The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) will make a presentation for launching of the technology foresight (TF) in Pakistan through the Pakistan Technology Board (PTB) at the second meeting of the PTB, scheduled to be held in Islamabad on February 21.
The meeting will be presided over by Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Science and Technology.
Other items on the agenda include: presentation by the Chairman, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR on industrial linkages project and their recommendations for the PTB.
The PSQCA Director General will also make a presentation on adoption of ISO standards as Pakistan standards and the role of the PTB, and formulation of fresh working groups.
According to the working paper, circulated by the PTB, a meeting with the Unido, headed by the Adviser to the Prime Minister for Science and Technology was held on October 4, 2003.
The technology foresight is a systematic approach in which various methodologies and techniques are combined to create a better preparedness for the future.
During the last 10 years, information technology (IT) has been carried out in several countries around the world. A key purpose of many of these studies has been to provide guidelines for the development of industrial policies and preparation of governmental programmes on research and education.
Most recently, the number of countries that have carried out or are in the process of planning or implementing the TF has been considerably enlarged, nevertheless, there are still some regions such as Latin America, which are in a very early stage within this process.
Recognising the importance of the TF, the Unido, in co-operation with the International Centre for Science and High Technology (ICS), which operates under the strategies of the Unido to promote sustainable industrial development through transfer of know-how and technology to developing and transition economy countries, launched a regional programme for Latin America and the Caribbean with the objective to promote, encourage and support technology foresight initiatives in the region.
The Unido offered to launch the TF in Pakistan through the PTB and to support the government policy without imposing on the government budget for its IT programmes.
In addition, the Unido will also identify international experts in particular areas for possible engagement by the government.
To develop new technology for social and economic development, to activate a fresh look towards the WTO and to capture a competitive place for the industrial goods in the international markets, the Adviser to the Prime Minister for Science and Technology desired that an advanced professional study should be carried out by the PTB with the co-operation of the Unido to root out all technical handicaps our industry is facing.
The PCSIR is running a project for industrial linkages for assessment of technology needs of the industry and provision of research and development (R & D) support to the industry.
The PCSIR's experience could be helpful for the PTB and the board can prepare a summary for recommending their suggestions to the government. Moreover, the industrial linkages programme of the PCSIR can also be linked with the PTB for better private-public partnership results.
The PSQCA has adopted the ISO standards as Pakistan standards, which in a quantum jump, for making quality of products at home and in the international markets.
The PSQCA Director General will apprise the audience about its reflections on our exports in the international market and the future role of the PTB.
In the first meeting of the board, it was decided that working groups would be formulated in the following key technology areas:
-- Textiles, engineering and manufacturing, material and metallurgy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, electronic, computer and software, food technology, biotechnology, leather, and gems and minerals.
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