M Atif Ismail
MULTAN, Jun 25 (APP):As the world moves swiftly toward advanced technologies and sustainable solutions, the global job market is undergoing a fast transformation. Fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, electric vehicle engineering, geospatial mapping, circular economy, fintech, free energy, game development, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), cybersecurity, neurotechnology, smart textiles, fashion tech, bioinformatics, nanotechnology and smart city planning are shaping the future.
While these subjects are gaining ground internationally, universities in the country are still in the early stages of integrating them into mainstream academic programs.
Pakistan’s youth is known for its intelligence and creativity and the country has made notable progress in expanding access to higher education. However,experts believe that academic offerings must now evolve to include emerging disciplines like machine learning,ethical hacking,brain-computer interfaces (BCI),remote sensing, agri-tech, and precision farming.
These areas are rapidly becoming essential skills in the global workforce.Yet in Pakistan,they are still emerging concepts, taught mostly through pilot programs,research projects or external certifications.
“Pakistani youth are full of potential,but there’s a growing need to align education with future trends,” says a senior academic from a public sector university.“We are moving forward, but more focus is needed on curriculum upgrades and industry relevance.”
Some modern subjects are already being introduced in some institutions, but often on a limited scale. For instance,robotics and automation are offered mostly through workshops or as elective courses. Electric vehicle (EV) engineering, though crucial for the future of transportation, has yet to find a formal space in engineering departments. Similarly, geospatial science and remote sensing are treated more as specializations rather than core components of geography or environmental programs.
Artificial intelligence and data science are making their way into a few universities, especially private ones, but government institutions are still catching up. Cybersecurity and ethical hacking, critical in today’s digital world are taught in isolated modules, while comprehensive programs and certifications remain scarce.
Fields like bioinformatics, space technology, and nanotechnology hold great promise for medicine, defense, and innovation. However, these remain confined to limited research departments, lacking broad access or industry exposure. Likewise, smart city planning and urban tech, crucial for addressing urban challenges in Pakistan, are still not part of most city planning or civil engineering curricula.
The country’s agricultural universities also have room to grow in areas like agri-tech and precision farming. Despite agriculture being the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, the integration of AI, drones, and IoT tools in farming education is still limited. Similarly, Pakistan’s large textile sector can benefit significantly from fashion tech and smart textiles, but the academic side of this innovation remains untapped.
Former Vice Chancellor (VC) BZU Dr Tariq Ansari acknowledges the progress made so far. “When Pakistan was formed,we had only one major university, Punjab University.With the creation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), we’ve seen an increase in research culture and academic expansion. We now have over 200 universities and more than 10,000 PhDs. That’s a great achievement,” he said.
He added, however, that the journey is still ongoing.“We’ve begun recognizing the importance of modern subjects, but we are at an early stage.The challenges include limited faculty, funding constraints, and the lack of industry linkages to provide relevant job opportunities. When students don’t see clear career paths, they become discouraged.”“Pakistan doesn’t lack talent but it just needs better alignment with the global market,” He added “We’re not behind by capability, but we need to catch up in vision and execution.”
As the global landscape evolves, embracing modern subjects in higher education is no longer optional but is essential. By gradually adapting to these changes, our country can ensure its youth remain competitive, confident, and capable of driving progress both at home and abroad, said Tariq Ansari.
