PESHAWAR:IT experts have stressed the need for bridging the gap between industry and academia to strengthen the feeble national economy and to have a prosperous future.
They were speaking at a meeting held in Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences & Technology , Topi, Swabi on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Director General (Project Management Office), National Information Technology Board (NITB) Faisal Iqbal Ratyal, Project Director NITB Smart Office Faqir Ullah, and Rector GIKI Dr. Fazal Ahmad Khalid.
Pro-Rector (Admin & Finance) Sardar Aminullah Khan, Pro-Rector (Academic) Dr Wasim A Khan, Dean Faculty of Computer Science and Technology Dr. Ahmar Rashid, and Director (IT) Dr Ghulam Abbas were also in attendance.
In the meeting, GIKI administration discussed various options for result-oriented collaboration with NITB. Both the organizations also agreed to work together under public-private partnership to introduce industry-oriented certification courses to enhance the employability of Pakistani youth. They further agreed on promoting startups and commercialization of products developed by GIKI students.
Faisal Iqbal said the huge gap between industry and universities should be bridged at earliest to boost the industrial production, improve the product quality and create an environment to work in the best interest of the country and its people.
Dr. Fazal Ahmad said GIKI and NITB, in collaboration with the industry, would offer certification and diploma courses in modern technologies to reduce unemployment in the country.