LAHORE: The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) and Institute of Space Technology (IST) have decided to enter into formal bilateral collaboration to bridge the gap between Academia and Industry by transferring skill sets and capacity building to meet the demands of industry in the country.

A delegation of IST, spearheaded by his Vice-Chancellor (VC), Major General Rehan Abdul Baqi(R), called on the PAAPAM office-bearers. PAAPAM Chairman Abdur Razzaq Gauhar led the PAAPAM delegation. Capt Muhammad Akram (R), MC member, Ex-Vice-Chairman PAAPAM, Irfan Ahmed Qureshi, MC member, Rehan Riaz, MC Member, Shahab Saleem, MC member Mohsin Qaiser, and Secretary-General Ghulam Murtaza assisted the Chairman PAAPAM. Registrar Ishaat Saboor and faculty members assisted the visiting VC.

Both the institutions decided to exchange expertise to scale up the country’s engineering standard. PAAPAM Chairman Razzaq Guahar said it was the need of the hour to give access to each other to create a synergistic impact on the economy.

This was one of the ways to curb the outflow of foreign exchange. The vehicle testing labs, simulation testing, and electroplating were the areas identified as possible joint ventures between these two institutions. VC, Major General Abdul Baqi, assured the hosts of their every best possible cooperation in the larger national interest. Both sides agreed to hold the upcoming periodic review meetings to materialize the proposed collaboration.

The visiting delegation showed its commitment to international quality technical education based upon the tailor-made needs of the industry. VC Major General Baqi (R) presented the shield to Chairman PAAPAM Razzaq Guahar.

The PAAPAM is very active in developing such mutual arrangements with national and international institutes. Recently they held meetings with other leading universities and some foreign institutes to promote skill and technical education in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022