Thursday, 22nd January 2026

As part of the Riphah Wellness and Innovation Fest 2026, the Riphah School of Business and Management Sciences (RSBM) hosted a high-level Industry Roundtable on Thursday, January 22, 2026. The strategic dialogue, titled "Business & Management Education: Industry Insights for AI, Analytics & Entrepreneurial Innovation," aimed to align academic curricula with the rapidly evolving needs of the modern business world.

Addressing the Industry-Academia Gap

The session was organized and convened by Dr. Kashif Mahmood, Head of Industry-Academia Linkages at RSBM, and moderated by Prof. Dr. Samia Jamshed, Head of Department. The forum brought together senior leaders from diverse sectors—including technology, manufacturing, banking, and HR—to generate actionable insights for curriculum reform and pedagogical redesign.

Key Discussion Themes

The roundtable centered on several critical pillars for future-proofing business graduates:

• Curriculum Modernization: Industry leaders emphasized moving away from static syllabi toward dynamic, industry-co-designed content that prepares graduates to deliver value within their first 90 days of employment.
• Employability and Soft Skills: Participants identified a need for "work-readiness" beyond theoretical knowledge, highlighting essential soft skills such as professional communication, ethical judgment, and resilience.
• AI and Analytics Integration: Experts advocated for embedding analytics across all business disciplines rather than treating it as a standalone technical subject, utilizing live industry data for simulations.
• Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The dialogue underscored the university's role in supporting Pakistan’s startup ecosystem through dedicated incubators and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs.

The roundtable was marked by a robust turnout of 23 senior industry leaders and practitioners, representing a broad spectrum of Pakistan's economic landscape. The participation featured a diverse assembly of high-level executives, including CEOs, Managing Directors, and Regional Directors from over 20 leading organizations.

This high-caliber attendance ensured that the resulting recommendations were not only theoretically sound but also deeply rooted in the practical realities of the modern global workforce.

Commitment to Action

The roundtable concluded with a shared pledge to translate these discussions into reality through pilot initiatives, co-designed courses, and formal industry feedback loops. RSBM reaffirmed its commitment to institutionalizing these engagements to ensure its graduates remain competitive in a data-driven, entrepreneurial global economy.