KARACHI: The establishment of Sindh Innovation, Research, and Education Network (SIREN) is a major initiative of the Sindh government for a province-wide distance-less education programme to promote knowledge and improve the quality of education and research.

SIREN was jointly established by the Sindh government and LEJ National Science Information Centre, the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Prof Dr Iqbal Choudhary, director of the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, said recently while delivering an online inaugural speech at a one-day workshop.

The topic of the workshop was ‘Process and Perks of Commercialising Academic Research’ and it was held at Dr Salimuzzaman Auditorium, ICCBS.

Prof Dr Farzana Shaheen, ICCBS acting director, also spoke.

LEJ National Science Information Centre and SIREN mutually organised the workshop, which was mainly conducted by Dr Mir Dost, who is serving as an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and innovation management at the Department of Management Sciences in Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, Balochistan.

Prof Iqbal Choudhary said that the primary objective of SIREN was to use a modern information and communications technology platform for enhancing research capacity, pedagogical skills, and quality of content, and to promote research collaboration between institutions of higher learning in Sindh.

He said that SIREN would link all universities of Sindh and their campuses, and later colleges and schools as well, through the most modern, yet cost-effective technologies that would enable everyone to be engaged in learning, teaching, and research activities through the focal centre LEJNSIC.

The purpose of this one-day workshop was to understand the importance of academic research and convert its outcomes into products, processes, and services for commercial usage, he added.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021