Peshawar, May 18 (ONLINE): Speakers in the Industrial Open House and Career Fair of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology here on Wednesday said that if the industry-academia linkages are boosted by the government, it could prove very helpful in strengthening the country’s economy and steer Pakistan out of the economic crisis.
About 70 leading multinational and national organizations from across the country participated in the ‘Open House and Career Fair’ 2022.
Prof Dr Shahid Mahmood Baig, Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation was chief guest in the inaugural ceremony. Prof Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid, Rector of GIK Institute, Pro-Rectors, directors, deans, heads of departments and final year students who are expected to complete their BS education till next month in various disciplines of engineering and management sciences also graced the gathering.
The Final year BS and MS students, and PhD scholars, have displayed over 200 industrial and research projects on different topics.
Both representatives of the companies and academia said that strong industry-academia relations are vital for commercialization of innovative business ideas of the students in order to improve the economic growth of the country, saying that the three pillars of industrial growth are:
result-oriented research and innovation by academia and commercialization of business ideas by industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Shahid said that the time had changed and now the industrialists have to rely on technology and science to solve their various confronting problems on one hand and make extraordinary achievements on the other.
“Only the universities could find innovative solutions to the problems faced by the industrial sector,” he remarked, adding that if academia infuses the soul of entrepreneurship in the students of all disciplines then they would become job creators instead of job seekers and this is the essence of the entire education exercise.
“We strive to strengthen the culture of industry-academia linkages as it is important for materializing the business ideas of researchers and students,” Prof Shahid, adding that Pakistan Science Foundation would establish five science museums in the country while working to create a conducive environment for getting quality education by the youngsters.
He spoke in detail about students exchange programs with China and Turkey and lauded the research projects of the students and participation of the companies in the Open house. Professor Khalid said that open house is a vital event where representatives of the companies interviewed students for employing them in their respective organizations. “Education, research and innovation are engines of prosperity,” he said.
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