FAISALABAD: Holistic grooming of university graduates is imperative to harness their qualities to successfully brace the emerging challenges despite fast changing curricula and general circumstances in Pakistan across the globe, said Prof Dr Kanwal Amin, Vice Chancellor, Government College Women University Faisalabad (GCWUF).
During a meeting with Farooq Yousaf Sheikh, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), she discussed issues to enhance industry-academia relations to give a gear up innovation, creativity and out of box solutions in addition to developing relevance between industrial sector and passed out university graduates. Commenting on social evolution, she said that many professions have become obsolete with the addition of artificial intelligence (AI), but we must equip the younger generation with capabilities to exploit AI in addition to keeping intact their creativity and critical thinking. She remarked that what we are teaching today may become irrelevant in the next six months; therefore, students must be prepared to effectively face the emerging challenges of every new era.
The VC emphasised strengthening industry-academia linkages, stating that a Business Incubation Center has been established at the university, and the ORIC (Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialisation) has also been activated. She mentioned that the FCCI President is an ex-officio member of the ORIC committee; however, she proposed that before sending university interns, industry representatives should hold special orientation sessions for students to brief them about their facilities and requirements.
“This would help students in identifying their professional direction for the future,” she added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025