HEC announces mandatory professional certifications

ISLAMABAD
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced a landmark initiative to enhance the employability of Pakistani graduates by making professional internships and industry-relevant certifications a mandatory part of all undergraduate degree programmes.
This policy, which builds on the Undergraduate Education Policy 2023, is designed to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the practical skills required by today’s job market. The directive, issued to all public and private universities and degree awarding institutions, emphasizes the critical importance of equipping students with hands-on experience and globally recognized competencies. All undergraduate programmes will now require a minimum of three credit hours of supervised internship. Universities have been encouraged to forge formal partnerships with corporate entities, SMEs, and public sector organizations to secure meaningful placements that are directly relevant to students’ fields of study. The advisory also promotes leveraging online internship platforms and remote working opportunities to adapt to evolving market trends. In addition to internships, the new policy advises universities to integrate mandatory, industry-relevant certifications into their curricula.