The Higher Education Commission hosted a National Workshop on Quality Computing Education and Future Skills at its auditorium in Islamabad, bringing together academic and industry stakeholders to discuss the direction of computing education in the country. HEC Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar delivered the inaugural address, focusing on the Computing Curriculum 2025, the integration of artificial intelligence into academic programs, and the National Skill Competency Test.
During his address, Akhtar outlined how the updated computing curriculum is designed to reflect current industry needs, with particular attention given to preparing students for a job market increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and related technologies. He also spoke about the role of the National Skill Competency Test in helping standardize how computing graduates are assessed, aiming to create a more consistent benchmark for evaluating technical skills across universities nationwide.
Following the inaugural address, a panel discussion titled Building Industry Ready Graduates brought together representatives from the Higher Education Commission, the Pakistan Software Export Board, the Pakistan Software Houses Association and the National Computing Education Accreditation Council, along with NCRC Computing. Pakistan Software Houses Association Co-Chair of the Skills Committee Bilal Mahmood and Skills Committee Member Dr. Shoab Khan took part in the discussion, which centered on aligning university curricula with current industry skill demands and improving the employability of computing graduates entering the workforce.
The workshop reflects a continued push by academic and industry bodies to bring computing education in Pakistan closer in line with the practical skills employers are looking for, particularly as demand grows for graduates equipped to work with artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. By bringing together regulators, accreditation bodies and industry representatives in a single forum, organizers aimed to build stronger coordination between how computing is taught in universities and what the technology sector actually requires from new graduates entering the job market.
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