Moot at GIK Institute: Call for collaboration between research institutions and industry

SWABI: Over 300 researchers, industry representatives, and academic experts from 12 countries in a two-day International Conference on Modern Technologies in Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MTME 2025) in Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology called for strengthening collaboration between research institutions and industry to achieve desired results.

The conference was organised in collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC).The scholars belonged to Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Norway, France, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and the United States.

Prof Dr Naseer Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor of CECOS University, Peshawar, delivered an address highlighting Pakistan’s growing role in global engineering research.The conference concluded with a pledge to work together and in the concluding ceremony, Prof Dr S M. Hasan Zaidi, Rector of GIK Institute, emphasised the institute’s commitment to fostering technological innovation.

The two-day conference featured presentations by experts, including Dr Adnan Syed from Cranfield University, United Kingdom, and Dr Shimpei Ono from Japan’s Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, who shared visionary perspectives on emerging engineering challenges.

The organisers said the conference facilitated technical discussions where researchers presented their latest findings. Practical learning opportunities were provided through specialized workshops on robotic control systems and advanced material characterization techniques, attracting participants. A highlight of the gathering was the engaging Industry-Academia Panel Discussion that brought together senior representatives from leading organizations.

The panelists engaged in dialogue about strengthening collaboration between research institutions and industry to address Pakistan’s engineering challenges.

The conference featured a poster session showcasing innovative research projects from emerging scholars.

In the concluding ceremony, chief guest Omer Akhtar, Manager Technical Services, Fauji Fertilizer presented awards and notable honors included the best paper award for research on solar-assisted heating systems and the best poster award for work on sustainable packaging materials.

International participants, including Dr Ayodya Tenngara from Indonesia, lauded the quality research work presented in the conference.