China’s Triple Helix Model of innovation offers a roadmap for Pakistan's development. To harness this potential, the country must commit itself to supporting innovation, strengthening collaboration among the government, academia, and industry, and fostering an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and research, said experts. Talking to WealthPK, Dr. Adnan Rafique, political scientist and public policy analyst of the Planning Commission, said, “China's remarkable transformation into a global economic powerhouse has been driven by its innovative approach to development. At the heart of this strategy is the Triple Helix Model, which emphasizes collaboration among the government, academia, and industry.”

“The academia plays a vital role in developing and designing a practical policy. At present, the situation concerning industries and academia linkages in Pakistan does not appear to be encouraging. Collaborative efforts should be undertaken to jointly initiate projects and exchange knowledge with the aim of enhancing production, efficiency and standards in the industrial sector,” he said. Dr Adnan said that if applied by adapting to Pakistan's domestic environment, the Triple Helix Model can yield great benefits for Islamabad in terms of its growth in the industrial and educational sector.

“For the first time in Pakistan, the planning ministry is allowing Pakistani citizens to actively engage in the country's decision-making process by establishing the Champions of Reforms (COR) network,” he informed WealthPK. “The COR members ensure responsiveness and transparency by actively engaging with the policymakers and providing feedback. By promoting trust and collaboration between citizens and the government, this accountability mechanism strengthens their relationship,” he maintained.

Talking to WealthPK, Majid Shabbir, Secretary General of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce, said, “Pakistan, with its vibrant workforce and untapped potential, has an opportunity to replicate this model by promoting collaboration among the academia, industry, and government.” He recommended that the government should make a long-term commitment and create an environment that supports startups through access to funding, mentorship, and guidance. This could be achieved through collaborations and creation of platforms that facilitate cooperation among the stakeholders in various innovation projects,” he said.

“Just as China identified strategically important sectors for development, Pakistan should pinpoint key areas where it has a competitive advantage and focus on innovation within those domains,” he added. Dr. Aliya H. Khan, a leading economist and ex-dean of Social Sciences at the Quaid-e-Azam University, told WealthPK, “The economic growth has been largely driven by interaction between the industry and academia. If both do not communicate effectively, there will always be a mismatch between the skills and knowledge required by the industry and what graduates produce in universities.”

“The budget allocations for higher education and science and technology are inadequate, and when they get allocated, the funding frequently gets reduced, which worsens the situation.” “Technology incubation centres and science parks should be put up in the universities to translate ideas into a marketable product and promote collaboration between the industries and academia,” she suggested. Concluding, she said, “Pakistan has achieved a remarkable achievement in higher education, but it still has to be enhanced. It's time to link the higher education with business to enable economic progress.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)