PTA joins hand with engineering university

MoU signed to make telecom beneficial for both organisations.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila joined hands to promote telecom related research on Thursday. The entities signed an MoU to make telecom beneficial for both the organisations, the industry in general as well as for the country.

This would also boost mutual cooperation in the relevant fields and would enhance the industry’s academia linkage, said a press release issued on Thursday.

Chairman PTA Dr Mohammed Yaseen and Vice Chancellor UET Professor Dr Muhammed Abbas Chaudhry were present while representatives of PTA and UET signed the MoU in a ceremony held at UET.

The initial plan for five years can be renewed on completion.

On this occasion, Chairman PTA Dr Mohammed Yaseen said that PTA would provide data on telecom sector and expertise to UET Taxila. Reciprocally the university would encourage its students to undertake research in different areas of the field.

He said under the MoU, PTA would help the university in identification of research areas.

Dr Muhammad Abbas said, “We alsohave  plans to start masters and doctorate programmes in telecom regulations. We want to establish an institution for telecom research as well.”

This is the third MoU signed between PTA and any university. Similar understanding exists with COMSATS and NUST.

An official said that PTA has been working continuously towards encouragement of research activities in telecom sector. “Being an academia friendly organisation it has taken initiatives to establish strong linkages with educational institutions for the promotion of research,” he said.

Research on regulatory issues, challenges and transfer of new technologies in local sector is likely to help the regulator and the policymakers.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2011.