NUST opens innovation centre

KARACHI: The National University of Science & Technology (NUST), Pakistan's top engineering university, has set up its Industrial Innovation office, titled NUST ICON Centre, in the premises of SITE Association of Industry, Karachi, to foster closer ties between academia and industry.

The ICON Centre was inaugurated on Monday by Zubair Motiwala, Patron-in-Chief of SITE Association, and Air Vice Marshal Dr. Rizwan Riaz, SI (M), Pro-Rector Research, Innovation and Commercialization of NUST, along with other high officials of NUST and members of the association.

A formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was also signed between the two organizations for the establishment of the ICON Centre, which is the first of its kind in the city. Muhammad Kamran Arbi, President of SITE Association stressed the need for collaboration between industry and academia for the resolution of problems faced by industries and finding solutions through the ICON Centre.

He added that NUST may directly or through the association, collaborate with industries on their practical issues where technical solutions are needed. Dr. Rizwan Riaz said that NUST is taking steps for industry-academia interaction. The purpose of setting up the ICON Centre is to connect the technology, capability and human resource of NUST with the industry and solve industry problems and do value-addition in their production.

He said that to reduce the gap between industry and academia, NUST has set up the ICON Centre in the premises of SITE Association of Industry, which is the largest industrial estate in Pakistan.