Conference: Combining academics and industries into a whole

Speakers underline the use of creative thought through tapping psychology.

ISLAMABAD:

The pressing need to bridge the gap between academics and industries came under discussion at a conference titled “Industrial and Organisational Psychology: Trends, Challenges and Application” on Thursday. The event, that was held at the Quaid-i-Azam University, looked at how psychology can help human resource departments and how job placement can increase for graduating students by increasing discourse between universities and prospective employers (organisations).

UNIDO Senior Industrial Development Officer Inez Wijngaarde commented that students should not feel that their contributions towards the economy are restrained; she gave the example of IKEA Swedish Furniture that employ a plethora of psychologists to appeal to different markets. She shared that with the help of psychologists even construction companies have decreased perceived threat to the public by erecting ‘happy face’ signs every 10km of the construction site in some countries.

Northern Arizona University Department of Psychology and Education Professor Sherri McCarthy urged students “to not tell their ideas but show them to businesses”. She further said that once a single business is interested, other businesses get interested through word of mouth. She also recommended creating a focus on mainstreaming long-term relationships with former students to help provide internship opportunities to future students.

While referring to women in chamber of commerce who do not have too much psychological and creative know-how, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Samina Fazil stated that interns can help such women entrepreneurs excel and innovate. She added that academic knowledge does not benefit society if it remains “in the ivory towers”.

UNIDO National Programme Coordinator Shahina Waheed said, “Businesspersons need not be academics but the merging of the two can lead to a much more stable and dynamic economy and society.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2012.