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7th Invention to Innovation Summit 2018 at University of the Punjab on March 7-8, 2018 in Lahore

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Punjab University’s Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) in collaboration with Pakistan Science Foundation Institute of Research Promotion organized 7th Invention to Innovation Summit from March 7 - 8, 2018.

This summit endowed a great opportunity to promote research and innovation in Pakistan. The summit was a Research and development networking Event, Which provided opportunity to Academia, Industry and Public Sector for technology identification, exchange and commercialization. The 7th Invention to Innovation summit included various thematic sessions, invited lectures and technology workshops organized by various institutions. The summit also included Exhibition of Products/Technology, Poster Display, Technology Sessions, Business Plan Competition, Policy workshop, Networking Dinner. Around 100 institutions from all over Pakistan participated to demonstrate their innovative projects at the venue.

The inaugural ceremony was held on March 7, 2018 at Faisal Auditorium, University of Punjab. Prof. Dr. Zakria Zakar, Vice Chancellor, Punjab University opened the summit. while Government College University Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali, President ECO Science Foundation Prof. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro, Chief Executive Officer IRP Abid Sherwani, Secretary Livestock, Govt of Punjab Mr. Naseem Sadiq, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries’ Vice President Zeeshan, USA’s University of North Carolina Prof Dr Martin Fing, Chief Executive Officers of various industries, representatives of various science organizations and a large number of students were present and spoke on the occasion.

Punjab University’s Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zakria Zakar addressed the audience, called upon the need to strengthen linkages among academic, industry and society. He said that universities were producers and societies were consumers of the knowledge and the gap among the trio would increase our socio-economic problems. He said that Punjab University would play its role for establishing strong link with industry and society. He said that all such research work was useless which was in the shelves only and not contributing to improving living standards of the people. He said that there is a needed to popularize and harness scientific knowledge in our country and innovative ideas must be fertilized at campuses.

President ECO Science Foundation, Prof. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro congratulated the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zakria Zakar and appreciated the efforts of organizing the 7th Invention to Innovation Summit 2018 successfully. He admired the consortium made to facilitate and by engaging the academia, researchers and industry on national level. On the importance of organizing summit he expressed his views that there is an immense need of organizing this kind of summit to bring out the talent of youth he said that Pakistan has enthusiastic young, active and motivated human resource with innovative ideas and have an aim to serve the country which could be utilized for the development of Pakistan.

Prof. Dr. Soomro also appreciated the establishment of international collaborations with other countries such as America and China. Prof. Dr. Soomro Highlighted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with emphasis on SDG-4 and 5.

Prof. Dr. Soomro briefly introduced the ECOSF and its flagship programs for promotion of STI based economic development in the ECO region. He said that ECOSF is trying to support scientific events and collaborative research and also promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, using Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) approach to strengthen the science base of future generations and the regional economy of ECO member states. In order to compete with the developed nations, it is a necessary thing to develop and upgrade the urban technologies in Pakistan. There is a need for a paradigm shift to create and accept the urban technologies, he added.

Later, PU VC Dr Zakria Zakar inaugurated the summit and visited stalls. The students had showcased various innovative ideas. The participants took special interest in robot, smart city project, water recycling and other stalls set up at university corridor.

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