HEC, industry agree to bridge skills gap

Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Niaz Ahmed visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and met with President Faheemur Rehman Saigol to discuss strengthening the link between education and industry, improving academic curricula and utilising the potential of young people, according to a statement issued on Saturday. Saigol said that education and industry must be aligned so that skilled manpower can be developed according to modern market needs. He announced an Applied Research Award for the HEC. He stressed the need to update academic curricula to match current global requirements, adding that young people's abilities must be recognised and their potential fully explored. He said that special focus on youth is essential for global competitiveness. Saigol also said that Pakistan is a large consumer market and its potential should be fully utilised. He noted that exports have remained at the same level for several years, while the continuous increase in remittances reflects the talent and hard work of the youth. Dr Niaz Ahmed said that significant improvements have been made in the higher education sector and reform work is ongoing. He said that educational priorities are changing with time, and practical steps are being taken to provide modern skills to students. He added that research at textile universities is being conducted according to international standards, and technical universities have highly capable students who will lead in the future. He encouraged the business community to develop strong linkages with universities to reduce the gap between industry and education. He said that young people have new and creative ideas that need to be explored. The meeting was attended by LCCI Executive Committee members Irfan Qureshi and Iftikhar Ahmed, Garrison University's Dr Rizwana Bashir, Convener Umar Saleem, Sajad Afzal and Zeeshan Sohail Malik, among others.