University of Wah (UW), in collaboration with Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), organized the 4th UW-POFs Joint Conference on Academia's Collaboration with Industrial Organizations (CACIO-2024) on 18 December 2024. The conference aimed to bridge the gap between industrial needs and academic research by promoting research training, career development, and knowledge enhancement.
Mr. Shafiq Ahmad, DICR & Member POF Board, graced the opening ceremony as the Chief Guest and Mr. M. Khalif Farooq Qazi, Senior Vice President, Rawalpindi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) graced the conference as Guest of Honor. Prof. Dr. Adnan Tariq, Dean, Faculty of Engineering-UW, warmly welcomed the distinguished guests and participants to the event. Mr. Shafiq Ahmad, in his address to the attendees, stressed the importance of Industry-Academia Linkages (IAL) and the vital role that academic institutions can play in solving the problems faced by the industries in Pakistan. Mr. M. Khalif Farooq Qazi also emphasized the importance of IAL and the support of RCCI for this cause, highlighting that contributions of innovative ideas from academic institutions can significantly reduce the budgets of major industrial setups, ultimately leading to the overall prosperity of the country. Prof. Dr. Jameel-Un Nabi, Vice Chancellor, University of Wah, also accentuated the significance and necessity of the Industrial-Academia bond as a prerequisite for harnessing mutual benefits. He thanked the POF officials for their continuous support and apprised the audience about the ongoing R&D projects between UW and POFs. He concluded by informing the audience about some of the key milestones of UW in the year 2024.
Dignitaries, eminent personalities, and representatives from well-reputed industrial and academic sectors of Pakistan, such as Pakistan Ordinance Factories (POFs), Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC), National Centre of Physics (NCP), Air Weapon Complex (AWC), Wah Nobel Private Limited, Machadev Engineering, NUST, UW, UET Taxila, University of Chakwal (UoC), COMSATS University, Islamabad (Wah Campus), and many others, attended the conference. A total of eight keynote speakers delivered their speeches over the day. The conference was attended by diverse groups of 300 individuals ranging from industrial and academic dignitaries to students.
Dr. Haris Masood, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering-UW, expressed his gratitude to all the presenters for their valuable contributions that made the event a success. The conference was well received by researchers and attendees, who praised the collaborative efforts of UW and POF in promoting productive discussions and valuable insights. It highlighted the importance of a strong IAL in aligning university research with market and societal needs, fostering creativity, and enhancing competitiveness. The keynote sessions were particularly appreciated, significantly enriching attendees' knowledge on various topics. The conference was jointly sponsored by Wah Nobel Group of Companies, Wah Industries Limited (WIL), Global Engineering Services, Machadev Engineering, Constructors Association of Pakistan (CAP), Bank Alfalah, and NANX Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. Shields and certificates were awarded to the presenters, chief organizers, and the organizing team.
