COMSTECH in collaboration with the Pardis Technology Park, Iran and ICCBS Technology Park and Technology Incubation Center, Pakistan organized an international training workshop on managing science and technology parks at COMSTECH.
The inaugural session of this two-day workshop was addressed by Director General for International Affairs & Public Relations of Pardis Technology Park, Mr. Amin Reza Khaleghian. He stressed the need of the establishment and optimum management of science and technology parks in OIC member states. He talked about the programs and activities of the Pardis Technology Park. The Coordinator General COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary welcomed the participants and said that the science and technology parks are part, and parcel, of knowledge economy ecosystem. He said STPs play a central role in fostering linkages between the academic institutions and industries. Prof. Choudhary said that science and technology parks are indeed time tested institutions since 1951 and contributed in economic development of many countries, including USA, UK, China, France, and Germany.
He said that the OIC countries are increasingly realizing the importance of science and parks, and we see many success stories in countries like Turkey, Iran, Malaysia, Egypt, and now in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Pakistan, and several central Asian member states. Prof. Choudhary informed that a large majority of OIC member states, especially in Africa, are still lagging behind in this process of harnessing the innovative potential of their youth though such initiatives. COMSTECH, with partner institutions, has launched major initiatives to help in strengthening of S&T parks, including establishment of Inter-Islamic Network on Science and Technology Parks, based in Iran. The Pro-Rector for Research, Innovation & Commercialization, NUST addressed the session and highlighted the importance of the science and technology parks and their role in the socio-economic development of economies.