The Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan and The National Cyber, Emergency Response Team (National CERT) of Pakistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cybersecurity cooperation, coordination, and resilience across Pakistan’s higher education sector. The MoU marks a significant step towards strengthening the sector’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging cyber threats.

A key outcome of the collaboration is the establishment of the Pakistan Education & Research Network (PERN)/Higher Education Commission (HEC) as the Education Sector Computer Emergency Response Team (EduCERT). The initiative will provide a dedicated cybersecurity coordination mechanism for universities and higher education institutions across Pakistan, enabling coordinated efforts to strengthen cyber preparedness, information sharing, and response to emerging threats.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Zia Ul Haq, Executive Director HEC, and Dr. Mehreen Afzal, Director Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), National CERT, in the presence of Chairman HEC Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Director General National CERT Dr. Haider Abbas, TI, Advisor IT Engr. Nazeer Hussain, Engr. Naeem Ahmed Director IT, and senior representatives of both organisations.

Chairman HEC Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar said that strengthening cybersecurity across higher education institutions is essential to safeguarding digital infrastructure, academic systems, and institutional data. He emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts, timely information sharing, and enhanced institutional capacity to effectively address evolving cyber threats, adding that EduCERT will provide a structured mechanism for universities to collaborate and strengthen their cybersecurity preparedness.

EduCERT thru PERN will serve as a coordinated cybersecurity platform for Pakistan’s higher education sector, supporting cyber threat monitoring, incident coordination, information sharing, security awareness, and institutional cyber resilience. It will facilitate collaboration among universities by enabling the exchange of threat intelligence, cybersecurity knowledge, and best practices, thereby contributing to a stronger and more coordinated national cybersecurity framework.

The partnership reflects the shared commitment of HEC and National CERT to fostering a coordinated, resilient, and cybersecurity-conscious higher education ecosystem. It will also contribute to strengthening Pakistan’s sectoral CERT framework and enhancing the higher education sector’s capacity to address evolving cyber threats.