Pakistan Launches Semiconductor Clusters to Train 1,000 Engineers by 2030

The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), under the Ministry of IT and Telecom, has invited proposals for the establishment of three Semiconductor Education & Research Clusters (SERCs) under Phase I of the National Semiconductor Human Resource Development Program (NSHRDP). These clusters will be set up in the North, Centre, and South regions to strengthen Pakistan’s semiconductor talent pool and academic research ecosystem. According to the official document, the initiative aims to build regional hubs of academic excellence by modernizing curricula in electronics, electrical engineering, and computer engineering while embedding advanced semiconductor design content. The clusters are expected to produce more than 1,000 trained engineers by 2030, aligning Pakistan’s workforce with global industry standards in chip design, verification, and related fields. The flagship SERCs will not only develop a national pipeline of talent in semiconductor design but also strengthen academic and research capacities in public universities. They will serve as focal points for collaboration between academia and industry, enabling innovation and applied R&D in the fabless semiconductor ecosystem. The program will also promote indigenous research and facilitate employability by ensuring industry-ready graduates. To ensure transparency and competitiveness, PSEB has invited eligible public sector universities to submit proposals electronically via the government’s e-procurement system (EPADS). A pre-bid meeting will be held on September 16, 2025, through Zoom, while the deadline for submission of proposals has been set for September 26, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Original bid security must also be submitted by the deadline.