Universities’ input should directly reach
decision-making bodies: Dr. Saleem Raza Samoon

“I am a student of this university, this is my alma mater. Belong to this city where I was born, got educated here, got a bachelor’s degree from this university, and began my career at this university and eventually became the vice-chancellor. Thus I know all about this university”.
ER: Are our universities are recognized as think tanks by the governments and the engineering industry?
Dr. Saleem Samoon: In the developed world, the input of universities is received at government levels. Here in our country, this process has been started lately. This input is being acquired through advisory bodies like HEC and PEC where engineers and vice-chancellors are members of their think tanks. This reception is confined to the inputs being given at HEC and PEC levels but universities {through Vice-Chancellors or senior educationists} are not on government think tanks. All planning process takes place at the government level where input from the universities should reach directly. We (universities) are in a much better position to give our input for the planning at the government levels for our wide reach as regards the identification of major issues such as reforms in the education sector including curriculum. For example, we (QUEST) are located in the high-temperature zone. In the backdrop of climate change, we usually don’t welcome it but high temperatures are a gift that can be used for power generation and other benefits. We can solarize every facility here.
ER: It means universities as think tanks are not recognized at higher levels even though their inputs reach government levels through various institutions like HEC, PEC, etc?
DSS: Yes, it is true. I believe it will take time.
ER: If not at higher levels, Is your university approached for your input from any tiers of the government?
DSS: We are located in the center of Sindh province. We do not have any industrial zone here although it was there in the past; it did not develop to be a full-fledged industrial zone. Cities like Karachi have the advantage of having such a zone but still, there seems to be not much liaison between industry and academia despite the advantage of being in the largest city. But we are still making efforts for that liaison. We are pioneers of opening the Energy Department in Pakistan. We launched it in 2005 after I returned from acquiring my Ph.D. from England. But still, we are looking for the use of this department. We have recently launched AI and Food Technology Departments in the university.
ER: But before coming to these departments, I would like to know do the governments including local governments approach your university to help resolve the issues?
DSS: Yes, this process does exist to some extent. Lately, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) which had some queries, contacted us and we put it in the Ph.D. program in Biodiesel and came up with the results that were shared with the company. It was related to the Jatropha plant from which oil can be extracted and mixed with diesel. PSO has now adopted our results. Also, PAF wants to establish in Nawabshah a complex like the Aeronautical Complex. They want our collaboration and that our university would like to do it. This will be an opportunity for our university students and help create employment.
ER: How is your university adopting the change in the backdrop of the flood of emerging technologies?
DSS: We are also passing through the change. Although conventional technologies will remain for long, no one can avoid this change borne out by information technology. It is the need of time.
In this setting, when I took charge of the university which was facing a financial crunch, I looked into the resources available in the institution. I had a consultative process with the faculty and technical staff and sought their input and launched seven new departments without making any new recruitment and erecting new infrastructure. We successfully put in use our PhDs and foreign qualified faculty and staff.
ER: Is QUEST also on the list of universities that face financial issues and how have you addressed it?
DSS: It’s a countrywide issue. Our university is in the worst financial crisis and we have been unable to pay our salaries to the faculty and staff. But still, everyone is cooperating, I have not been able to pay them any remuneration for the last two years. In December we paid half the salaries to the employees and we are thankful to the Sindh government and the Chief Minister who offered us a bailout package. But the money that we need is far from being obtained. We are focusing on generating our own resources like opening new departments. This step enhanced our enrolment up to 1500 from 900 increasing our finances.
Also, we are saving money through energy conservation by installing express feeders at lower rates. Moreover, university residences have been installed with meters besides collecting bills from other installments including canteens.
ER: It helps but does not solve the issue that you get what the university requires in financial terms. What would you recommend to address this issue once and for all?
DSS: It is no rocket science; it’s simple arithmetic. One must know the actual and necessary expenditures {salaries, pensions, utility bills, etc} of the university. There must be a realistic assessment of the expenditures and capacity to increase the income of the university. The government should do real allocation for the smooth running of the universities with proper checks and balances.n