FINDING INNOVATIVE & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR
SOCIETY (FICS)
Meeting with:
Lead Coordinators from NUST Schools &
FICS 2015 Core Team
25th November 2014
1
Introduction to FICS
2
Finding Innovative & Creative Solutions for Society (FICS)
 Concept: encourage students to get actively involved in social
problem identification, & think innovatively to devise technologybased solutions
 2014 was 2nd consecutive year of FICS
 Aim: instill a spirit of commitment amongst students, to give back
to society by applying their knowledge & converting their creative
ideas into value-adding solutions
 Involves mentors from the Industry
 3-stage competition: projects are shortlisted on the basis of
relevance, impact, novelty, practicality & commercializability
 2014 was 2nd consecutive year
 FICS 2014 co-organized by SEECS & CAC
3
Objectives
4
Objectives
To encourage students to contribute to societal / community
development
To allow students to think creatively & develop latest applications
& innovative technology based-solutions
To serve as a platform for identifying ideas & technologies that
can be commercialized & converted into viable products &
services
To engage Industry for NUST initiatives – mentorship opportunity
particularly beneficial for students
To foster an entrepreneurial culture within NUST & at a national
level
FICS Stages
6
FICS Stages
Stage 1
• Synopsis
submission
• Evaluation &
shortlisting –
SEECS internal
team
• 77 project
ideas
submitted
• 56 shortlisted
for Stage 2
Stage 2
• Posters &
videos / ppt
• Evaluation by
academicians
& Industry
members
• 38 projects
shortlisted for
Stage 3
• Few selected
by Industry
for mentoring
Stage 3
• 29 finalists
• Prototypes
presented
• Judges from
Industry,
NUST Schools
& other HEIs
• 3 winners
selected
• 10 projects
taken up by
Industry for
mentoring
7
Projects
8
Projects Cutting Across Sectors
ICT-based
Electronics
Telecommunication
Health & Medicine (Biotechnology)
Automotive
Energy
Industry Support
All 3 prizes sponsored by Industry (50k, 30k, 15k)
Event cost sponsored by Industry (Total: Rs. 200,000)
Projects in Stage 2 selected for mentorship
Feedback: Industry to give project ideas before competition is
launched
FICS 2015
11
From Intra-SEECS to Intra-NUST
2013 & 2014: FICS was intra-SEECS
Successful in inculcating interest towards Social
Entrepreneurship
FICS 2015 co-organized by SEECS, SMME, Corporate Advisory
Council (CAC) & NUST Entrepreneurs Club (NEC)
Project to be expanded to intra-NUST; scope enhanced to
include all disciplines
Formation of multidisciplinary project groups
Broader spectrum of social / community development
Enhance & enrich Industry interest & involvement
Winning projects from FICS can go to DISCOVER & other
business plan competitions
Teams Formed for FICS 2015
Lead Coordinators
Faculty members from all NUST Schools
Coordinating with student teams for project ideas
Guiding students through various stages of FICS
Managing student project ideas submitted online
NUST Entrepreneurs Club (NEC)
Marketing & PR activities in all Schools
Working with Lead Coordinators in their respective Schools
Organization & coordination tasks
Teams Formed for FICS 2015
FICS 2015 Core Team
Lead Coordinators from Schools + NEC office bearers + Faculty
members from SEECS & SMME + CAC team members
Planning & monitoring (including managing website)
Act as the hub for all coordination
Act as the conduit between Industry & students
FICS 2015 Team
FICS 2015 Core Team + School Principals and Senior Reps from
Schools
Kept in the loop for high-level updates
Contacted for support / help at School level
THANK YOU