ISLAMABAD:Two-day International training workshop on ‘Managing Science and Technology Parks’ concluded on Thursday at COMSTECH after local and foreign experts deliberated over the importance of strengthening science and technology parks for building knowledge economy.
The workshop was arranged by COMSTECH in collaboration with the Pardis Technology Park, Iran and ICCBS Technology Park and Technology Incubation Center, Pakistan.
The inaugural session of this two-day workshop was addressed by Director General of International Affairs and Public Relations of Pardis Technology Park Amin Reza Khaleghian.
Speaking on the occasion, he stressed the need for the establishment and optimum management of science and technology parks (STPs) in OIC member states. He talked about the programmes and activities of the Pardis Technology Park.
The Coordinator General of COMSTECH Prof. Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary emphasizing the need to strengthen science and technology parks, said that the science and technology parks were part and parcel of the knowledge economy ecosystem.
He said STPs played a central role in fostering linkages between the academic institutions and industries.
Prof. Choudhary said that science and technology parks were indeed time tested institutions since 1951 and contributed in economic development of many countries, including the USA, the UK, China, France, and Germany.
He said that the OIC countries were increasingly realizing the importance of STPs, and there were many success stories in countries like Turkey, Iran, Malaysia, Egypt, and now in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, and several Central Asian member states.
Prof. Choudhary informed that a large majority of the OIC member states, especially in Africa, were still lagging behind in this process of harnessing the innovative potential of their youth though such initiatives.
COMSTECH, with partner institutions, had launched major initiatives to help strengthen the STPs, including establishment of Inter-Islamic Network on Science and Technology Parks, based in Iran.
The Pro-Rector for Research, Innovation and Commercialization NUST addressed the session and highlighted the importance of the STPs and their role in the socio-economic development of countries.