Internships are compulsory for students at Pakistan’s public and private universities under a requirement introduced in 2023, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Rabia Naseem Farooqi told the National Assembly. The policy is intended to give students practical experience while studying and improve their employment prospects after graduation.
Three credits for practical experience
Farooqi said Pakistan has 282 functioning public and private universities. Relevant degree programmes include three academic credit hours for internships, with the Higher Education Commission responsible for ensuring that universities implement the requirement.
The internship requirement is designed to connect students’ studies with practical work before they complete their degrees. Its stated aim is to help graduates enter working life better prepared and strengthen their chances of finding employment.
University centres offer career guidance
Farooqi also told the assembly that Youth Development Centres have been established at universities on the specific instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. These centres are intended to prepare graduates for employment and working life.
Their work includes:
- Providing academic and career guidance to students.
- Sharing information about market requirements and available jobs.
- Building connections between students and representatives of industry.
According to Farooqi, the central objective is to strengthen ties between higher education institutions and the job market. The centres are meant to help young people make the transition from completing a degree to securing work.
