Science, technology key to economic growth: Atta

Advancement in science and technology is key to country's economic growth and without it country is handicapped in today's competitive world. Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Chairman Higher Education Commission said this at the convocation of the Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET) on Saturday.
In his address Professor Atta said that Muslim countries should make themselves economically sound. He said that GDP of 57 Muslim countries was less than single developed country or smallest European country eg Austria with GDP of $220 billion.
He said that the government had raised the salary of a PhD researcher to encourage the scholars and Pakistan was only country where faculty member in public universities were getting threefold higher salary than that of a federal minister.
Professor Ata said the Pakistani students were now getting benefit from the lectures delivered at foreign universities like Cambridge, MIT etc with the help of digital system. He said that at 15 to 20 years would be required to bring national universities at par level of developed countries' universities.
SSUET Chancellor Z. A Nizami said that a Director for Strategic Planning and Development was working to plan for further development to meet future needs after due analysis of existing trends.
Vice Chancellor Nazir Ahmed said total number of students being imparted education was 4,543 including postgraduate students. The expenditure in current fiscal year 2006-07 is raised to Rs 423.848 million against 17.2 million in its first year in 1994 showing significant development of the university. As many as 1,032 graduates were conferred undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the convocation.
The degrees were awarded to outgoing graduates of graduate batches of 2003 and some of batch 2001-02 of masters and graduates of Sir Syed College of Medical Sciences for Girls, affiliated college to SSUET.
The first position holders of different bachelor level examinations, who were handed over gold medals at the convocation are: Ahsan Kamal Khan of Computer Engineering received Dr A.Q Khan University Gold Medal, Nikhat Mahtab Khan of Electronic Engineering received Z.A Nizami University Gold Medal, Nargis Bano Shaikh of Biomedical Engg.
Received Muhammad Zakir Ali Khan University Gold Medal, Himayat Hussain of Civil Engg. Received Dr A.T Khan University Gold Medal, Saba Jawaid Kurd of Computer Science received Hasan Nasir University Medal while Ali Asgher Mansoor received special medal named after Sir Shah Sulaiman University Gold Medal for securing highest marks obtained Engg. Mathematics.