mujahid@irp.edu.pk +920321-3692874 Lahore

If we start creating our own solutions today then the change will come rapidly. Its it the duty of academicians to demonstrate to govt. that we are capable of doing that.

The government has most of the responsibility. In the beginning our own solutions obviously be inferior to ready-made imported ones but after some time they will mature for sure.

Your second point about the role of government in reducing gap between universities and industry, i agree. From some years, Pakistan has good conferences and workshops, but most of these conferences are still standing at the same place where they started many years ago (i will not mention their names). So the best place to reduce the gap is such kind of events. Conferences, workshops, seminars, summer schools are the meeting place for the persons for both areas. This initiative can be taken anytime instead of waiting for some help from anywhere.

I think now we are better than before and hence can be best in future. We now need initiatives and hope we will be soon at a level.

wish you good luck with your research but just to appreciate you that you are not alone, there are many Pakistani students doing excellent research but without any assistance. If I could be helpful to you, then don’t hesitate to contact.

I really appreciate your idea to inject faculty to industry But literature shows that there is no effort being done by industry for improvement of academia. and it is quiet impossible to improve academia without co-operation of industry.
secondly our govt policies emphasis and provide funds on Phd programs rather than providing funds for research of removing the gap between industry and academia.

About Me: i am also in MS(Software Engineering) and trying to find some research area But the issues i found i need some assistance of govt organizations But :-(.
But i am still trying to do my research for my nation.

Regards
husnain

A common initiative under such scenario in my opinion is to acquire the knowledge about our problems and resources instead of finding temporary solutions to them. A well-evaluated and thoroughly discussed solution is rather more permanent and has better chances of improvement.

I would like to suggest that:

If we can create a database of our resources (like our skills, highly educated manpower, fresh PhDs) and another database of our currently unsolved problems (like drinking water, energy crisis etc.), then we can simplly perform some database matching. Because most of our researchers have to serve their country so definitely we have resources in our hands in terms of skilled manpower. On the other hand we also have many problems needed to be addressed. The only thing required is to manage and organize. I hope we can even do this analysis on a simple institutional level (may be HEC because of its pivotal role) and not necessarily need to develop a separate body to do this (but existence of such body will be helpful).

Secondly, a very important factor, instead of directing fresh PhD researchers towards universities, they should be rather directed towards industries where solutions are required. With a very little effort and some short term training, this new skilled manpower can learn to create its own resources. This will not only help in improving our living conditions but also drastically improve our universities’ condition and ranking. This fresh PhD can directly feedback to universities with some new practical issues/ideas, can give lectures, can share resources and guide the students in their projects which might be the most probable way to get accepted in international journals and be highly cited.

My personal idea concludes that:

“Instead of approaching industries from universities or waiting the industries to come to us with current issues, we should rather change our direction and inject our highly skilled future manpower in industries which will automatically boost the performance of our universities in near future.”

Including a large-scale SBIR-type program, in addition to a directed research fund, has the dual benefit of: (1) creating a viable conduit for taking the research out of the lab and into the field, and (2) creating a direct impact by creating good service-sector jobs.

There are several programs that are offered around the world, like the STTR and SBIR programs, the NSF GOALI program, and the EU’s programs for SMEs, that can be adapted to encourage the development of research oriented, “locally-relevant” private businesses.