Serving in academia for nearly a decade and working in the design industry for more than six years, I have realized that if the economic situation in degrading, the outcome remains scattered, ambiguous, and unsatisfactory. Considering this fact, I did a literature review and data collection within the context of Pakistani economy. For my surprise there’s no major economic survey in country’s history catering creative economy in general specially design economy.

The question was obvious what’s the graphic/communication design contribution to the Pakistani economy? To learn about the challenges in acquiring data on the Pakistani design economy. Soon after some initial research my understanding a comprehensive study is required to assess the impact of design on the Pakistani economy and its actual worth. The first problem that I faced while working on the study is that sufficient data is missing. What does this suggest? Based on my understanding, either the design contribution to the economy is not substantial or it is not getting the attention of the policymakers. Do you think there can be other reasons?

In the knowledge driven global market, one cannot deny the importance of creative economy. And design education remains an essential ingredient to it. Design education is not limited to acquiring a skill set, enabling a student to get a job. It enhances conceptual knowledge and practical skills to address human-centered problems and to respond to them effectively. A market whose potential is unexplored welcomes hundreds of graduates, diploma holders and skilled designers each year.

Globally, Pakistan is performing well in the global freelance ranking and holds great potential for the design market. A considerable percentage of freelance-related jobs are directly or indirectly graphic/communication design jobs. With enormous challenges, Pakistani design education has potential opportunities that can be explored. More than 60% of the country’s population comprises young people. A better alignment between academia and the market can bring a healthy change.

Share your thoughts in comments please!