Islamabad
The 6th International Conference on Innovative Computing Technology (INTECH 2016) began here on Monday at a local hotel.
This three-day event highlighting the challenges in computing technologies for the new generation is being organised by the Islamia University of Bahawalpur in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Digital Information Research Foundation (DIRF) UK and IEEE United Kingdom and Ireland Section.
Engineer Mian Muhammad Baligh ur Rehman, Minister of State for Education and Professional Training, Interior and Narcotics Control, was the chief guest at the inaugural session, while Prof. Dr. Qaiser Mushtaq, Vice Chancellor Islamia University of Bahawalpur and Ghazi University Dera Ghazi Khan, was also present on this occasion.
More than one hundred participants including 27 international delegates and 6 keynote speakers besides representatives of IT sector are participating in the conference. The minister in his inaugural address said that information technology industry in Pakistan is growing and rising as the government is highly focusing on promoting the use of information communication technology.
“Pakistani IT industry is strongly emerging as a global IT destination and government is developing ICT infrastructure and integrating ICTs in the educational system. The field of higher education has also revolutionised by the advancement of technology. HEC’s budget has been increased from Rs41 to 91 billion during last three years. In recent QS ranking of universities, ten Pakistani universities have been included in top 300 universities of Asia and 6 universities in 750 international universities. An interuniversity telecommunication network as well as the interconnection of primary and secondary schools through a high speed optical fibre national backbone is being established. This initiative is part of national vision of universal access to internet by Pakistani people. Interlinking of all campuses of 100 universities under the HEC’s Smart Universities Project through wi-fi and video link is one of such recent advancements highlighting the priorities of the government in the education sector,” he said.
The minister said that the conference will bring together stakeholders of educational and industrial sectors and aims to create a forum to accelerate the building of ICT infrastructure and capacities for Pakistani business, educational and infrastructural systems. He urged the participants to explore and develop strategies for innovative use of information technology providing low cost solutions helping in advancing the world economy. He appreciated the conduct of the conference and steps taken by the Islamia University of Bahawalpur to upgrade IT infrastructure, interconnectivity of campuses through video link and wi-fi internet availability across the campuses. The Islamia University of Bahawalpur is located in the region where Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park is set up. A start of the Advanced Institute of Solar Energy will be established in Bahawalpur.
Prof. Dr. Qaiser Mushtaq, Vice Chancellor, in his welcome address said that the university has organised the conference and invited renowned IT experts from across the world to explore the synergies between the information technology developments and its applications in various fields of society. There is perhaps no field of human life which has not been effective by technology and INTECH 2016 is addressing all possible and innovative fields of computing and information technology. He added that the Islamia University of Bahawalpur focuses on research by promoting research groups and research conferences and in this regard six international conferences have been organized in the past few months. He congratulated Dr. Imran Sarwar Bajwa the conference focal person and the organising committee for successfully arranging an international event showing the international diversity for bringing together participants from all parts of the world.
The VC also thanked the minister for gracing the inaugural ceremony, national and international delegates for productive participation in the conference.
