Pro-Rector’s Message
Research & Innovation Offices, established to promote culture of entrepreneurship and research at NUST – an SDG engaged University that has aligned its core functions with the UN SGDs.
The role of Universities is fast changing in this world that is driven by technological innovation; universities are increasingly becoming the epicentre of knowledge creation, a trait of being a third generation university, to propel this technological innovation. This created knowledge has to be then successfully transferred to the society to make an impact and contribute towards knowledge economy. This complete process from ideation to knowledge transfer and creating impact, that follows a non-linear model and is thus a challenge in itself, is managed by NUST R&I offices. Together these offices promote the spirit of technological innovation by bringing in ideas from the industry, support various research activities as well as conferences and workshops, offer intellectual property related services, foster innovative and creation of start-up enterprises as well as spin off companies and facilitating through TechOne Incubator (https://techOne.pk??) and National Science and technology Park (https://nstp.pk), maintain industrial linkages for knowledge transfer by developing market collaterals of the innovations – indeed a system of systems that are so well – gelled at NUST and accruing results.
Owing to our ever growing and multifarious industry linkages, R&I offices also include the NUST Placement office, to offer our core product i.e., our graduates to the industry. We focus on personal grooming and soft skill development of our graduates to well-prepare them for the ‘life – ahead’ and enhance their employability prospects. The success of this complete eco-system of making them ‘market-ready’ has been so well acknowledged by QS Rankings which has placed NUST at 148 internationally (and Pakistan’s no 1) in its employability survey of 2020.
The colourful spectrum of R&I offices also includes the University Advancement and Alumni offices – to pursue endowment raisings, fund raisings for University expansion projects as well as for the financially challenged students, and support the Alumni affairs. We have a vibrant NUST Alumni Network representing a family that is continuously growing and adding new members. NUST always invites its alumni to get engaged with their alma mater by seeking their participation in different academic initiatives.
The entire team of R&I is there to offer its best services to its clients – be they internal to the University or those who are outside, in meeting the University objectives. The R&I team has been instrumental in making tangible contribution and so would it continue in the future with much more vigour to deliver what NUST is obligated to deliver to the society.
NUST appreciates the great contribution which our industry and alumni partners are making towards NUST journey of making impact. Our success story would not have been possible without them in promoting innovation, technology transfer, employing NUSTians, delivering innovation and industrial talk series, endowments etc to name a few. We look forward to their intimate support and advancing together in the future.
(Air Vice Marshal Dr Rizwan Riaz SI(M))