04/08/2026
Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) Delegation Visits CAEPE & BIC-STBS at IIUI
The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) delegation comprising following members
1. Mr. Mansoor Usman Khan, Manager Placement, NSHRDP
2. Mr. Faisal, Senior System Administrator
3. Mr. Atique, System Administrator
4. Mr Afaq, Manager Finance, NSHRDP
Visited the Centre for Advanced Electronics & Photovoltaic Engineering (CAEPE) and the Business Incubation Center & Science, Technology and Business Space (BIC-STBS) at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on 03 August 2026.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by Engr. Muhammad Ahsen Mirza, Director BIC/STBS, Ms. Sana Mirza, Deputy Director BIC/STBS, and the IIUI Protocol Team.
During the visit, the delegation met Prof. Dr. Ahmed Shuja Syed, Vice President Research and Enterprise/Executive Director CAEPE, who provided an insightful briefing on Pakistan's evolving semiconductor design ecosystem and the current landscape of advanced electronics. He appreciated PSEB's strategic initiative to equip engineers with specialized skills in semiconductor design, highlighting its significance in developing a highly skilled workforce capable of addressing emerging industry demands. The delegation shared information on INSPIRE (Initiative to Nurture Semiconductor Professionals for Industry, Research & Education), Pakistan's first national semiconductor initiative launched in October 2025 and executed by PSEB under the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication to train 7,200 professionals in chip design, IC verification, and semiconductor research over five years through nine partner universities and six IC laboratories, with IIUI contributing as one of the partner institutions.
The delegation was also briefed on the key recommendations and outcomes of the national dialogue on semiconductor technologies jointly organized by CAEPE and BIC-IIUI earlier this year, which was graced by the Federal Minister for Information Technology. Discussions emphasized strengthening process fabrication knowledge alongside semiconductor design training, ensuring that graduates of PSEB's initiative possess both theoretical expertise and practical understanding required to solve real-world, industry-driven challenges. The discussion further highlighted the importance of strengthening academia-industry collaboration to support the objectives of the INSPIRE initiative and to promote sustainable growth of Pakistan's semiconductor ecosystem.
Following the briefing, the delegation toured the state-of-the-art CAEPE laboratories, where Dr. Gul Hassan (Associate Professor) and Engr. Shoaib Alam demonstrated the laboratories' advanced equipment, ongoing research activities, and cutting-edge facilities supporting electronics and photovoltaic engineering. The laboratory visit also showcased IIUI's capabilities to support advanced semiconductor education, research, and practical training envisioned under the INSPIRE programme.
The delegation was subsequently escorted to the Business Incubation Center (BIC) and Science, Technology and Business Space (STBS) by Engr. Muhammad Ahsen Mirza and Ms. Sana Mirza. During the visit, members explored the incubation facilities, innovation spaces, and interacted with incubated startups, gaining valuable insight into IIUI's entrepreneurial ecosystem and its commitment to fostering innovation and technology-based enterprises.
The visit concluded with the presentation of commemorative souvenirs by Engr. Muhammad Ahsen Mirza, reaffirming the shared commitment of PSEB and IIUI towards strengthening academia-industry collaboration, promoting semiconductor excellence, nurturing innovation, and developing future-ready human capital for Pakistan's technology sector, in line with the national vision of developing a globally competitive semiconductor workforce through the INSPIRE initiative, followed by a group photograph to mark the occasion.
