More than 100 freshmen from the Aerospace Engineering Batch 2026 at the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the National University of Sciences and Technology visited the National Science and Technology Park, as part of a freshmen outreach program the park launched last month. The visit brings the total number of freshmen from various university schools who have toured the park to more than 750, a sign that the program has gained quick momentum in its first weeks. The aim is to introduce new students to the entrepreneurship and innovation activity that takes place on their own campus before they have settled into their degree programs.
Amer Sheikh, Director of the park, walked the students through its role in driving entrepreneurship, supporting early stage ideas, and building technology driven startups. The session was interactive and covered entrepreneurship, creative thinking, identifying real world problems, and turning ideas into impact. Rather than treating entrepreneurship as a subject reserved for business students, the discussion presented it as a way of thinking that engineers can apply to the problems they encounter in their studies and later in their careers. For first year students who are still forming their sense of what an engineering degree can lead to, hearing this early can open possibilities they might not otherwise consider.
A startup founded by a university alumna also took part in the session. Ecobricks shared its journey of building at the park, from the first idea to a functioning venture, giving the freshmen a close look at what the path can involve. A story told by a founder who studied at the same university is often more persuasive for students than a general lecture, since it shows that people who sat in the same classrooms have gone on to build companies. Students could hear about the obstacles, the support available on site, and the practical steps involved in moving from a concept to a working business, and they could ask questions directly of someone who has done it.
The park described the visit as part of a broader effort to bring more schools and more freshmen into contact with what is being built on site, ending its announcement with a simple goal of more schools, more freshmen, and more exposure. Reaching students in their first year gives the park years to build relationships with them, so that by the time they reach final year projects or graduation, they already know where to find mentorship, workspace, and startup support. With more than 750 freshmen already through its doors in a single month, the outreach program points to a campus where entrepreneurship is being presented as a natural part of student life, and the next cohorts of students from other schools are expected to follow.
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