ISLAMABAD: With aim to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship activities in Pakistani universities, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has formed an Innovation Steering Committee that will ultimately help create job opportunities as well as country’s economic empowerment.
The decision was taken during a meeting held at HEC Secretariat in Islamabad chaired by Dr Arshad Ali, Executive Director HEC. The meeting unanimously selected Imtiaz Rastghar as Chairman of the Innovation Steering Committee.
The committee decided to review and further develop parameters to assess Office of Research Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC), develop a start-up academy as well as take steps to encourage female entrepreneurs. Each participant presented SWOT analysis regarding their interaction with the universities.
Dr Arshad Ali appreciated continuous support of the industry and informed them that HEC will welcome their suggestions to improve progress of ORIC to move towards creating a knowledge economy. He said that having worked on the other side of the canvas he is now in a position to identify the gray areas. He showed his concern on increase in youth population and establishment of new universities.
“These graduates are a national asset and we need to work together to develop a road map linking our youth to the solution of rising national requirements,” he added.
Dr Arshad said that HEC looks forward to the positive role of business community for strengthening country’s economy. He also informed that HEC has also planned to convene meeting of ORIC Directors to listen to their problems to identify areas where they could be helped to achieve their objectives.
The session was attended by a number of industry representatives, entrepreneurs and HEC team including Dr Muhammad Latif, Adviser (R&D) HEC; Imtiaz Rastgar, Chairman, Rastgar Group; Muhammad Murtaza Zaidi, CEO Cyber vision International; Syed Ahmed, CEO DPL (Pvt) Ltd; Haroon Qurashi, CEO East West Infiniti; Owais Anjum, CEO eMumba (Pvt) Ltd; Wahaj Siraj, CEO Nayatel (Pvt) Ltd; Maajid Maqbool, Assistant Professor, SEECS-NUST; Zeeshan Shahid, Programme Manager TITZ; Yusuf Hussain, Founder NM Ventures; Ali Hasnain, CEO DEACSMASH (Pvt) Ltd; Ammar Khan, MD NEXUS Telecom; Syed Ahmad, Director P@SHA and Shafiullah Khan, Director (HRD) HEC.
