17th SZABIST National Research Conference: Researchers from across Pakistan read papers
Science is the most important discipline for research, social sciences and then innovation and entrepreneurships.
KARACHI:
Computer Science MS student Usama Mout has been researching how to extract and sift through knowledge from the web. His previous independent studies papers dealt with ‘how to find the truth on the web’.
Eighty-two other research papers were presented at the 17th Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Techonolgy’s (Szabist) National Research Conference on Saturday. Students from ten universities from across the country attended with their independent studies in the disciplines of management, social sciences, economics and computer science.
Every six months researchers from different universities are called to read their papers and reveal the findings to the audience and panellists for grading.
Mushtaq Ahmed, an MS student, shared that his research titled ‘Competitive Intelligence Practices in the Exports of Pakistan’ is a first for the country. “We knew about exporters of other countries but nothing from a Pakistani’s perspective.” It took him almost four months to complete his research paper.
Szabist started its MS and PhD programme in the year 2000 after which research is a regular part of the university’s curriculum even at the master’s level, said Dr Mustaghis ur Rahman. He is the Technical Chair of the National Research Conference and the head of the MS/PhD programme at the institute.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, he said that almost 50 per cent of the research papers at the university pertain to management sciences, but there is an increasing emphasis on social sciences. He said the university also has a half-yearly scientific journal called the Journal of Independent Studies (JSIR) that publishes 10 to 15 peer-reviewed research papers.
Earlier, inaugurating the conference, Dr Attaur Rehman, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) former chairman, said a nation does not progress by building dams, structures or powerhouses but by investing in its children.
He said that science is the most important discipline for research, followed by social sciences and then innovation and entrepreneurships.
Appreciating the initiative of research by private universities, he said this needs to be encouraged as hardly any research is being done by the private sector in the country. He cited the example of the United States where the private sector does most of the research. Dr Attaur Rehman said that during his time at the HEC, steps were being taken in providing research funds for private-sector universities and a feasibility report was also approved by the cabinet committee. “But nothing has happened since then.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2011.
Computer Science MS student Usama Mout has been researching how to extract and sift through knowledge from the web. His previous independent studies papers dealt with ‘how to find the truth on the web’.
Eighty-two other research papers were presented at the 17th Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Techonolgy’s (Szabist) National Research Conference on Saturday. Students from ten universities from across the country attended with their independent studies in the disciplines of management, social sciences, economics and computer science.
Every six months researchers from different universities are called to read their papers and reveal the findings to the audience and panellists for grading.
Mushtaq Ahmed, an MS student, shared that his research titled ‘Competitive Intelligence Practices in the Exports of Pakistan’ is a first for the country. “We knew about exporters of other countries but nothing from a Pakistani’s perspective.” It took him almost four months to complete his research paper.
Szabist started its MS and PhD programme in the year 2000 after which research is a regular part of the university’s curriculum even at the master’s level, said Dr Mustaghis ur Rahman. He is the Technical Chair of the National Research Conference and the head of the MS/PhD programme at the institute.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, he said that almost 50 per cent of the research papers at the university pertain to management sciences, but there is an increasing emphasis on social sciences. He said the university also has a half-yearly scientific journal called the Journal of Independent Studies (JSIR) that publishes 10 to 15 peer-reviewed research papers.
Earlier, inaugurating the conference, Dr Attaur Rehman, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) former chairman, said a nation does not progress by building dams, structures or powerhouses but by investing in its children.
He said that science is the most important discipline for research, followed by social sciences and then innovation and entrepreneurships.
Appreciating the initiative of research by private universities, he said this needs to be encouraged as hardly any research is being done by the private sector in the country. He cited the example of the United States where the private sector does most of the research. Dr Attaur Rehman said that during his time at the HEC, steps were being taken in providing research funds for private-sector universities and a feasibility report was also approved by the cabinet committee. “But nothing has happened since then.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2011.