‘Academia-industry linkages vital to address skills gap’

Islamabad:Leading educationists, policymakers, industry representatives and vice-chancellors/rectors have called for stronger and structured collaboration between academia and industry to bridge Pakistan’s skills gap, equip university graduates with market-oriented skills and improve their employability.

They expressed these views at a forum titled “Skilling Pakistan: Challenges & Learning from Best Practices”, held at the FPCCI Regional Office, Islamabad. The forum was jointly organized by FPCCI, Young Entrepreneurs Summit (YES), HEC Task Force on Business Incubation Centres, Atlas VTI, Vice Chancellor Forum of Federal Universities.

The event was moderated by Muhammad Murtaza Noor, CEO/National Coordinator, Inter-University Consortium. Prof. Dr. Syed Habib Ali Bukhari, Member R&D and Academics, HEC; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Akmal, Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali Nasir, Advisor HEC; Dr. Syed Shahbaz Hussain Shamsi, Director General, Prime Minister’s Youth Programme; Tariq Khan Jadoon, Vice President FPCCI; and Aziz Malik, Chairman, FPCCI Capital Office Islamabad, along with Vice-Chancellors/Rectors and representatives of universities and industry, spoke on the occasion.

A special documentary on Atlas Vocational Training Institute was screened, highlighting the institute’s efforts to promote technical and vocational training and develop industry-relevant skills among young people.

During the Best Practices Session, participants shared successful national models of skills development, university-industry collaboration, business incubation and work-integrated learning. Particular reference was made to initiatives and experiences of Pak-Austria Institute, Haripur; Government College University Faisalabad; Honda Atlas; Health Services Academy; Rawalpindi Women University and other leading educational institutions and industries.