Success and Sustainability of Higher Academia in Pakistan Unified with Entrepreneurship, Technology Transfer and Venture Commercialization: Experts realized

Mehran University of Engineering & Technology Jamshoro and University of Utah USA in collaboration with Pakistan Science Foundation jointly organized a one day International workshop on “Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Institutional Sustainability in Higher Academia” under the auspices of U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water.

Experts belong to higher academia, industry research and development organizations, corporate sector, civil society and government officials agreed on that the success and sustainability of higher educational institutions in Pakistan unified with Entrepreneurship, Technology Transfer and Venture Commercialization. Speaking in inaugural session, former federal Minister for Information and Senator Nisar A. Memon chairing inaugural session said that since this century belongs to the knowledge-based societies for which universities have to play a vital role to deploy a “triple helix model” to strengthen the academic-industry-government relations. He suggested that government and corporate sector should invest in clean energies like Hydel, Solar and Wind. He showed the concerns over judicious and equitable water distribution and said that water availability in Pakistan is decreasing and the country is moving fast from stressed to scarcity of water from current 1066 cubic meters to about 858 cubic meters in 2025.

He while emphasizing paradigm shift to technological economic development suggested that universities have to respond climate change challenges and join the global endeavors reflected in COP21 and also the efforts may be taken for Ecopreneurship. Keynote speaker Dr. Ishrat Hussain Dean and Director of IBA Karachi former Governor State Bank of Pakistan speaking in the inaugural session said that our universities has to do tremendous job to develop the talent of the students to transfer ideas into opportunities rather to get them reproduce the answers of five questions in examinations. He further said that our society facing various issues including monopoly of market structure, fear of failure, plagiarism, pricing, taxation, water rights, and water market consequently regulatory framework of commercialization of innovation.  Former Vice President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) M.A. Jabbar said that the knowledge based economy contributing for country and vision 2025 gives a clear picture of that and he emphasized on the tax reforms and suggested that universities may come forward to Planning Commission for research based grants for enhancement of the innovation and commercialization.

On this occasion Vice Chancellor Mehran University Jamshoro Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aslam Uqaili said that in the journey of innovation and knowledge transfer, higher education institutions around the globe are seen as the main partners of the industries and business organizations. Through the culture of entrepreneurship in higher academia of learning and research, process of innovation and commercialization can be accelerated which can mitigate the challenges we face either in health or water or energy security and climate change, he added. USPCAS-W Project Director on the part of University of Utah Prof. Dr. Steve Burian said that for entrepreneurship and commercialization ventures we need the capacity development.

He believes that concept of commercialization, generation of demand-driven technology, and partnership between a broad range of private and public institutions have broadened the technology development, commercialization and transfer process. Inaugural session followed by two technical sessions first wad on ” Challenges of Entrepreneurship ” chaired by Dr. Tariq Hassan former chairman Securities and  Exchange Commission  of Pakistan and second session on “Supporting Entrepreneurship” was chaired by Dr.  Mukhtar Ahmed Chairman Higher Education Commission through video link, facilitated by Dr.  Tariq Banuri – University of Utah.  Mr. James Thompson – Executive Director of Technology and Venture Commercialization of Utah University USA, Dr.  Arabella Bhutto Co-Director MUSTD MUET Jamshoro, Dr.  Shahid Qureshi of IBA Karachi, Dr. Muhammad Akram Shaikh Member Pakistan Science Foundation, Mr. Waseem Vohra Vice President FPCCI, Barrister Haroon Dugal, Dr.  Rashid Aftab, were key speakers in the session..  While Project Director USPCAS-W MUET Jamshoro Dr. Bakhshal Lashari thanked speakers, guests and participants during presenting vote of thanks. Chancellor ISRA University Hyderabad Prof. Dr. Asadullah Kazi, Vice Chancellor Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science & Technology (QUEST) Prof Dr. Abdul Kareem Baloch, Vice Chancellor Sindh Madressatul Islam University Karachi Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ali Shaikh, former VC MUET Dr.  Abdul Rehman Memon, Dr. M.Aslam Chaudhry, Dr. Sajjad Ahmed of Utah University   Dr.  Prof.  Fatah Muhammad Burfat, cheif economist Dr.  Fateh Marti, Sindh Reading program specialist of USAID Hafeez Samo, Prof. Dr. Ismail Kumbhar, Dr. Dr Sono Khangharani CEO Hissar Foundation, civil society activists, government officials, professors,  faculty and PhD students of USPCAS-W MUET Jamshoro attended the event while all the participants took part in question answer sessions.