The USAID's Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA), implemented by the University of Utah, organized two international exchange visits for 40 officials from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and selected Pakistani universities. The focus was on enhancing participants' knowledge, skills, and competencies in teaching, online instruction, and soft skills development.

The second study tour to the Teaching Fellows Institute at the University of Alabama aimed to equip Pakistani faculty with effective teaching methodologies, facilitated by renowned experts. Dr. Naveed Iqbal, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication at LCWU, and Dr. Fatima Hassan, Assistant Professor at LCWU, along with other participants engaged in various activities, including writing assignments, guest lectures, microteaching, and hands-on exercises to improve their teaching practices and online course delivery.

Moreover, they observed classrooms and instructional offices at the University of Alabama and other U.S. institutions, gaining insights into innovative teaching approaches. A 'master trainer workshop' enabled them to lead faculty training sessions back in Pakistan.

HESSA, a collaboration between the Government of Pakistan and USAID, aims to address challenges in higher education by enhancing institutional capacity and aligning graduate skills with the demands of the 21st-century workplace. It involves partnerships with HEC and 16 universities to achieve these objectives.