Government to Establish COMSATS University Campus in Quetta
Government to Establish COMSATS University Campus in Quetta
Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Minister for Science and Technology, revealed that the government will be funding the development of a COMSATS University campus in Quetta. He was addressing the Senators from the Upper House about the measure that’s designed to facilitate the people of the area and promote higher education in Baluchistan.
While replying to a query during the questioning session, Rana Tanveer said that the government plans to increase its efforts for Research and Development (R&D) throughout the country. He said that R&D is essential for Pakistan’s economy to progress.
What is the Government Doing Regarding Growth of Science and Technology Studies in Pakistan
The minister quoted the Global Innovation Index Report 2015 which ranks Pakistan at 68th out of the listed 141 countries in research and development sector. The report was released by the joint collaboration of WIPO & INSEAD and Johnson Cornell University.
The current government is taking huge steps towards improving interest in science and technology in the country. According to Mr. Tanveer, the introduction of National Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Strategy 2014-18 was one of those steps.
He elaborated that the STI strategy will include an increase in the national R&D expenditure, improving the annual GDP by 1 percent by 2018. It will be used for building capacity and Human Resource Development in the science and technology sector.
He said that Technology Foresight Studies were conducted by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 11 areas which were later distributed amongst the stakeholders. The minister said that the National Research Agenda had priority areas. Each of those priority areas consisted of several important areas for research, identified during the studies.
The government needs to encourage scientists, researchers and technologies by offering awards, he said. Some new awards were also announced by the government which include Civil Awards in the Science and Technology category, President’s Medal for Technology and Research Productivity Award.
Finally, he stressed upon the importance of R&D in the present era and its effects on the development of the social and economic state of the country. Rana Tanveer assured that the current government fully realises its importance and is striving to do as much as it can to improve in the area.
malikmuddser