ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: With the aim of generating human capital and economic activity, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) is taking effective measures to promote interaction between the universities and the industry.

“The HEC has initiated several measures for enhancing the collaboration between academia and the industry with a particular focus on the improvement of education that caters to the needs of local people,” an official of the commission said here on Saturday.

He said universities the world over served as local resource centres providing training and support to industries along with trained manpower.

With the spirit of entrepreneurship, these academic institutions can change the economic destiny of the country and the region, he added.

The official said it was imperative to enhance the quality and level of research being conducted at the higher education institutions to promote linkage between the academia and the industry.

The HEC will ensure that research activities at the universities are relevant to local industrial and social needs and able to enhance the regional and local competitive advantage, he said.

The official said as a developing nation with limited resources, Pakistan must focus on areas with direct relevance to the socio-economic development of the country.

“It is also essential to develop a culture of innovation where graduates focus on job creation, as opposed to the traditional attitude of employment in the public sector,” he concluded.—APP