STEMBridge: Virtual Coaching Programme

This summer, the Centre for Business and Society (CBS) at LUMS, in partnership with the Moawin Foundation, successfully concluded its flagship “STEMBridge: Virtual Coaching Programme”, a five-week virtual learning journey designed to bridge academic gaps and ignite curiosity in science education among students of underserved communities of Pakistan.

From June to August 2025, 45 students enrolled in Grade 9 and 10 in a Moawin Foundation school in Sindh, engaged in interactive online sessions in Physics, Biology, and Mathematics, guided by 11 LUMS undergraduate and graduate student coaches from the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering. The programme was structured to provide personalized guidance, reinforce classroom concepts, and build confidence in tackling STEM challenges.

Beyond subject coaching, the LUMS students also acted as mentors and role models, inspiring participants to think critically, ask bold questions, and begin envisioning their future in higher STEM education. The model illustrated how university-led mentorship can create aspiration pathways for students in underserved schools, while also giving LUMS students a platform to contribute meaningfully to community impact.

The initiative reflects CBS’s nationwide STEM vision: to leverage university-wide resources, research capacity, and student talent to create equitable access to quality STEM education across Pakistan. By piloting scalable, low-cost, and replicable virtual learning models, CBS aims to bridge geographic and opportunity divides, ensuring that young learners, regardless of location, can access STEM skills and mentorship.

As the pilot cohort concludes, CBS-LUMS and the Moawin Foundation celebrate the collaborative spirit and transformative potential of STEMBridge. The enthusiasm of the participants and the dedication of the LUMS coaches reaffirm the belief that bridging STEM opportunity gaps is possible at scale.

Looking ahead, this pilot has laid the foundation for expansion into more schools and provinces, with the long-term vision of establishing STEMBridge as a flagship CBS initiative that supports Pakistan’s youth in pursuing STEM education and careers. Through such programmes, CBS continues to demonstrate how academia can play a central role in shaping a more inclusive and future-ready Pakistan.