The University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote socio-economic development of the country by engaging academia in policy formulation.
The MoU was signed by the Vice Chancellor Imtiaz Hussain Gilani and Dr Abdul Qaiyum Soleri, Chairman, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Executive Director SDPI in the presence of Ambassador (Retd) Shafqat Kakakhel, Chairperson, SDPI Board of Governors and Engineer Arshad Abbasi Energy Advisor, SDPI.
The MOU is aimed to forge academic linkages, interdisciplinary research and research collaborations with the wider aim to bring energy experts of UET, Peshawar to the policy level so that recommendations could be proposed to the Planning Commission, Ministry of Water and Power and Ministry of Petroleum.
Syed Imtiaz H Gilani said that UET Peshawar has now emerged, as an engaged university with major breakthroughs in earthquake engineering and electrical engineering. “UET Peshawar in joint cooperation with the Federal Government has led in building the first-ever National Seismic Building Code in 2006, and National Electric Safety Code recently,” he said. He attributed the severe energy crisis of Pakistan to an ineffective energy policy adding, there was an urgent need to have stronger links between policy makers, think tanks and academia, so that factual recommendations could become part of sustainable policy reforms in energy sector.
On the occasion, Dr Abdul Qaiyum said having noticed the leading role played by UET Peshawar in the electrical engineering field and its emerging role in future by establishing the Center of Advanced Studies in Energy the University would act as a regional hub for presenting solutions in the energy sector This joint venture is outcome of an initiative of UET’s Office of Research Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) to engage academia in public reforms and solving energy problems for sustainable development of the country.
Source: The Nation.
