ISLAMABAD, May 4 (APP): Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday emphasized the importance of forging robust connections between academia and industry, besides equipping individuals with essential skills for achieving sustainable economic progress.

In a meeting with the Animal Husbandry Committee and vice chancellors of veterinary colleges, he said that the government was committed to resolve all the issues on priority basis faced by the local veterinary institutes, said a press release.

Professor Ahsan Iqbal highlighted that a major challenge facing the animal husbandry sector is aligning education curricula with the demands of the modern era and bridging the gap between academia and industry to achieve requisite skills of economic development and social prosperity.

He emphasized the pivotal role of the veterinary sciences sector in national development goals, advocating for the adaptation of veterinary education curricula to meet the standards of the fourth industrial revolution.

Referring to a 7-point framework developed in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission in 2023, he urged the HEC to conduct performance audits of local educational institutions.

Furthermore, he underscored the necessity of promoting high-quality research alongside conventional education to enhance competitiveness on the global stage.

The minister said that Pakistan ranks fourth in the world in beef production while countries like New Zealand and Norway were famous for their cattle production.

He stressed the need to improvising productivity of local dairy and poultry products to compete with the developed economies.