Introduction

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has set up an industrial liaison secretariat to develop effective cooperation between academia and industry to capitalize on the ever increasing international demand for products and processes. The secretariat will serve as a catalyst for university-industry partnership to identify new technical challenges, find their solution and assist in the launch of new programs in the academic institutions. The secretariat has undertaken various programs to disseminate knowledge and increase quantum of skilled workforce. Private sector industries are being involved to identify their needs as per evolving times so that the intellectual capital and emerging technologies come together in a way that promotes economic growth. 

Objective 

HEC's aim is to develop university – industry partnerships along with focusing on the following:

• Students and Researchers to conduct research and gain experience of production processes in an industrial setting.

• Industrial engineers and professionals to bring industry’s perspective and integrative skills to academe.  

• Interdisciplinary university-industry teams to conduct long-term projects.

• University based support for bringing together university and industry scientists and /or engineers on a research project of mutual interest, including joint graduate student advising.

The topics/projects need not focus on fundamental issues only, but should address long-term, generic research within an intellectual envelope shared by the industrial partner. Fundamental research generally is performed in academe in parallel with more applied research in industry. Investigators will be expected to integrate research objective with educational and human resource development goals while incorpoarting industry need. HEC also emphasizes on developing industry-university research linkages in the design of products and processes. The research should strengthen the fundamental scientific and engineering foundation on which new designs, production practices and methods may be based which shall  improve basic understanding and development of integrated design tools in both academe and industry.

Projects   The projects running under industrial liaison secretariat not only focus on fundamental issues, but address long-term, generic research within an intellectual envelope shared by the industrial partner...

Programs   The programs running under industrial liaison secretariat focus on fostering high level of tangible cooperation between academia and industry. These programs capitalize on emerging international demands for products and processes in discrete and continuous manufacturing in order to contribute to national economy...