Academia, industry linkages stressed to end unemployment

SWABI: Speakers at the Industrial Open House (IOH) of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology on Thursday stressed the need for boosting the linkages between academia and industry to tackle the complicated issue of unemployment.

A total of 162 final year research projects of the students, who are expected to complete BS in various disciplines of engineering and management science in June, were presented.Officials of Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC), who made all arrangements of the event, said that over 105 multinational and national companies participated in the fair while seeing the projects and conducting interviews of the students according to the demand of their respective companies.

Engr Waseem Nazir, Chairman of Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) was chief guest on the occasion who along with Rector GIK Institute, Prof Dr M S Hasan Zaidi visited the final year projects with the students, exchanged views with them and asked various questions about what would be the ultimate result of their research work.

The IOH was also attended by Engr Salim Saifullah Khan, president of GIK Institute parent body, Society for the Promotion of Engineering Sciences and Technology in Pakistan (SOPREST), academia, final year students and representatives of the multinational and national companies.

Engr Waseem said that IOH had not only bridged the gap between academia and industry but also symbolised the bright future of Pakistan’s technological and economic landscape, and it became possible due to dedication toward quality education, research, sustainability, and innovation.

“The projects of the final year students concentrate problem-solving and innovation that Pakistan so dearly needs. At PEC, we are strongly committed to strengthening the academia-industry linkage. We believe that the future of engineering is not confined to classrooms; it lies in practical exposure, industry collaboration, entrepreneurship, and global competitiveness,” he added.

Lauding the students’ projects he said: “I was really impressed. GIK Institute is one of the best engineering varsity in the country.”

Rector of GIK Institute, Prof Dr S M Hasan Zaidi said that the projects tackle real-world problems and offer practical solutions - a reflection of the applied, problem-solving mindset that we encourage among our students.

“Our industry partners engaged deeply with our students, selecting them for job in their industrial units, while forging collaborations that can drive mutual growth and national progress,” he said.