Imran Khan takes British degrees to Pakistan

To most Westerners, Pakistan is a turbulent and dangerous place but to British universities it's an attractive market in which to expand. A number have launched degree courses there in recent weeks, lured by the promise of large numbers of students – it has 100 million people under the age of 25 – and the desire to compete on the global stage. "We think there is a big market in that country," says Professor Mark Cleary, vice-chancellor of Bradford University, which started seven degree programmes at a Namal College in Pakistan in October 2009 near the geographically remote tribal territories. "Pakistan is a very challenging place but this is about giving something back to a country from which we recruit a lot of students directly." Bradford has the advantage of a strong connection with the cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is the university's chancellor. Khan founded Namal College three years ago with a plan to equip young Pakistanis with better education through the University of Bradford. "When I was campaigning during the 2002 elections in Mianwali, I was appalled at the high level of unemployment among the youth," says Khan. "Hence I resolved to set up a technical college so that this youth could become employable."