SWABI, Dec 3: Speakers at a ceremony here on Monday asked the students to conduct result-oriented research in different fields of science and technology to fulfil requirements of the country.

The ceremony was held at the conclusion of a three-day International AirEx'12 Innovation Challenge and Leadership Summit at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology.

The AirEx'12 was jointly organised by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, GIK Institute. Besides students of Pakistani universities, students from Belgium, China, Brazil, Argentina and Lithuania also participated in the event.

Foreign students including Mantas Baraisis, Yin Yuyang, Ana Colombo Blanco, Denis Clijsters, Vinicius Nascimento and Yousaf Khan lauded the organisers for holding the event.

The speakers said that interaction between Pakistani and foreign students could open new avenues for cooperation and exchange of knowledge about the latest developments in the field of science and technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mirza Habib, head of research and development industry programme at Pakistan Science Foundation, said that they were financing young people to participate in different competitions abroad. A number of them succeeded to win many contests, he added.

He said that PSF always encouraged youth of the country to conduct research. “We would be happy to provide adequate financial support to the youth and they should conduct result-oriented research in different fields of science and technology,” he said.

Waleed Iqbal, the grandson of Allama Iqbal, said that nothing could match the wealth of knowledge. The youth of the country should acquire modern education according to the requirements of the country, he said.

“Pakistan was gifted to us by Quaid-i-Azam and Dr Mohammad Iqbal after their gallant fight against British and Hindus. However, after them the leadership of the country failed to deliver. Had they succeeded, we would not have been faced serious internal and external challenges today,” he said.

Prof Fazl Ahmad Khalid, the Pro-Rector of GIK Institute, said that the world was moving towards knowledge-based economy so desire for innovation had increased manifold. “Research is critical for economic progress and prosperity. It is high time for engineers to come forward and get a position in policy formulation and decision making process.