International academics, industry leaders, and policymakers have gathered at Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST) to confront the profound challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital disruption on the global workforce, marking a critical dialogue on the future of society.
The event, titled the International Conference on the Future of Work and Society 2025 (FOWS2025), brought together specialists from Pakistan and abroad to analyze emerging trends shaping employment and technology. The summit was chaired by AUST Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Tahir Irfan Khan.
Participants at the forum praised the organizational efforts led by Dr. Mudassar Khan, Chairman of the Department of Management Sciences, and his team for arranging the high-profile gathering.
The conference featured a distinguished lineup of speakers, including former HEC chairman Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed and Prof. Dr. Ozcan Saritas, a future foresight expert from the UAE. Other notable presenters included Dr. Muhammad Omar Imran Qureshi from Teesside University, UK, alongside vice chancellors from leading Pakistani universities.
The intellectual exchange involved the presentation of over 65 research papers, delivered both in-person and virtually. More than 190 attendees from nations including Malaysia, the UK, Pakistan, China, the UAE, and Turkey contributed to discussions on a wide array of subjects.
Core themes explored during the symposium included digital innovation, governance, leadership, sustainable development, and the transformation of higher education. Panel discussions delved into strategic areas such as global competitiveness and policy frameworks, aiming to bridge the gap between academic research and industry requirements.
To further translate theory into practice, post-conference workshops were conducted by national specialists Dr. Hammad Raza and Dr. Syed Ahmed Gilani, focusing on providing institutions with innovative frameworks to navigate future challenges.
The gathering also served as a platform to bolster North-South and South-South academic collaboration. Key institutional partners included Connecting Asia (Malaysia), APR (UK), and Teesside University (UK), reinforcing the event’s goal of building global research networks.
In his closing remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Tahir Irfan Khan thanked the organizers and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to advancing academic dialogue. ‘AUST will continue to host conferences of this nature. I pay tribute to all organizers for their remarkable services and dedication in making FOWS2025 a success,’ he stated.