MoU to make Lahore, Austin science cities

LAHORE

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed here Friday between Punjab Information and Technology Board (PITB) and Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin to establish Lahore and Austin as science cities.

Dr Umar Saif, who is also founder Vice-Chancellor of Information Technology University (ITU), Punjab is currently on an official visit to USA. During his visit, he held meetings with senior US officials, academia and Mr Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin and discussed PITB’s flagship programmes E-rozgaar, WiFi Hotspots, E-Learn, Digital Inclusion and Smart Transport solution. Giving an overview of the MoU, Dr Umar Saif said that under the MoU, it was agreed to cooperate in the initiatives like organising bilateral trade, economic development, and exchange missions to each city.

Promotion of capital exchange and investment, development of joint education programmes and exchange opportunities between Austin universities and ITU would enable both sides to prepare students for the future, he said.

He stated the other salient features of the MoU included development of business-focused cultural exchange projects between the creative industry sub-sectors of both cities, broker international relationships between individuals and organisations within the areas of innovative high-technology, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, professional services, as well as other industry sectors identified for economic development.

Linkage of the financial and investment sectors in an effort to promote foreign direct investment in both communities, expansion of workforce development and education opportunities for the next generation of employees in the high-technology, creative industry, and rapid growth employment sectors, including programmes focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) are the other important aspects of the MoU, he added. 

The MoU covers establishment and promotion of joint resources to strengthen entrepreneurs, and small and mid-sized companies to export or import to/from the partner community, facilitation of trade by establishing business-to-business meetings or connections, including video conferencing, exchanges of knowledge and best practices in business incubation, acceleration, and other supporting resources for high-technology start-ups, identification and promotion of business-to-business ventures between the two communities.