Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani said there was urgent need to foster long-term working partnerships between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEI) for generating employment, alleviating poverty, and economic development and uplift.
She was inaugurating a two-day conference on 'Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) and Higher Education Institution (HEI) towards Synergism' jointly organised by the SMEs and COMSATS Institute of Information Technology here on Tuesday.
The conference was addressed by Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, General Manager of SMEDA Sultan Tiwana, Rector of COMSATS Dr S M Junaid Zaidi, Chairman Management Sciences of COMSATS Dr Mukhtar Ahmad. They emphasised on collaboration and mutual co-operation of SMEs and HEI.
She recommended to develop network among SMEs & HEI and financial institutions and make mechanism to examine higher education needs and review expectations of SMEs employers and new start-ups.
The Minister of State said through mutual co-operation, collaboration and co-ordination SMEs and HEI could compete the demands and challenges of the business sector.
She deplored highly qualified persons in business sector face problem of lack of resources and financial assistance. She said SMEs could promote dynamic development in Pakistan that was today's main goal for better future.
She said 17 percent industry was growing in medium enterprise and it would give boost to economy.
The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said government wanted to develop Pakistan in a shortest time with positive measures and policies for economic growth.
Sultan Tiwana, General Manager of SEMDA said higher education institutes will fully utilise existing SMEs to obtain placements for graduates but requirements could only be met by creating a communication channel between SMEs and HEI, he said adding that there was a need to fill gap between universities and SMEs that was making it difficult for SMEs to recruit graduates.
General Manger SMEDA said there was a demand for partnership and co-operation both in academic courses and professional development and these measures were deemed essential for employment.
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