PILOTING INNOVATIVE IDEAS (PII) TO ADDRESS KEY ISSUES OF KHYBER

PAKHTUNKHWA
SDU, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL
1. Idea / Project Title: Bridging the Gap between Academia & Industry

2. Applicant's Details:

a) Principal Innovator:
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Qualification: ____________________________________________________
Institution/Organization: ____________________________________________
Present Position: _____________________________________________________
Postal Address: _____________________________________________________
Telephone: ____________ Fax: _____________ E-mail: ______________

b) Co-Innovator / collaborator :___________________________________________

(Information as above)

c) Other local team members:

(Information as above)

3. Overseas Cooperating innovator/organization:

Name:____________________________________________________________
Qualification:______________________________________________________
Institution/Organization: ________________________________________________
Postal Address: ______________________________________________________
Telephone: ________________Fax: _____________ E-mail: __________________
4. Duration of idea implementation: ___________two years___________________________

5. Abstract/ Justification:

We have always looked to higher education, business and industrial research and development
to create individual prosperity, drive societal economic development and elevate the position of
Pakistan in global commerce.

However, several chronic and persistent disconnect between and within higher education and
industry have created a gap that slows stalls or even prevents progress. We are too satisfied with
copying products and business models others have developed. University graduates, when
motivated toward entrepreneurship, will often settle for operating a franchise or founding a
distributorship rather than doing something new and creative. We are not aiming far enough.

Key challenges in Pakistans economic development are weak links between centers of science
and technology and the production sector. The industry lacks faith in academia and prefers to
look outside Pakistan for development. Pakistan ranks at 98 among 140 countries in the world on
academia-industry collaboration measured by the Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016 of
the World Economic Forum.
The developed world is now reaping the huge benefits of this strong rather improved linkage
between academia and industry, something which is critically missing in Pakistan. According to
studies done on Pakistan, this industry-academia gap is a major obstacle in promoting the
culture of research and development and subsequently the industry has to look towards the
foreign research models or entrepreneurs in an attempt to meet the international business
standards. It has been strongly observed that academics and industrialists have very sharp
contrast in their approaches, visions, orientations and ultimate goals.

These problems are not beyond our ability to solve, but it requires new ways of viewing some
long-established systems and relationships, and the willingness to break with tradition for the
betterment of both academia and industry.

6. Objectives:
To identify the areas of collaboration, co-ordination and mutual support between the two
basic sectors for sustainable national progress.
To establish and maintain research culture in industry
Promote training and education related to entrepreneurship
To establish Industry Liaison Office (ILF)
To build and maintain strong Academia Industry Linkage with the focus on promoting and
making universities graduates the premium choice for the employers.
To align Academic R&D with Industrys Needs

7. Plan of Work:

Years Activities Locations Methodology/ Procedure

Interaction of Academia with Classroom Lectures, Seminars,
industry representatives to Institutions/ Conferences, Workshops,
I
collaborate & share innovative Industries Summits & Focus Group
ideas Discussions (FGDs),
Trainings/ curriculum Institutions/ Apprenticeship/ Internship/ faculty
II
development & Research Industries development

8. Proposed Budget:
(Rs. millions)
S. No. Object YEAR-I YEAR-II TOTAL
1 Operating Cost 2.50 million 2.75 million 5.25 million
2 Capital Cost 1.00 million 1.20 million 2.20 million
Total 3.50 million 3.95 million 7.45 million

9. Sustainability and linkages with the public sector institutions.

Though universities and industry in the developed world have been collaborating for over a
century, but the rise of a global knowledge economy has intensified the need for strategic
partnerships that go beyond the traditional funding of discrete research projects. World-class
research universities are at the forefront of pioneering such partnerships as they look beyond the
horizon to run longer and invest more and prefer to transform the role of a research university
marking it a vital centre of competence.

In Asian community, Pakistan is far behind in the race of product development and its export in
international markets. Major challenge is noninvolvement of Government in the development of
Science &Technology (S&T). Moreover, if by chance, an initiative is taken, its implementation
suffers poor administration and improper execution halts its beneficial outcomes, making worse
the overall condition. Higher education and S&T, very important sectors in developing a nation,
seriously suffers the budget allocations, and if allocated, often cut-down in the funding, makes
the conditions worse. According to a report of a comparison of higher education budget allocation
of 132 countries of the world, Pakistan is at 125th number. National development is impossible to
grow without the interests of political Government and major reforms in higher education and
Science & Technology (S&T).
10. Source / origin of idea: Whether the proposed intervention under the idea is new or
existing anywhere at the national or International level?