KARACHI: National University of Science & Technology (NUST) has set up its Industrial Innovation office, titled NUST ICON Centre in the premises of SITE Association of Industry, Karachi.

Patron-in-Chief Zubair Motiwala and NUST Pro-Rector Research, Innovation and Commercialization, Air Vice Marshal, Dr. Rizwan Riaz, SI (M), along with other high officials of NUST and Members of the Association, inaugurated the ICON Centre.

Earlier, a formal MOA was signed between the two organizations for the setting up of NUST Icon Centre – the first of its kind in the city. SAI President Muhammad Kamran Arbi and NUST Pro-Rector Research, Innovation and Commercialization Air Vice Marshal, Dr. Rizwan Riaz, SI (M), signed the Memorandum of Agreement.

Welcoming the guests, SAI President commended the setting up of NUST Icon Centre in the premises of the Association which is the first office of its kind in Karachi. He stressed the need for collaboration between Industry and Academia for the resolution of problems being faced by industries and finding its solution through NUST Icon Centre. He added that NUST may directly or through the Association, collaborate with industries on their practical issues where technical solutions are needed.

Air Vice Marshal, Dr. Rizwan Riaz, SI (M), on this occasion said that NUST is the top Engineering University of Pakistan. We are taking steps for industry-academia interaction. The purpose of setting up NUST ICON is to connect the technology, capability and Human Resource of NUST with the industry and solve industry problems and do value-addition in their production. To reduce the gap between industry academia interactions, we have set up NUST Icon in the premises of SITE Association of Industry.

Patron-in-Chief Zubair Motiwala said that SITE Association of Industry, Karachi is at the right place for the setting up of NUST Icon. Pakistan is a resourceful country together with capable people and we can take the exports of the country to USD 100 billion from the existing level. Unfortunately, we still depend on home remittances. There is a need to look into the cost of business and the cost of manufacturing. Industry-Academia Participation means creating economies of scale. It has now been made compulsory to take academia representatives along for participation in trade & industry exhibitions abroad in TDAP. We have found that their input is totally different from others. Their approach, thinking and way of looking at things is different from general businessmen.

Chief Coordinator Saleem Parekh, Former President Jawed Bilwani, SVP Muhammad Hanif Tawakkal, VP Muhammad Farhan Ashrafi, Maj General, Dr. Saeed ur Rehman Sarwar (Director General Projects, NUST), Anis Younus, Sana Maqbool and others attended the MOA signing ceremony.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023