Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Dr Shahid Munir has expressed the need for providing more funds to universities for conducting research. Speaking at a meeting with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Kashif Anwar, he said that the majority of funding provided to universities is used to pay salaries and that there is not enough money available for research. Shahid said that a curriculum revision is also necessary to close the gap between industry and academia. The curriculum should adhere to the industry's requirements, he added.

He proposed that industrialists should be represented on university boards so that they can play a part in bridging the gap between industry and academics. Prof Shahid also invited the LCCI president to attend the All Punjab Universities Innovation Expo 2022. LCCI President Kashif Anwar, speaking on the occasion, said that a significant barrier to economic progress is a lack of research. He emphasised that institutions are still concentrating on basic research rather than performing applied research.

He noted that Pakistan's industry-academia relations are quite poor in comparison to those of other nations and suggested that universities concentrate more on applied research that will directly assist businesses. "We have to understand that research is a win-win model for both the industry and academia." He claimed that another reason why the sector lacks confidence in researchers is the trust problem. On the other hand, researchers lack faith in the industry's ability to fairly compensate them for their efforts.

Emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen relationships between business and academics, Kashif said that the LCCI has formed a committee that is attempting to have an equal representation of members from industry and academia. This committee should be given the task of taking the Federal Higher Education Commission, the Punjab Higher Education Commission, and other funding agencies on board and arranging interactive sessions on a sustainable basis, he said. The LCCI president said that a lack of funds is the reason why little research is done. More funding must be provided by the Punjab Higher Education Commission to the institutions in order to broaden the area of research.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk