a situational analysis of the broader student affairs sector at public HEIs across Pakistan 4. Provide guidance for the creation of Component C initiatives and function as a means of informing Pakistan's higher education community about the situation of student affairs services.
Below are the six Component C thematic intervention areas and the designated staff members:
1. Financial Aid
Nominated faculty/staff: Mr. Ali Akbar Zardari ( Accounts Officer )
2. Career Readiness
Nominated faculty/staff:
3.Student Leadership & Co-Curriculars
Nominated faculty/staff:

4Alumni Engagement & Development
Nominated faculty/staff: Dr Farheen Shaikh- Chief Hostel Provost
5. Students Entrepreneurship
Nominated faculty/staff: …………
6. Mental Health.
Nominated faculty/staff: Dr Moti Ram Bhattia Associate Professor & Chairman of Psychiatric