Syed Abidi stresses need for equipping students with modern skills

LAHORE:Veteran career counsellor, educationist and motivator Syed Azhar Husnain Abidi stressing the need for industry-academia linkages has suggested Pakistani higher education institutions (HEIs) look at the emerging subject areas and produce the graduates who are good at multitasking and equipped with modern skill sets.

Speaking at a panel discussion “Changing Gears” held on the second day of British Council Study UK Counsellors’ Symposium 2019 at The Millennium Universal College (TMUC) here on Wednesday, Abidi said the companies today were looking for people who were good at multitasking and equipped with required skill sets.

Fehmida Saad, CEO of Universal Education Guidance, moderated the discussion while the panelists included Syed Abidi, Dr Lawrence Burke, chief education adviser Beaconhouse Group, Sharne Procter, director, International Office, Durham University, UK and Mehak Jamal, deputy director, Internationalisation & Engagement at Superior Group of Colleges.

The discussion revolved around study abroad options for Pakistani students and the circumstances shaping the same, including the perception of brain-drain as well as the role of technology in education and curriculum development. The participants were also unanimous vis-à-vis the need of brining transnational education (TNE) in Pakistan.

Syed Abidi, who is the recipient of the most coveted civil award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (TI), said that Pakistan being the world’s sixth most populous nation with two-thirds of the population under the age of 25 years was a key emerging market for education providers worldwide.

While terming youth an asset, he urged the policymakers to keep the country’s youth bulge in front while framing policies particularly those related to higher education. To a question, Syed Abidi said that geo-political, socio-economic and international security conditions together with employability prospects and settlement in terms of permanent residence were the key factors affecting the choice of Pakistani students looking for education abroad.

Sharne Procter said with opening up of offshore campuses of the leading universities students today had so much more choice while it was also good to see growing competition among the education providers irrespective of geographical boundaries. “Students should get good quality education no matter where they go,” she added. Dr Lawrence Burke said that the idea that good quality education was available only abroad was a fantasy and added the universities in Pakistan were excellent.

Mehak Jamal talked about technology as a great enabler and underlined the importance of promoting entrepreneurial skills among the country’s youth. She said today’s youth were more aware than their predecessors and it was primarily because of the technological advantage they had.

Syed Abidi, who has represented Pakistan in over 100 national and international seminars, conferences and fora locally and internationally, said, “Critical thinking is not developed by our education system.” Considering the youth as an asset the policymakers should frame policies aimed at equipping them with skills that are required in the rapidly changing world, he said.

Saman Imtiaz, Head of British Council Services for International Education Marketing and a large number of career advisers, student counsellors, consultants, educationists and students attended the symposium. A question-answer session was also held in the end.