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Dr S. M. Junaid Zaidi (S.I.) is the Founder
Rector of the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Pakistan’s first
exclusive institute of information technology. The CIIT was awarded Charter by the
Government of Pakistan in 2000 and in less than a decade, it has grown into a quality institution of higher learning under his able leadership. CIIT now has campuses
in seven cities, a student population exceeding 16,000 and faculty base of 1,500.
In addition to Information Technology, the Institute offers several bachelor, master
and doctoral programs in engineering, basic sciences, management sciences and architecture. |
Dr Zaidi’s professional experience spans 36 years in a diverse range of fields.
The establishment of IT ventures and development of IT policies remains the epic
highlight of his career. His expertise ranges from devising Build-Operate-Transfer
(BOT) mechanisms to Technology Commercialization and Utilization, Project Planning
& Management, Industrial Information Networking, Operations Research, System
Designing, Technology Policy Analysis, Technology Monitoring & Forecasting and
Technology Transfer.
Dr Zaidi is an experienced educationist. In the early 1970s, he earned two master
degrees in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Punjab. In the early 1980s
he successfully completed another master degree in Operations Research from University
of Birmingham, England (UK) and subsequently earned a doctorate from there, specializing
in Optimization of Algorithms on Networking.
Before assuming the leadership of CIIT, Dr Zaidi served in many distinguished high
profile positions at the United Nations (UN) and in the Government of Pakistan.
During his association with the UN, Dr Zaidi served as Advisor to the Malaysian
Government and developed the country’s Information Technology Policy. Later, he
was appointed as full time advisor with the United Nations ESCAP Asia and Pacific
Center for Transfer of Technology, where he contributed significantly to the enhancement
of technology and information handling capabilities of developing countries of the
region and also established a computerized on-line network of Asian and Pacific
countries. During this period, Dr Zaidi undertook several advisory missions to countries
like Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania,
Thailand and Vietnam as a UN-expert on IT and helped them establish their technology
transfer and industrial technology information systems.
Dr Zaidi introduced IT and Information Networking in the R&D organization of
Pakistan as the Director General of the National Center for Technology Transfer,
Government of Pakistan. The putting together the first ever draft on Pakistan’s
IT Policy is one of his most notable achievements as the Scientific Secretary and
Chief S&T with the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology. He also wrote
two remarkable concept papers for the Government of Pakistan and COMSATS, which led to the establishment of the Virtual University (VU) and COMSATS Internet Services
(CIS).
In addition to his pioneering role for the Commission on Science and Technology
for the Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), Dr Zaidi has participated
as a resource person/consultant in many international seminars and workshops including
the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok; the Asian Productivity Organization
(APO), Tokyo; the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila; the OIC Standing Committee
on Science and Technology (COMSTECH), Islamabad; the UN Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Bangkok; the Asian and Pacific Center for Transfer
of Technology (APCTT), New Delhi; the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO), Vienna; and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization
(ISESCO), Rabat. He has also acted as the Workshop/Conference Chair at several international
events in and outside Pakistan. These events were co-hosted in association with
UNIDO; COMSATS; ISESCO; National Centre of Physics; Pakistan Telecommunications
Company Limited (PTCL); Board of Investment (BoI), Government of Pakistan; National
Science Foundation, USA; University of Illinois, Chicago; Purdue University; etc.
In recognition of his commendable continued service to society, the Government of
Pakistan conferred upon Dr Zaidi the prestigious national award, “Sitara-i-Imtiaz”
(Star of Distinction) in 2007. Earlier, in 2001, he was awarded one of the highest IT awards, “IT Pioneer 1987-1995,” by NCR Corporation for his contribution to the
promotion and development of IT.
Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi,
Sitara-i-Imtiaz
Rector CIIT
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