ISLAMABAD: Developed countries achieved phenomenal economic growth by promoting strong academia-industry linkages and Pakistan has to adopt same approach to promote industrialisation and improve its economic growth.

Faad Waheed acting President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry during his visit to Centre of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) of Air University Islamabad along said that universities are producing many research projects, but they are not benefiting local industry as they are not oriented to resolving industrial problems. He said that with close academia-industry linkages, universities can help in improving efficiency, productivity and competitiveness of local industry and producing value-added products to boost exports. He stressed that universities should focus on applied research that would help in addressing major problems of society. He said that ICCI is ready to provide mentorship and career counselling to students, facilitate their placement as interns in local industry and help in commercialisation of innovative business ideas of students. He emphasised that universities should focus on fostering entrepreneurship in students that would enable them to promote business start-ups and play an active role in economic development of country.

SAir Marshal (retd) Javaid Ahmed HI(M Vice Chancellor said that close cooperation between Air University and ICCI would produce beneficial outcomes for students and industry. He said that industry should share its problems with universities so that academia can make efforts to resolve them. He hoped that ICCI’s efforts would contribute in improving linkages between academia and industry that would lead to accelerated growth of economy.

Air Cdr. (retd) Afzaal Ahmed, Director ORIC, Air University gave detailed briefing to ICCI delegation on industrial laboratories and other industrial innovations. Adnan Mukhtar, Dr. Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Naveed Malik, Zareef Khan, Zia Khalid Chaudhry and others were in ICCI delegation.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 08 2023

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