Chamber urges academia-industry linkages

To curb unemployment, universities should tutor students in entrepreneurship

ISLAMABAD: The developed world has achieved phenomenal economic growth by promoting academia-industry linkages and Pakistan will have to adopt the same approach.

These views were observed by Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Senior Vice President Muhammad Naveed Malik while talking to Institute of Space Technology (IST) Vice Chancellor Imran Rehman during his visit along with a delegation.



Malik highlighted that universities have an updated pool of knowledge and they should help in resolving key issues of the local industry. He further emphasised that universities should focus on applied research that would help in addressing major problems of the society. “Over 60% of our population comprises youth while thousands enter the job market annually,” said Malik. “However, our public and private sectors are incapable of providing them jobs.”

He added that to cope with the issue of rising unemployment, universities should focus on fostering entrepreneurship in students that would enable them to become job creators instead of job seekers.



Speaking on the occasion, Rehman said universities could help in improving the productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of industry for which strengthening academia-industry linkages was important. “Research departments of universities are conducting good research in various fields,” he added. “But due to lack of coordination, local industry is unable to take benefits of the research work.”

He urged the industry to share its problems so that the academia could play a role in addressing them. He hoped ICCI’s efforts would contribute in improving academia-industry linkages that would lead to accelerating economic growth and strengthening the economy. On the occasion, ICCI delegation members gave useful tips to IST students for achieving success in business field.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2018.

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