ISLAMABAD, Sep 11 (APP):The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Friday organized an academia-industry forum titled “Skilling Pakistan: Challenges and Learning from Best Practices”, calling for stronger collaboration between universities and industry to bridge the skills gap and enhance graduate employability. The forum, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among youth, was organized in collaboration with the Young Entrepreneurs Summit, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Task Force on Business …
FPCCI forum calls for stronger academia-industry collaboration to boost graduate employability
ISLAMABAD, Sep 11 (APP):The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Friday organized an academia-industry forum titled “Skilling Pakistan: Challenges and Learning from Best Practices”, calling for stronger collaboration between universities and industry to bridge the skills gap and enhance graduate employability.
The forum, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among youth, was organized in collaboration with the Young Entrepreneurs Summit, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Task Force on Business Incubation Centres, Atlas Vocational Training Institute and the Vice Chancellor Forum of Federal Universities, said a press release.
Leading educationists, policymakers, industry representatives and university heads emphasized the need for structured and sustained academia-industry linkages to equip graduates with market-relevant skills and improve their employment prospects.
Speaking on the occasion, FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said bridging the skills gap was essential for Pakistan’s economic survival in the modern era.
He stressed that meaningful academia-industry collaboration, applied research and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies into higher education were no longer optional, but critical prerequisites for sustainable economic development.
Sheikh said universities needed to transform into innovation hubs capable of producing job creators rather than job seekers.
He assured that FPCCI was ready to support joint research projects, upgrading corporate laboratories and market-driven curriculum reforms to equip young people with future-oriented skills.
Speakers called for regular communication channels between academia and industry, particularly through updating university curricula in line with evolving market requirements and ensuring representation of industry leaders on curriculum boards.
The forum recommended making student internships mandatory, practical and results-oriented to provide undergraduates with meaningful workplace exposure. Participants also advocated greater corporate involvement in university teaching, research and startup development.
Discussing the growing importance of AI and emerging technologies, experts urged universities to prepare graduates with proficiency in digital tools, entrepreneurial capabilities and professional soft skills suited to rapidly changing industry requirements.
Participants also recommended strengthening university Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORICs) and Business Incubation Centres (BICs) through the appointment of dedicated professional staff.
They proposed upgrading university research laboratories through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding, enabling students and researchers to work directly on real-world industrial challenges.
In his welcoming address, FPCCI Vice President Tariq Mehmood Jadoon assured the chamber’s full support for joint programmes designed to connect students with potential employers.
FPCCI Capital Office Chairman Karim Aziz Malik highlighted the role of regional commercial hubs in human resource development and said structured joint initiatives were essential for empowering young professionals.
Concluding the forum, Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Director General Dr. Syed Shahbaz Hussain Shamsi announced that the federal government had declared 2027 as the “Year of Skills” to accelerate vocational education across the country.
Participants were also invited to attend the upcoming Young CEOs, Entrepreneurs and Innovators Summit, Expo and Awards, scheduled for mid-October 2026 in Islamabad.
The participants appreciated FPCCI for organizing the forum and called for similar academia-industry dialogues to be held regularly to strengthen human resource development and improve employment opportunities for Pakistan’s youth.
