Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to immediately review all university degree programmes across Pakistan to ensure alignment with current and future labour market demands under Industrial Revolution 4.0 and 5.0.
In a policy directive issued to HEC, the minister stressed that Pakistan’s higher education system must shift towards producing graduates equipped for employment, innovation, and entrepreneurship in a rapidly changing global economy driven by artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, biotechnology, quantum computing, and other advanced technologies.
He said many traditional fields are becoming less relevant as new professions emerge, adding that universities must adapt their curricula to avoid producing graduates whose skills do not match industry needs.
Ahsan Iqbal said degree programmes that do not contribute to employability or national competitiveness must be reviewed for restructuring, modernization, consolidation, or phase-out.
Under the directive, HEC will assess all programmes based on employability outcomes, industry relevance, national development priorities, and future global demand, with special focus on identifying outdated or low-demand disciplines.
HEC has also been instructed to establish a high-level task force comprising academics, industry representatives, technology experts, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to design a framework for future curriculum reforms.
The review will prioritize expansion of programmes in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, robotics, automation, quantum computing, bioinformatics, renewable energy, climate science, digital health, fintech, smart manufacturing, and other emerging fields.
The minister further directed that cross-cutting skills including AI literacy, digital competencies, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and problem-solving be integrated into all degree programmes.
Referring to URAAN Pakistan, Ahsan Iqbal said the country’s youth can only drive economic growth if equipped with future-ready skills aligned with global technological and industrial shifts.
He said higher education must be transformed into a skills and talent development system that produces innovators, researchers, and globally competitive professionals rather than degree-only graduates.
HEC has been asked to submit within 60 days a national framework for reviewing existing degrees, along with recommendations for new disciplines and a roadmap to align higher education outputs with economic and labour market needs.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader human capital development strategy under URAAN Pakistan, focused on innovation-led and knowledge-based economic growth.
