ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has launched a project to educate legislators and industrialists about the critical role science and technology plays in the socio-economic development of the country.

An official HEC statement said on Monday that the project aimed at creating a network of academia, legislators, industrialists and media.

Under the project, the HEC will arrange 24 symposia throughout the country during the next two years on topics related to modern scientific techniques for economic development.

These symposia will be held at various universities, involving all the stakeholders. Some symposia will be held in collaboration with major newspapers and media groups.

Two categories of awards have been constituted to encourage science students and researchers, the statement said. Three cash awards of Rs100,000, Rs75,000 and Rs50,000 have been created for researchers who develop innovative process or product.

Under the second category, talented science students would be awarded Rs70,000, Rs50,000 and Rs30,000.

The HEC is in the process of finalizing criteria for awards and the procedure to select the winners.

Chairman HEC has constituted a committee comprising legislators, scientists, industrialists, representatives of industrialist. The committee members include Dr Rozina Tufail, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Statistics, Arshad Khan, Managing Director, PTV, Dr M. Ashraf, Chief Science & Technology, Planning and Development Division, Dr Anwar Nasim, Advisor (Science) Comstech, Khalid Firoz Arifeen, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Misbahur Rehman, President, Lahore Chamber of Commerce, and Ghulam Haider, Director Press, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Maimoona Amjed, D.G. (R&D & Public Affairs).

The first meeting of the committee held on Monday was chaired by Dr S. Sohail H. Naqvi, Executive Director HEC. The committee decided that all activities under the project will be undertaken in the four priority areas of water, energy, environment and health.