‘National interest’: ‘Promote industry-academia linkages to boost economy’

Minister for planning and development says the knowledge gap needs to be reduced.

LAHORE:

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday links between academia and the industry should be promoted to strengthen the economy.

He was addressing the 3rd session of Invention to Innovation Summit organised by the Punjab University’s Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation, Ministry of Science and Technology, Pakistan Science Foundation, the University of Management and Technology and the Institute of Research Promotion at Al Raazi Hall here on Wednesday.

Punjab University Vice Chancellor Mujahid Kamran, Pakistan Science Foundation Chairman Khalil Ahmed, UMT Rector Hasan Sohaib Murad, IRP CEO Abid Sherwani and ORIC Director Amir Ejaz were also present.

Iqbal said the government wanted to integrate higher education with the economy and would allocate a large amount for education in the next budget.

He said t efforts were being made to utilise capabilities of educationists and researchers in industries.

He said the government wanted to increase the exports volume to $100 billion by 2025.

He said the government was setting up an innovation fund and wanted to provide maximum resources to universities.

He said, “Our future is associated with the progress in six areas; micro electronics, computers, telecommunication, robotic technology, man-made material and biotechnology.”

He said there was a knowledge gap in the country which needed to be reduced.

He said, “The richest person in the world today is the owner of Microsoft. WhatsApp, a phone software, was sold for 19 billion dollars, which reflects the importance of innovation.”

He said after the coup d’état of in 1999, most of educational policies were either suspended or shelved.

He said out of 7000 PhDs in country, there were only 10 to 15 PhDs in the textile sector.

Kamran said the government was making efforts for promotion of education in the country.

He requested the minister and the media to take notice of the attitude of bureaucracy of the Punjab which, he said, was creating hurdles in approval of research projects.

“A university should produce at least 1,500 PhDs every year,” he said.

Hassan Sohaib Murad said there was a need to establish industrial parks in the country so exports could be enhanced.

Khalil Ahmed said the Pakistan Science Foundation took part in the Punjab Youth Festival to promote talent of the youth.

Abid Shewani said, “No nation can develop without cooperation between the government, the private sector, the academia and the industry.”

He said nearly 100 institutions had participated in the summit.

He said 60 stalls had been set up in this regard.

Amir Ejaz said the many ORIC projects were successful.

He also gave detailed briefing of ORIC projects on the occasion.

Later, Kamran gave Iqbal documents with recommendations on the Prime Minister Vision 2015 and the five-year plan prepared by the Punjab University in collaboration with the Pakistan National Forum.

The documents research articles of President PNF Colonel (r) Ikram Ullah Khan, Dr Mumtaz Akhter, Dr Shahid Munir, Dr Tahir Jamil, Dr Naeem Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2014.