The 2018 Pujiang Innovation Forum held in Shanghai, China on October 30-31, 2018 President ECOSF joined as an Invited Speaker
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The Pujiang Innovation Forum 2018 under the theme of “Innovation-Driven Development and Supply-Side Structural Reform in a New Age” was organized by Ministry of Science and Technology and Shanghai Municipal People's Government in Shanghai, China on 30-31 October, 2018.
The forum was organized to dedicate itself to creating a platform for exchanges about innovative developments; the dissemination of advanced concepts; the communication of academic ideas; interactions between governments, industry, universities and institutions; the publication of the latest policies; and international cooperation in the fields of science and technology.
The Forum’s opening was chaired by Mr. XU Guanhua, the President of Pujiang Innovation Forum and opened by H.E Mr. LI Qiang, Secretary of Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC. While the Chief Guest was H.E Mr. WANG Zhigang, the Minister of Science of Technology of Peoples Republic of China and Secretary of CPC Leading Group,. The organizers had arranged four special sub-forums this year: the Science and Technology Innovation Roundtable Summit for Young Innovators, the Green Technology Bank Summit Forum, the China-Portugal S&T Innovation Cooperation Workshop and the Belt and Road: Technological Innovation and Cooperation Roundtable. There were also 11 sub-forums on various topics such as entrepreneurship, regional issues, finance, policies, industries, future science and culture.
According to the forum organizers, the forum had been held for nine consecutive years in the city of Shanghai. This year's forum had a 25-percent attendance by foreigners,nearly 200 guest speakers attended this year, setting a new record. About 48 percent of them were scientists and from academics, with entrepreneurs accounting for about 28 percent, government officials about 24 percent, and foreign guests about 25 percent. It is pertinent to mention that in Pujiang Innovation Forum 2018, Portugal was the Country of Honor and South China's Guangdong Province was the Province of Honor.
President ECO Science Foundation Prof Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro participated in the event as an invited speaker in the Sub-forum entitled; “The Belt and Road Innovation Community: Theory and Practice”. In his presentation entitled; “ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF)- Unleashing the Opportunities and Advantages under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to boost Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in ECO Region and beyond” Prof. Soomro shared the objectives of ECOSF highlighted the importance of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Sustainable Development in ECO Region. He said, STI sectors are crucial for developing qualified manpower and STEM workforce to respond to global and local challenges of water, climate change, energy and food security for the ECO region.
Prof. Soomro enlightened the significance and connectivity of Belt and Road in ECO Region. Due to belt and road initiatives, there is a tremendous potential to develop Scientific and Technological cooperation with countries along the Belt & Road, in various key fields such as Agriculture, ICT, Environmental protection, Sustainable policies for ST development, and Innovation management.
Prof. Soomro explained the Initiative taken by ECO Science Foundation to promote Science Technology and Innovation (STI) in Region including the activities for the promotion of Inquiry base Science Education (IBSE). He also shared the on-going collaboration of the Foundation with Children and Youth Science Center (CYSC) of China Association of Science and Technology (CAST) for holding Teenager Maker Camps and Summer Science Camps under the Belt and Road Initiative of China. He also shared with audience the ECOSF partnership with Ministry of Education of China for the “Digital Belt & Road @Double Hundred Universities” Programme, whereby collaboration between 100 Chinese Universities consortium and a 100 universities along the Belt and Road Initiative of China, will be developed. ECOSF is playing major role in recruiting universities from ECO member countries.
During his speech President ECOSF proposed to “Synergize Strengths of Belt and Road Initiative for Developing Knowledge Centers in the BRI Countries” in which ECOSF can be an effective platform to develop “Knowledge Centers” to ensure rapid and robust development of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Region and achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) among the participating countries. ECOSF is thus open and willing to cooperate with Chinese S&T organization for knowledge sharing and promotion of STI and capacity building of ECO Member States, he concluded.