On November 18, 2024, Code for Pakistan (CfP) marked an important milestone in addressing civic challenges with the launch of the Civic Innovator Program. This initiative brings together government, academia, and industry in a tri-party collaboration, aligned with the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) requirements for final-year student projects.

By equipping students with the tools to develop technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges, this program strengthens public service delivery and creates meaningful impact.

Connecting Academia, Industry, and Government

Held at Durshal Peshawar, the launch event introduced plans to address over 250 problem statements submitted by government departments. The program enables students to turn these challenges into practical solutions, improving public services and encouraging innovation.

This initiative builds on the success of CfP’s Government Innovation Fellowship Program—developed in partnership with the KP IT Board and World Bank—further bridging the gap between government and citizens.

How the Program Works

The Civic Innovator Program promotes collaboration between government, academia, and industry to address civic challenges. In partnership with CECOS Peshawar, IMSciences Peshawar, and Iqra National University, students work on six problem statements submitted by government departments.

Key Features of the Program

• Tri-Party Collaboration: Students gain practical experience in civic innovation while fulfilling HEC’s final-year project requirements.
• Expert Mentorship: Teams of three students receive guidance from faculty supervisors and experienced industry professionals.
• Technology-Driven Solutions: Students apply emerging technologies to civic challenges, including IoT-enabled waste management and interactive AR tools for public spaces.

The program helps students develop solutions while strengthening links between academia and the public sector.

Highlights from the Launch Event

"The Civic Innovator Program shows what is possible when government, industry, and academia work together," said Shaji Ahmed, CEO of Code for Pakistan. "This initiative allows students to design practical solutions while improving public services. Governments should focus on defining challenges rather than prescribing solutions."

The event included discussions with:

• Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Additional Secretary, Higher Education Department KP
• Dr. Usman Ghani, Vice-Chancellor, IMSciences
• Dr. Akif Khan, Managing Director, KP IT Board
• Dr. Taza Gul, Director General, Science and Technology
• Asim Ishaq, Director, NIC Peshawar

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Usman Ghani emphasized the need for stronger partnerships between academia and industry to create better solutions.
• Dr. Taza Gul highlighted the importance of career counseling, proposal writing, and idea generation for students.
• Dr. Akif Khan encouraged seventh-semester students to explore the KP JoinIT portal, which provides access to freelancing, civic projects, and industry roles.

Mentors Supporting the Program

A team of industry experts will provide students with technical guidance and strategic direction throughout the program:

• Ali Raza, Technical Lead, Trident Marketing
• Qarib Kazmi, Manager Software Development, Bentley Systems
• Shaji Ahmed, Principal Engineer, AlphaX Decision Sciences
• Ashar Bazaib Saeed, CEO, KytherTek
• Mubassir Hayat, Manager Technology, Code for Pakistan
• Shahzeb Siddiq, Program Coordinator, Code for Pakistan

Get Involved

The Civic Innovator Program helps government, academia, and industry work together to improve public services in Pakistan.

Are you a government department with a civic challenge? Are you a university looking to prepare students for real-world impact?

Join the next cohort and contribute to civic innovation in your city.

Email us at innovator@codeforpakistan.org to get involved.