HEC, LCCI discuss steps to align education with industry needs

LAHORE: Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Niaz Ahmed visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and held talks with LCCI President Faheemur Rehman Saigol on strengthening ties between academia and industry, improving curricula and making better use of young people’s potential, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

During the meeting, Saigol said education and industry needed to move in step so that skilled human resources could be prepared in line with changing market demands. He also announced an Applied Research Award for the HEC.

He said academic curricula should be revised in accordance with current international requirements and stressed that the abilities of young people must be identified and their potential fully utilised. Saigol said particular attention to youth was necessary for competing globally.

He also described Pakistan as a major consumer market and said its capacity should be used to the fullest. Referring to the economy, he said exports had remained at the same level for many years, while steadily rising remittances showed the talent and hard work of the country’s youth.

Focus on skills and research

Dr Niaz Ahmed said the higher education sector had seen notable progress and that reform efforts were continuing. He said educational priorities were evolving over time and that practical measures were being taken to equip students with modern skills.

He said research at textile universities was being carried out in line with international standards. He added that technical universities had highly capable students who would play a leading role in the future.

The HEC chairman urged the business community to build stronger connections with universities in order to narrow the divide between industry and education. He said young people possessed fresh and creative ideas that should be explored.

Participants in the meeting

The meeting was also 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.

The discussion centred on how closer cooperation between educational institutions and the business sector could help prepare students for contemporary economic needs while improving the relevance of academic programmes.

Saigol said education and industry must be aligned so that skilled manpower can be developed according to modern market needs.