Public fraud alert: HEC warns against fake ‘attestation agents’

The commission has urged applicants to stay alert and avoid fraud. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has issued a public alert after receiving reports that some individuals are pretending to be “attestation agents.” These people claim they can help applicants get their educational documents attested by HEC.

HEC has advised everyone to be very careful and not to share personal or educational information with such individuals. The commission said sharing sensitive details with unknown people could lead to fraud and misuse of personal data.

According to HEC, the attestation process is completely online and paperless for the convenience of applicants. The commission has encouraged students and degree holders to complete the process themselves by following the official instructions available on the HEC website.

HEC also reminded applicants that they should only trust official HEC platforms for attestation services. It said relying on unauthorized people may create unnecessary problems and increase the risk of scams.

The commission urged the public to report suspicious activities and remain cautious whenever someone claims to offer attestation services on HEC’s behalf. It stressed that following the official procedure is the safest way to complete document attestation.

This warning shows that online scams are becoming more common. Applicants should always use official HEC services and never share personal information with unknown people claiming to provide shortcuts.

Meanwhile, the HEC has opened China research programme applications for Pakistani MS/MPhil and PhD scholars seeking a six-month research placement in China.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced applications for the HEC China research programme under the CPEC Consortium of Universities.

The initiative aims to strengthen Pakistan-China academic collaboration by allowing students to conduct research at leading Chinese universities and research institutions.

According to HEC, the HEC research placement China opportunity is open to Pakistani and AJK nationals who are currently enrolled in recognised universities.

Applicants must remain enrolled throughout the selection process and during the six-month research placement.

Students applying for the HEC MS MPhil programme or the HEC PhD research programme must ensure that their proposed research matches their current degree and can be completed within the placement period.

Applicants must also obtain an official acceptance letter from a Chinese university, laboratory or institute that is part of the CPEC Consortium of Universities.

For the HEC PhD research programme, candidates must have completed coursework and at least 18 months of enrolment.

Their research topic and synopsis should already be approved by BASR, DASR or another authorised university body.

Applicants under the HEC MS MPhil programme must have completed at least 18 credit hours and entered the thesis or research stage with an approved research topic before applying for the HEC research placement China.

The HEC China research programme covers several priority research fields, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, renewable energy, biotechnology, agriculture, climate studies, robotics, biomedical sciences, infrastructure, economics and CPEC-related studies.

These fields are expected to further promote Pakistan-China academic collaboration in emerging technologies.

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