PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education, Meena Khan Afridi, has said that bridging the gap between industry and academia is the need of the hour, and the provincial government is taking concrete steps in this regard.
He was addressing the two-day Second Multidisciplinary Conference 2025 organised by Iqra National University, Peshawar, as the chief guest.
The conference was attended by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Science and IT Dr Shafqat Ayaz, Vice Chancellor of Iqra National University Dr Malik Taimur Ali, Advisor to the Chancellor Yasir Khurshid, Director ORIC Dr Shiraz, as well as faculty members, researchers, students, and representatives from various industries.
In his keynote address, Minister Afridi said that it is imperative to link university research with practical life and prioritise the commercialisation of research products. “If research remains confined to books and journals, it cannot yield socio-economic benefits. For this reason, connecting industry with academia has become inevitable,” he remarked.
He pointed out that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had long faced unrest, which posed serious challenges to industries in the province. “Now, with the restoration of peace, the provincial government is committed to ensuring that academic institutions and industries work hand in hand for development,” he said.
The minister urged students not to restrict their goals to acquiring degrees alone, but to step into the professional world with skills, innovative ideas, and fresh thinking. He emphasised that Chairman PTI Imran Khan has given clear directives that youth must remain at the centre of priorities, as they are the future of the country. He reaffirmed that the provincial government would take further policy-level measures to integrate academic research with industry and provide the necessary resources and support.
Speaking at the event, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Science and Information Technology, Dr Shafqat Ayaz, said that the provincial government has so far digitised 26 departments, while work on digitising the remaining six departments is progressing rapidly. He noted that through modern technology and digital solutions, transparency is being ensured, while public service delivery is becoming faster and easier.
He further stated that the provincial government is supporting innovative and sustainable research ideas and products through grants, aiming to bridge the gap between academia and industry and providing young people the opportunity to put their ideas into practice.
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Vice Chancellor of Iqra National University, Dr Malik Taimur Ali, highlighted that the university is promoting collaboration with policy-making institutions and industries to solve local and national problems through research. He emphasised the importance of encouraging students toward entrepreneurship and the use of modern technology.
Director of the Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialisation (ORIC), Dr Shiraz, said that Iqra National University is playing a dynamic role in the country’s academic landscape and equipping students with modern research trends.
