Dr. Umar Saif, the Caretaker Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication, announced that Pakistan will host the first Digital Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) summit by the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) early next year.
The announcement came during a virtual meeting with the Secretary-General of the DCO, where they also discussed strategic initiatives for expanding Pakistani IT companies in DCO member states.
Dr. Umar Saif spoke about Pakistan’s strong relations with all DCO member countries and introduced an innovative tool – the DCO digital passport. This digital passport is designed as a one-stop-shop to facilitate digital businesses from Pakistan, particularly to ease their expansion into markets like Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, Dr. Saif highlighted the significant role of DCO in growing the investor network for the forthcoming Pakistan Startup Fund, which is expected to boost the country’s startup ecosystem. DCO member states include Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, and Jordan.
Collaborative Efforts to Enhance IT Education Quality
In a separate development, Dr. Umar Saif chaired a meeting with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to finalize a strategic plan for improving the quality of Computer Science students in universities and ensuring their smooth transition into the IT industry.
The meeting concluded with the decision that HEC, in collaboration with PASHA, PSEB, and the National Computing Education Accreditation Council, would conduct a standardized test for final semester IT students to assess and ensure their quality.
The initiative also includes an industry co-opt program, offering students 6-9 credit units to gain practical IT industry experience before graduation. PASHA will work alongside the industry to facilitate the placement of qualified students in IT companies, thereby creating job opportunities that align with industry requirements.
