KARACHI (Dunya News) - NED University of Engineering and Technology and the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening semiconductor education, research and advanced technology skills among Pakistani youth.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi and Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Speaking on the occasion, the Sindh governor said Pakistan’s digital future was closely linked with the adoption of emerging technologies and the ability of its young population to acquire advanced technical skills.
He described the partnership between NED University and PSEB as an important development for Pakistan’s emerging semiconductor sector.
Under the initiative, a Semiconductor Education and Research Cluster is expected to provide students and researchers with opportunities for specialised training, education and research in the field.
Hashmi stressed the importance of closer cooperation between universities and the technology industry, saying stronger academic-industry linkages were essential for developing skills required by rapidly evolving technology sectors.
Pakistan, he said, needed to transform its young people from consumers of technology into its creators and innovators.
The semiconductor sector sits at the heart of the modern digital economy, with chips used in smartphones, computers, artificial intelligence systems, telecommunications equipment, automobiles, medical devices and industrial machinery.
Building local expertise in semiconductor design and related technologies could therefore help Pakistan develop higher-value technology capabilities rather than relying predominantly on conventional IT services.
Universities seen as key to technology transformation
The partnership places universities at the centre of efforts to develop the specialised human capital needed for advanced technology industries.
NED University, one of Pakistan’s prominent engineering institutions, could play a significant role in preparing engineers and researchers for emerging fields through specialised academic programmes, research facilities and industry collaboration.
The governor said partnerships between academia and the technology sector were necessary to ensure that students acquired skills aligned with the requirements of modern industries.
He also called for a more inclusive digital Pakistan in which opportunities for economic and professional advancement were not lost because of inadequate technology or connectivity.
Hashmi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision was to increase Pakistan’s information technology exports to $25 billion by 2030.
Reaching that target would require significant expansion in Pakistan’s technology ecosystem, including investment in digital infrastructure, skilled manpower, software exports, artificial intelligence and other high-value technology segments.
The NED-PSEB collaboration could contribute to that broader objective by building expertise in semiconductor technologies, an area where specialised skills command significant value in international markets.
Pakistan has a large population of young engineering and technology graduates, but developing a competitive semiconductor ecosystem requires specialised education, research capacity and sustained links with global and domestic industry.
Unlike establishing large-scale semiconductor fabrication plants, which can require enormous capital investment and sophisticated infrastructure, developing expertise in areas such as chip design, verification and related engineering services can offer emerging technology economies another route into the global semiconductor value chain.
The new partnership could help create a pipeline of engineers and researchers with such specialised capabilities.
Its long-term impact, however, will depend on implementation, including the scale of training programmes, research facilities, industry participation and opportunities created for graduates.
The agreement reflects Pakistan’s wider push to diversify its technology sector and increase the contribution of high-value digital services and advanced technologies to exports and economic growth.