Promotion for Education in Pakistan (PEP) Foundation New York, Higher Education Commission and various universities will set up Student Startup Business Centres (SSBC) to fund selected projects of intelligent students in order to provide them self-employment opportunities and facilitate them to start their own business in order to cope with the challenge of unemployment.
This was announced at the National Forum on Higher Education 2015 jointly organised by Institute of Social and Cultural Studies and PEP Foundation at Pervez Hassan Environmental Law Auditorium on Thursday.
Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran, PEP Foundation President Dr Khalid Iqbal, Dean Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Prof Dr Zakria Zakir and vice chancellors of various public and private sector universities participated in the event.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said that Dr Khalid Iqbal’s idea of helping creative and intelligent students start their own businesses was excellent which would be supported by the HEC. He said that efforts must be made to bridge gap between academia and industry as both were talking different languages. He said that HEC had promoted research culture in the institutions of higher learning because of which ranking of Pakistani universities was improving worldwide. He said that during the last year, Pakistani researchers had produced 8000 impact factor publications. He said that now it was the time to think that whether our research was resolving the problems of our society? He said that HEC would fund such projects which would help solve our social problems.
He said that we must provide equal educational opportunities to every child everywhere in the country including FATA if we truly wanted prosperity in Pakistan. He said that last year, the government released funds to HEC as per its commitment and the commission had support from political leadership.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Mujahid Kamran lauded the idea of Dr Khalid Iqbal to set up SSBCs and said with the support of HEC and universities, the project would be a success.
He lauded Dr Mukhtar Ahmed for managing affairs of HEC effectively despite facing shortage of funds.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Khalid Iqbal said that Pakistani universities were producing graduates in a big number and the students were facing problems because of unemployment. He said that the idea was to provide entrepreneurship opportunities to the students so that they could become employer instead of seeking employment. He said that under SSBC, 30 universities had sent their letters of intent and 5-10 awards worth Rs 6 million each would be given.
He said that Rs 2 million would be provided by PEP Foundation New York, Rs 2 million by HEC and Rs 2 million by the university concerned. He said the objectives of forum are to develop a university-industry dialogue and partnership and promote establishment of SSBCs at universities where students are encouraged, trained and provided with initial financial support to establish start-up companies.
