The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Higher Education Commission (HEC) signed on Thursday, May 5th, 2016, a Memorandum of Understanding to foster partnership for increasing awareness about saving & investment in capital market and encouraging youth towards entrepreneurship through investor education. Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman, HEC and Mr. Zafar Ul Haq Hijazi, Chairman SECP signed the MoU at a ceremony held at HEC Secretariat, Islamabad. Prof. Dr. Arshad Ali, Executive Director HEC and other members of senior management from both sides were also present. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that objective of this MoU is to put joint efforts for raising financial literacy and inculcating saving and investment culture particularly among university students while building their financial capabilities. He said the two sides will help equipping students with skills and knowledge so as to make sagacious financial decisions and managing risks. Mr. Zafar Hijazi said though SECP has been spreading awareness regarding capital investment among youth but joint efforts with HEC will be more effective in attracting youth towards entrepreneurial activities. He also briefed the participants about increased interest of investors owing to different SECP initiatives. It was agreed to enhance outreach of SECP’s Jamapunji project, an Investor Education Programme for students. Both the institutions will coordinate with each other to prepare curricula for graduate and postgraduate students on Personal Financial Planning. Faculty Development Programmes will be organized wherein SECP will provide training to university faculty on Investor Education who will then cascade it among their colleagues and students. Awareness activities will include seminars, conferences, workshops in universities across the country in addition to holding essay competitions, poetry contests, debates, painting and poster competitions, IT and animated video development competitions. Under the MoU, SECP will utilize the HEC facility of online network through which seminars on “Jamapunji” could be simultaneously telecast to universities.