ISLAMABAD — The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster cybersecurity on Thursday, 1 October 2026, threat coordination, and digital resilience across the country’s higher education sector.
The partnership paves the way for the establishment of the Education Sector Computer Emergency Response Team (EduCERT), which will operate through the Pakistan Education & Research Network (PERN). The new platform will serve as a dedicated cyber defence mechanism for universities and higher education institutes nationwide, enabling coordinated threat monitoring, incident response, and information sharing.
The agreement was formally signed yesterday by Dr Zia Ul-Haq, Executive Director of HEC, and Dr Mehreen Afzal, Director of Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) at National CERT. The ceremony was attended by HEC Chairman Prof. Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, National CERT Director General Dr Haider Abbas, Advisor IT Engr. Nazeer Hussain, Director IT Engr. Naeem Ahmed, and senior officials from both organisations.
The HEC Chairman highlighted protecting digital infrastructure
Speaking on the occasion, HEC Chairman Prof. Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar highlighted that protecting digital infrastructure, academic systems, and institutional data across universities is critical to national progress. He noted that EduCERT will provide a structured framework to help institutions exchange threat intelligence and adopt best security practices in real time.
Under the agreement, EduCERT will also focus on raising security awareness and building technical capacity within higher education institutions, contributing to Pakistan’s broader national cybersecurity framework.
