Science, Technology and Innovation: Imperatives for Socio-economic

Development

Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman, FRS

UNESCO Science Laureate

Truth Stranger than Fiction !!

Metamaterials---cloaking devicesMetamaterials---cloaking devicesBullet proof paper: NanocelluloseBullet proof paper: NanocelluloseCellulose to Butanol---running cars on old Cellulose to Butanol---running cars on old

newspapersnewspapersStem cellsStem cellsAnti-Ageing Compounds (Resveratol)Anti-Ageing Compounds (Resveratol)Graphene, Molybdenite (MoSGraphene, Molybdenite (MoS22))

Truth Stranger than Fiction !!

Seeds No Longer NeededSeeds No Longer NeededLuminescent OrchidsLuminescent OrchidsCars Running on Air !Cars Running on Air !Aeroplanes flying without internal fuelAeroplanes flying without internal fuelParalysed moving wheel chairs, and cars driven Paralysed moving wheel chairs, and cars driven

--- with thought control--- with thought controlBlind Seeing with the TongueBlind Seeing with the Tongue

Seeing with the Tongue !!

““Wicab” in Wisconsin, in collaboration with Wicab” in Wisconsin, in collaboration with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has developed a “lollipop” like device has developed a “lollipop” like device which allows completely blind persons to which allows completely blind persons to partly see with their tongue !!partly see with their tongue !!

Video-camera on sunglasses plus base Video-camera on sunglasses plus base unit transmit electrical signals to the unit transmit electrical signals to the tongue, that allows partial sight--- soon to tongue, that allows partial sight--- soon to be commercially available.be commercially available.

Cyborg beetle: a giant flower beetle with a Cyborg beetle: a giant flower beetle with a processor and implanting electrodes - a processor and implanting electrodes - a

living machine whose flight can be living machine whose flight can be wirelessly controlled wirelessly controlled

Korea: A Direct Correlation Between

Technical Manpower and Exports1960 1970 1980 1990 2001 2009

Higher Education

Enrollment 5% 8.7% 16% 37.7%68%

*(2.6%)92%

Exports

US$(Millions)32 660 17,214 63,214 150,439 354,000

Impact of just one institution----MIT

MIT graduates and faculty have founded 4000 companies

Employ: 1.1 million people

Annual Sales: $240 billion

Collectively these companies are the 18th largest economy in the World!

Overarching ApproachOverarching Approach

Simultaneous Bi-Modal ApproachSimultaneous Bi-Modal ApproachBottom-Up (Basic Needs)Bottom-Up (Basic Needs)

Basic Health, Primary Education, Water ….Basic Health, Primary Education, Water ….

Top-Down (Knowledge Economy)Top-Down (Knowledge Economy)Higher EducationHigher Education

Building Advanced Human CapitalBuilding Advanced Human CapitalEnhancing and funding domestic research for Enhancing and funding domestic research for

adapting foreign technologiesadapting foreign technologiesIndustrial LinkageIndustrial Linkage

Enhance CompetitivenessEnhance Competitiveness

Requirements for Rapid Progress

Human capital Human capital with knowledgewith knowledge

and skillsand skills

TechnologyTechnology

Innovation/Entrepreneurship Innovation/Entrepreneurship Infrastructure Infrastructure and incentives to innovateand incentives to innovate

Technology --- acting like a huge suction pump --- Technology --- acting like a huge suction pump --- taking away the wealth of developing countries ---taking away the wealth of developing countries ---eg. Cars --- eg. Cars ---

10

Pakistan---An Exciting Beginning !!

My appointment as Federal Minister of Science & Technology My appointment as Federal Minister of Science & Technology (2000) and Chairman Higher Education Commission (2002-2008)(2000) and Chairman Higher Education Commission (2002-2008)

6000% Increase in Development Budget of Science Ministry and 6000% Increase in Development Budget of Science Ministry and 2400% increase in Dev. Budget of Higher Education2400% increase in Dev. Budget of Higher Education

HEC an autonomous body reporting to PMHEC an autonomous body reporting to PM

Key Challenges AccessAccess

Skilled manpower (enrolment) Skilled manpower (enrolment)

FacilitiesFacilities

InformationInformation

QualityQuality

Assurance SystemsAssurance Systems

FacultyFaculty

RelevanceRelevance

Challenge: How do we attract our brightest to

Education/Research ?Pakistan has 90 million below age 19 (56%

of population) !

Both a Challenge and an OpportunityBoth a Challenge and an Opportunity

It is the brightest among them who must It is the brightest among them who must provide the leadership in all fields---education, provide the leadership in all fields---education, S&T, GovernmentS&T, Government

HOW ??

Excite young minds about the wonders of about the wonders of science !science !

Select and train the Brightest in top universities abroad

Attract them back--- by creating an enabling -- by creating an enabling environment :environment :

Salaries Research Funding Access to Literature/ Instrumentation Critical Mass—create clusters !

Attracting the Brightest Attracting the Brightest !!

Dramatic Change in Salary Structures/Benefits

Under new “Tenure Track” system salaries of Professors raised to over US $ 5,000 per month (equal to US$ 7,000 per month after tax concessions)---five times more than Federal Ministers in Government !

Performance based systemPerformance based system 75% Tax waiver for University Teachers

(maximum 5%)

Massive Foreign scholarship programsNearly 11,000 awarded (mostly for Nearly 11,000 awarded (mostly for

Europe) --Europe) --World’s largest Fulbright World’s largest Fulbright Scholarship program for the USScholarship program for the US

Each returning scholar given access to $ Each returning scholar given access to $ 100,000 research fund 100,000 research fund with guaranteed with guaranteed jobsjobs

About US$ 1 Billion being spent on Foreign Scholarships (1500 in IT)

Indigenous PhD programs promoted

Using Technology to Leap-Frog!

Pakistan Educational Research Network

Digital Library Program

PAKSAT 1 (Pakistan’s Educational

Satellite)

Pakistan’s International Video-conferencing Network

1818

August 14, 2000

29 Cities

Spread of Internet Services in Cities & Towns of Pakistan

Information Technology

1050

2000

580

29

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Year

822 cities on the Internet

2002

Iran

Afghanistan

India

China

From 40 to 1,000 Cities on Optical Fibre (2000-2005)

SDH/PDH (525/622 Mb/s) backbone being

upgraded to DWDM

10 Gb/s

Internet user growth

Internet users

-

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

Internet users

Start point

Today

June 2000: 130,000 Oct 2006: >12 million

Actual users more than 12

Million!

Dial up

Plummeting costs….

Cost /E1

-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

US

$

Cost /E1

Start point

Today

June 2000: US$ 87,000/E1 August 2001: US$ 6,000

October 2004 : US$ 3,800

Now US$ 98 per month/2 Mb/s !

Communications Network---the Effect of one Good Decision!

1992-2000, little Growth(300,000 phones)2001, CPP regime brought in

Network expansion of 3 million phone-lines ordered in 2002 ! Mobilink, U-fone

Explosive growth continues till today (over 96 million phones today—hottest sector of the economy)

Pakistan Education & Research Network

PERN – I Status (2003 – 08)

Universities/ Institutes 80

Core Bandwidth 155 Mbps

Last Mile Bandwidth 4-24 Mbps

International Leased Circuit

155 Mbps

PERN – II Plans (2009 - 2013)

Universities/ Institutes/R&E Org.

250+

Core Bandwidth 10 Gbps

Last Mile Bandwidth 1 Gbps

International Leased Circuit 1.3 Gbps

Digital LibraryE-Journals: 25,000 full text journals

E-Books: access to 45,000 text books and monographs -- 220 220 international publishersinternational publishers

Free, nation-wideFree, nation-wide

Key Indicators 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

No. of universities 16 25 56 56 59 68 85 90 106 113

Max. bandwidth to a university (Mbps)

0.25 0.5 4 8 10 10 20 100 240 500

Avg. bandwidth provided (Mbps) 0.22 0.24 0.14 1.79 2.63 4.5 7.3 14.93 33.12 69.61

Total Bandwidth Allocated (Mbps)

8 8 120 134 145 310 620 1862 6062 7028

Cost per Mbps per month (USD) 29000 3000 2700 1250 1250 625 350 325 120 98

Training to universities’ resources

- - - - - - 8 27 32 22

Digital Library Usage

National Digital Library Program

Paksat 1

Ku Band

C-Band

Increasing Access

1947-2003 : 270,000 university students1947-2003 : 270,000 university students

2011 : 950,000 university students2011 : 950,000 university students

No. of Public Sector Universities / Degree No. of Public Sector Universities / Degree Awarding Institutes : Doubled from 59 in Awarding Institutes : Doubled from 59 in 2000 to 137 in 20112000 to 137 in 2011

A Focus on Quality Assurance

Four year undergraduate programFour year undergraduate program

Standardisation of Degree ProgrammesStandardisation of Degree Programmes

Quality Assurance StructureQuality Assurance Structure

Min. Eligibility Criteria for Appointments of Min. Eligibility Criteria for Appointments of Faculty and M.Phil/PhD DegreesFaculty and M.Phil/PhD Degrees

3030

31

Gender-wise Enrollment in Higher Gender-wise Enrollment in Higher Education InstitutionsEducation Institutions

Year-wise PhDs Produced

International Research Publications

Pakistan’s Share of World Articles

World University RankingsHigher Education Times, UK Rankings, Higher Education Times, UK Rankings,

November :November :

Several Pakistani universities ranked Several Pakistani universities ranked among the top 500 universities of the among the top 500 universities of the World -- World -- In Natural Sciences: In Natural Sciences:

Karachi University at 223, NUST at Karachi University at 223, NUST at 250 and UET (Lahore) at 281 in world!250 and UET (Lahore) at 281 in world!

International Video-lecturing Program / Distance Learning

High quality video-conferencing equipment installed

Series of international lectures (nation-wide) by top professors from leading world universities

MIT Mirror Website for access to Open Source materials established (http://mitocw.pern.edu.pk))

International Video-lecturing Program / Distance Learning

1,300 Lectures delivered in last 2 years 1,300 Lectures delivered in last 2 years (live/interactive) to university students(live/interactive) to university students

Complete synchronous courses being delivered Complete synchronous courses being delivered followed by exams/credit recognitionfollowed by exams/credit recognition

English language coursesEnglish language coursesPhD theses public defensePhD theses public defenseMicrosoft CommunicatorMicrosoft CommunicatorEdX, Coursera (asynchronous)EdX, Coursera (asynchronous) (Chinese language, preparatory A-Level (Chinese language, preparatory A-Level

courses for new university entrants)courses for new university entrants)

Glowing International Reviews--

World BankWorld BankUSAIDUSAIDBritish CouncilBritish Council

““NatureNature””--27--27thth November 2007---- “The November 2007---- “The Paradox of Pakistan”Paradox of Pakistan”

““NatureNature”” --28 --28thth August 2008--- “After August 2008--- “After Musharraf”Musharraf”

““NatureNature”--- 3”--- 3rdrd September 2009 September 2009 ““NatureNature” --- 22” --- 22ndnd September 2010 September 2010

Nature, 22nd September 2010

3939

“Rahman's strong scientific background, enthusiasm for reform and impressive ability to secure cash made him a hit at home and abroad----

It really was an anomaly that we had a person of that stature with that kind of backing

Atta-ur-Rahman was a force of nature."

Royal Society (London)

In a survey entitledIn a survey entitled “A New Golden “A New Golden Age ?”Age ?” the Royal Society (London) the Royal Society (London) has come forward with examples of has come forward with examples of recent positive changes in some recent positive changes in some Islamic countries and quoted Islamic countries and quoted Pakistan Pakistan as the best practice model to be as the best practice model to be followed by other developing followed by other developing countriescountries

Highest Civil Award of Austria

Investment in HRD Pays Back a Million fold – with perseverance ! 12 Students trained under our scholarship program 12 Students trained under our scholarship program

formed an IT company in Islamabadformed an IT company in Islamabad

------won a contract of US $ 250 million (Rs 20 won a contract of US $ 250 million (Rs 20 billion)billion) in competition to major international in competition to major international companiescompanies

Innovation determines Progress----but we must Innovation determines Progress----but we must create and nurture Innovation ! create and nurture Innovation !

Time lag between investment and impact on Time lag between investment and impact on socio-economic developmentsocio-economic development

Indian Govt. Worried at Pakistan’s Progress!

Presentation to Indian Prime Minister about Presentation to Indian Prime Minister about silent revolution in Higher Education sector silent revolution in Higher Education sector of Pakistanof Pakistan

Prof. C.N.R. Rao (Advisor to Indian PM on Prof. C.N.R. Rao (Advisor to Indian PM on Science & Technology) requested Prime Science & Technology) requested Prime Minister of India to carry out similar reforms Minister of India to carry out similar reforms in Indiain India

Hindustan Times, 23 July 2006Hindustan Times, 23 July 2006

Presentation to Indian PM

  ““Pak threat to Indian science” --- Pak threat to Indian science” --- Hindustan TimesHindustan Times

Neha MehtaNeha MehtaNew Delhi, July 23, 2006New Delhi, July 23, 2006

““Pakistan may soon join China in giving India serious Pakistan may soon join China in giving India serious competition in science.  Science is a lucrative competition in science.  Science is a lucrative profession in Pakistan”.profession in Pakistan”.

Historic Meeting: Presidents of Pakistan and Indian Science Academies – Science

building bridges

PROPOSALPROPOSAL

South Asian South Asian Countries need to Countries need to cooperate togethercooperate together

From Teaching to Tutoring!

High quality contents are becoming High quality contents are becoming increasingly available on the web:increasingly available on the web:

MIT Open Access (Mirror web site MIT Open Access (Mirror web site established in Pakistan in 2004)established in Pakistan in 2004)

edX (Recent MIT-Harvard initiative)edX (Recent MIT-Harvard initiative) Coursera (Stanford, Princeton, U Penn, Coursera (Stanford, Princeton, U Penn,

Michigan initiative) $ 16 million VC fundsMichigan initiative) $ 16 million VC funds Udaucity (Stanford Professor)Udaucity (Stanford Professor) Apple iTunes xApple iTunes x

STRATEGIC APPROACH: The Higher Education Network

In this hall we have huge potential : Can we In this hall we have huge potential : Can we unleash it through creative strategies and unleash it through creative strategies and programs ?programs ?

Let us stop looking only at governments to Let us stop looking only at governments to help us --- let us try and help ourselveshelp us --- let us try and help ourselves

What is the single biggest hurdle to our What is the single biggest hurdle to our development ? It is the lack of highly talented development ? It is the lack of highly talented & creative faculty& creative faculty

STRATEGIC APPROACH: The Higher Education Network

New technologies allow us to share facultyNew technologies allow us to share faculty1) Each of us should identify 10 of its best faculty 1) Each of us should identify 10 of its best faculty

members and nominate them to give 1 credit members and nominate them to give 1 credit hour courses annually ---additional honorarium hour courses annually ---additional honorarium at suitable levels should be paid by the at suitable levels should be paid by the university ---if 50 of us make such nominations university ---if 50 of us make such nominations we will have an excellent resource group of 500 we will have an excellent resource group of 500 top quality professionalstop quality professionals

STRATEGIC APPROACH: The Higher Education Network

2) 2) These courses should be directly related to the These courses should be directly related to the curricula being taught at the undergraduate and curricula being taught at the undergraduate and postgraduate levelspostgraduate levels

3) The courses should be followed by an 3) The courses should be followed by an examination under the supervision of the faculty examination under the supervision of the faculty member delivering the coursemember delivering the course

4) These courses recognised by the respective 4) These courses recognised by the respective academic bodies as part of the students credit needsacademic bodies as part of the students credit needs

PAKISTAN’s PotentialPAKISTAN’s Potential

Winners of International Science Olympiads