Recognition of innovators remains a
distant dream: Iqbal Yousuf Shaikh

Are our universities and institutions recognized as think tanks or a great resource for the benefit of national development?
Iqbal Yousuf Shaikh: There is a big gap here in this respect. Engineering Universities and other institutions float several commercially viable projects but they fail to get recognized although they earn a huge appreciation at the exhibition level. The projects designed and made by the students who have to run the country don’t go beyond exhibitions. Yes, very few organizations do encourage students and their projects through venture capital. But still, they eye their benefit first. At government levels also, the recognition of innovators and their projects remains arrested around the speeches only. Aptech displays 200 selected projects out of its 600 projects every year but the result is the same.
ER: Why is that so that we {our universities} do not have recognition? What are the reasons?
IYS: Maybe the objectives of government organizations and the industry that are supposed to recognize the institutions, innovators, and projects are different. They seem interested in just showing the numbers; they do not go beyond it. The students need finances to bring the projects to market-ready levels, then they need mentorship which also finds itself in a narrow street because of their constraints.
ER: It means we get recognition as think tanks in principle, but what we need is the practical acknowledgment and that will come only after government and industry approach institutions.
IYS: Yes, exactly.
ER: Many heads of the universities claim they are in liaison with the industry. Do you think it varies from one institution to another?
IYS: Yes, It does. Because it depends on the head of the institution how proactive he or she is and what their vision is. Secondly, it also depends on how the industry looks forward to the institutions.
As a head of an IT institute, I see a serious gap between institutions and the industry. Pakistan got a boost in IT after Covid – 19 pandemic. Our graduates are ready to serve the market but the demand is different.
ER: But there are many projects in the market; everything is going to become IoT-based and other emerging technologies are flooding the market. It means Aptech should also be flooded now.
IYS: Yes, Aptech is preparing over 8000 students only for the software industry. Also, we share with the industry what IT skillset we are giving to our students keeping in view the national and global IT industry demands. There are a variety of industries that work for Pakistan and the international market. We seek the information of new and requisite skills needed in the market. This process goes on continuously for making the students market ready.
ER: Do you have any mechanism through which Aptech is in touch with local and international IT industry for giving latest skill sets to its students?
IYS: We prepare professionals for local industry which plays a role of proxy for global industry. Also, we are formally in alliance with a few global IT institutions besides informal contacts with many institutes around the world. Aptech has its presence in around 40 countries of the world. We get their inputs as regards the requirements of their market they operate in. Since we are not a traditional institution, we introduce changes in our course for two years and incorporate new skills. Because, the technologies continue upgrading and thus forcing us to design courses as per new demands in global markets.
ER: How do you cope with the flood of emerging technologies and their upgradation?
IYS: Yes it is a huge challenge. We remain always on our toes in an environment of flood of emerging technologies. Even the fresh candidate knows what we are offering and if it is any older technology. Sometimes, two years seems a big period for any course that are to be looked into as faster as newer skill sets enter the arena. We focus on emerging technologies and what we do is to induce in our course newer technologies once they start overshadowing the older ones.
ER: What is the biggest challenge that you face while running this institute in this world of emerging technologies?
IYS: The biggest challenge is that HEC does not allow our students to acquire bachelor’s degrees from engineering universities. International universities recognize them and allow their enrolment for degree programs but the doors of our own universities remain closed. These candidates should be allowed to take admissions in engineering universities on open merit.
ER: Can you share an achievement that you believe is unforgettable?
IYS: It’s the satisfaction that Aptech is playing a role, no matter the smaller one. Many students did not have money to pay fees for admissions to Aptech and we took care of them. Among our students were one son of a small vendor, another son of an ironsmith, and yet another who used to sell bananas on the road have turned out to be bright and earning in lakhs now. The one who was a banana seller is now the CEO of a world-recognized company and the son of an ironsmith is in Sharjah. n