Peshawar - The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Frontier Foundry Steel (FF Steel) Pvt Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Wednesday.
Prof Dr Qaiser Ali, vice-chancellor, UET Peshawar and Khurram Shahzad, Chief Human Resource Officer, FF Steel signed the MoU. Dr Nasiru Minllah, Director, Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), UET Peshawar gave a detailed briefing to the participants regarding the agreement. He informed that the purpose of the agreement is to promote a research culture in the industry. Both parties agreed to strengthen academia-industry linkages. Under the agreement, UET students will be offered internships, trainee engineer programs, career counseling and other opportunities at FF Steel.
Prof Dr Qaiser Ali welcomed the officials of FF Steel and appreciated their efforts. He stated that in developed countries, linkages between academia and industry are very strong; however, there is a significant gap between industry and academia in Pakistan. He emphasized the need to bridge this gap to enable the industry to benefit from research conducted in educational institutions.
Khurram Shahzad, Chief Human Resource Officer, FF Steel, pledged to work for mutual collaboration between industry and academia. He said that FF Steel has many production units across the country that can benefit students. He stated that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FF Steel mostly provides opportunities to graduates of UET Peshawar. Our technical team will soon meet with the authorities of UET Peshawar to identify areas where we are facing challenges, so that improvements can be made, he added.
Prof Dr Hamidullah, Secretary Board of Advanced Studies and Research, UET Peshawar, emphasized that such agreements should be purposeful to promote research and train students according to market demand.
He informed the officials of FF Steel that each department at UET Peshawar has an Industrial Advisory Board, which is actively engaged in promoting linkages with the industry.
Prof. Dr. Rizwan Gul, Prof Dr Siraj-ul-Islam, Prof Dr Misbah Ullah, Prof Dr Afzal, Prof Dr Abdul Shakoor, Dr Shaukat Ali Shah, and other senior officials of UET Peshawar and FF Steel were also present on the occasion.
