KP Govt Launches 13 New Programmes Under ‘KP Science Agenda’
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently unveiled 13 new science and tech programmes under its Rs1.5 billion worth project dubbed ‘KP Science Agenda’. More than 200 leaders from universities, research institutions, startups, industry, the development sector, and the government came together at the launch event by the KP Directorate General of Science and Technology (DoST) held in Peshawar on Tuesday. It seems a very good initiative to transform Pakistan’s tech landscape. Furthermore, it will also help the country of 220 million to prepare the next-generation workforce. The man behind this agenda is Dr. Faisal Khan. He stated that:
“This landmark initiative will help transform the tech landscape of Pakistan”. “This is the first time we are bringing a comprehensive, end-to-end roadmap for science and technology programmes.”
The project aims to prepare students for future jobs that are driven by digital transformation and emerging technologies. Dr. Faisal Khan further stated:
“The end-to-end programme allows students to learn, design, prototype, and also produce the end product, connecting education with real-world industry experiences”
KP Science Agenda: Focuses on three future industries
The main goal of the project is its sharp focus on three areas:
- advanced materials
- biomedicine
- space sciences
The above three industries have the potential to reach trillion-dollar valuations in the next few years according to Dr. Faisal Khan, who has a Ph.D. in Systems Biology from the University of Oxford. He further said that these three fields will be the focus of the three-year pilot programme to help “develop a critical mass of talent and infrastructure in the province. Atif Khan, the provincial minister, overseeing in-charge of IT as well as food youth affairs stated that:
“We want our scientists to focus on three areas of the future that are space science, advanced materials and biomedicine,”
KP government wants to develop solutions to replace imports and enhance exports. The project further aims to facilitate the uplifting of the eight key natural resources KP province has been endowed with, including areas such as micro-hydel power, gemstones, bees and honey, and fruits. The project will also offer grants, scholarships, and fellowships to experts from all across Pakistan to develop products and solutions in order to benefit society and help maintain a network of hi-tech equipment.
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