Islamabad: Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan noted that ACT-AI initiative, launched under the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, is being implemented through collaboration between the PYMP, HEC, NAVTTC, and ACT-AI to equip young people with state-of-the-art AI skills.
He made these remarks during visit the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Smart Classroom, where he was virtually interacting with students enrolled in the ACT-AI Online Short Course on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills.
The visit was followed by a meeting with HEC officials to review the programme’s progress and discuss strategies for expanding AI education and strengthening industry linkages for Pakistani youth.
Representing HEC were Dr Nasir Khan, Member Quality Assurance; Dr Shafiqu e Rehman; Member Strategic Planning, and IT and Curriculum Division officials involved in implementing the ACT-AI initiative.
During the virtual interaction, students from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan shared their experiences, appreciating the programme’s quality instruction, practical curriculum, and relevance to emerging industry demands. They also highlighted areas for improvement, to which Chairman PMYP assured them that their feedback would be incorporated into future phases of the initiative.
Addressing the participants, Rana Mashhood said the ACT-AI initiative reflects the Government’s continued commitment to preparing Pakistani youth for opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
He further shared that work is underway to develop Pakistan’s first uniform AI curriculum and emphasized that future cohorts would continue to incorporate the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence.
The subsequent meeting focused on the programme’s next phase and strategies to build a stronger AI talent pipeline. Participants discussed expanding collaboration with key national organizations, including Ignite, the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), the National Incubation Center (NIC), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), and university incubation centres. These partnerships aim to provide students with internships, mentoring, entrepreneurship support, industry exposure, and employment opportunities.
The meeting was informed that the programme’s first cohort has yielded encouraging results, with several alumni now contributing to the initiative as instructors and mentors. Participants agreed to continue the programme through structured two-month cohorts, while follow-up coordination meetings with partner organizations will further strengthen implementation and industry engagement.
HEC officials also briefed the meeting on the Commission’s broader initiatives to enhance computing education and graduate employability. These include the National Skill Competency Test (NSCT), which benchmarks the competencies of final-year computing students against industry requirements, as well as HEC’s recent decision to introduce a mandatory Artificial Intelligence course across undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to equip students from all disciplines with foundational AI knowledge.
Appreciating HEC’s role in implementing the initiative through its Smart Classroom network, Mr. Rana Mashhood commended the Commission’s efforts to expand access to quality digital education and reaffirmed PMYP’s commitment to working closely with HEC and partner organizations to build a skilled, innovative, and globally competitive workforce capable of driving Pakistan’s digital transformation.