NED University hosts Industry Academia Collaboration symposium

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The petroleum industry has been urged to facilitate arrangements of short-term orientation programme for the faculty members in respect to their operational endeavours and adaptations of new technologies.  

The recommendation was put forward in the recent symposium on Industry Academia Collaboration organized by the Pakistan Petroleum Exploration & Production Companies Association (PPEPCA) here at NED University of Engineering & Technology.

The other recommendations included exposure to problems being faced to be shared where possible and the academia, formulate short term and long term goals have to be planned with specific outputs, setting precedence in Pakistan by facilitating the academia in establishing a strong and sustainable technical base in the country for research and development.

The symposium was attended by over 350 participants representing Industry and Academia. A strong presence of the PPEPCA representing twenty three E&P companies was reflected by participation of chief executives/senior management of MPCL, PPL, OGDCL, GHPL, ENI Pakistan, POPH, KUFPEC and PPEPCA.

The Academia was represented by over 300 delegates including faculty members and students from seven departments of five major Engineering and other Universities of Sindh province which included Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Dawood Engineering University, and NED University of Engineering & Technology, Bahria University and the University of Karachi. Four papers two from the industry and two from the NED University were presented, preceded by a panel discussion.

Professor Dr M Afzal Haque, Vice Chancellor, NED University, was the chief guest in the ceremony, presided over by Lt General (R) Raza Muhammad Khan, President PPEPCA HRM Committee.

Prof Haque while thanking the PPEPCA for selecting NED University as the hosts for the event emphasized on the importance of Industry Academia Collaboration for combating the energy challenges of Pakistan.

He stressed on the need of more effective role of Academia and the industry and informed that NED University has already initiated project for strengthening its capabilities for teaching and research.

Lt.Gen (R) Raza.Khan while deliberating on the efforts of PPEPCA’s HRM Committee, committed for more practical role from the industry for strong and sustainable linkage with Academia.

Asim Murtaza Khan, MD/CEO, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), discussed the importance of Industry Academia Collaboration in Pakistan and stressed on the need to move from awareness to practical involvement of the two stakeholders.

Professor Sarosh Lodi, Dean (CEA&BME), NED University, recognized PPEPCA, MD/CEO of MPCL, PPL, KUFPEC and other companies for their participation. He also acknowledged the speakers, delegates from the universities for their participation and the organizers, staff and students of Department of Petroleum Engineering, and NED University for their untiring efforts to make this event a success.