HEC-backed international symposium aims to share latest ideas, developments.
PHOTO: FILE
This was stated by HEC Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmed on Friday. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day international symposium on technology entrepreneurship and incubation, organised by National ICT R&D Fund in collaboration with Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi and HEC, said a press release.
The commission has set up Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORICs) in different universities, he added.
Dr Ahmed briefed the audience about different initiatives that HEC had taken to promote entrepreneurship and incubation activities in the universities. He said it had established Business Incubation Centres to facilitate students and start-ups to have a platform from where they could start their journey.
“We need to devise a concrete strategy for our future course of action to promote entrepreneurship and incubation by encouraging the youth to execute their ideas,” the chairman said. He assured that HEC would leave no stone unturned in extending support in this regard.
Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Balighur Rehman was the chief guest at the event. Education minister reiterated government’s resolve to encourage youth to come forward and play their part, not only in the betterment of their own lives, but also the country’s economy by their contributions to growing and emerging market. He said that government considers them a real asset that could guarantee a bright future. “It is high time to provide the youth with the opportunities to nurture themselves in the best possible manner, keeping in view the needs of the 21st century,” Rehman said.
He also lauded the role of HEC in promoting entrepreneurship culture in the country by establishing Business Incubation Centres and ORICs in universities. He also admired ICT R&D Fund for its initiatives.
Dr Shahid Qureshi from IBA Karachi, Dr Sarfraz Mian from School of Business, State University of New York, United States, Dr Faizullah Abbasi, Vice Chancellor Dawood University, Prof Amin, Vice Chancellor BUET Khuzdar, and Dr Iftikhar, Vice Chancellor University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar gave presentations on various topics. These included the development of entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial ecosystem, development of an entrepreneurial university, the role of incubators in fostering entrepreneurship, the role of ORICs in the promotion of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial accounting and finance, business modelling as a tool in entrepreneurship education, technology entrepreneurship for engineers and scientists, and women entrepreneurship.
The purpose of the symposium is to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and share latest ideas and developments in the area of entrepreneurship and incubation with faculty members, managers of incubators and ORIC managers. It aims at encouraging entrepreneurs, start-ups and incubators in bringing new ideas and implementing them in an effective manner.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman and ICT R&D Fund CEO Dr Syed Ismail Shah, HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali, vice chancellors, entrepreneurs, incubators and people from different walks of life were also present.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2016.
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