Transfer of Knowledge to Pakistan

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Many Guppies are living in countries other then Pakistan (like me!). I am sure some of you have wanted to give or planned to give something back to Pakistan at some period in your lives. Soooooooo here’s a scheme worth looking at, it’s a UN backed one called TOKTEN, I am posting some of the information plus whom to contact.
It’s a good idea and deserves to be expanded upon. The brain drain is hitting poorer countries hard and schemes like this can help reverse that.

I would recommend that you contact the Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Labour, Manpower and overseas Pakistanis National Talent Pool at tel: 92 51 925 7107, fax: 92 51 443 6580, e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected], where you can register your name. You can also contact the institution you want to assist and request that they contact the Ministry of Labour as mentioned, so that they can present a formal request.

Kindly let me outline hereafter few points about the TOKTEN (Transfer Of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals) Programme:

1- The TOKTEN Programme was specifically designed, originally by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to counter the effects of this brain-drain, and has been successfully implemented in many countries on all continents for the last 22 years. UNDP’s Executive Board has consolidated the TOKTEN Programme with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV).

This Parts Important!
2- Within the framework of a TOKTEN project, qualified expatriate professionals from developing countries return to their countries of origin for short periods of time to share the skills they have gained during their residence in developed countries. TOKTEN consultants perform tasks that might otherwise be performed by international consultants at a very high cost. TOKTEN consultants volunteer their services, often motivated by a desire to play a role in the development process of their country of origin. (Usually the project provides the consultant with a daily subsistence allowance, and an economy air ticket, however, this can change depending on how much funds does the government contribute to such a programme)

3- The result is striking - transfer of knowledge occurs at a much lower cost (often with savings of 50% - 70%) and at a greater speed, since TOKTEN consultants need no period of adjustment to get acquainted with language or social and cultural contact. In virtually all cases, networks are created and follow-up takes place.

4- TOKTEN is a winning formula: recipient institutions benefit from the expertise contributed by TOKTEN consultants at low or no cost to them, consultants derive the satisfaction of knowing they have played a part in the development of their countries, and countries benefit because each TOKTEN assignment counters the effects of brain drain.

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what does the "short period of time mean here" ..days, weeks, months?

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In the case of Pakistan, it did not surpass the 6 weeks. Usually under TOKTEN, it depends on the needs expressed by the Government, it can be from 1 week to Three months

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Great .. thanks, I will sign up.

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Idealistic and totally unrealistic. 6 months is too short a time to impart any significant knowledge.

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CM: Most people working full time outside Pakistan would be lucky if they could get more then 2-3 weeks leave to visit Pakistan.

I have met Doctors who used their annual leave and went to Pakistan for 2 weeks to conduct free eye operations as part of an exchange programme. If those kind of arrangements can be institutionalised, I think it has great potential.

Another example is Pakistani Universities, they are facing serious shortages of qualified people at various levels. These kind of short placements can build contacts and some people may decide to temporarily shift to Pakistan and contribute.

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Zakk the question is of efficient allocation of resources during those 3 months. A doc helping people out is very different from teaching or adjusting a group within a 2 or 3 month period. It would take atleast a week or 2 for the foriegn worker to establish him or herself and figure out who does what and how things happen.

If the programs for between 6 months to a year or even more. They are valuable, but if not its a waste. As for prof. If a man is an expert in his field, that doesnt mean he can teach or that the method for teahcing would be practical and sufficient for the students.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by CM: *
Idealistic and totally unrealistic. 6 months is too short a time to impart any significant knowledge.
[/QUOTE]

CM

not quite true, 6 months is enought time deoending on the type of work. I had helped set up Pakistan's world trade center offices, helped them with planning and providing them with tools, and best practicest to be better able to serve their clients etc. This was done in less than 3 months. My role was that of a consultant there during a summer off before my grad school.

Depending on what you are doing, you can also be in a situation where u start the contact remotely, so when you get there u can hit the ground running and then go back and maybe keep your involvemnt as an advisor for a little bit.

Having teh right initiative/project is the key.

as far as education goes...a few weeks is enough time. the same expert can go to different classes and teach specific topics for a set number of days..so he is not responsible for the class as the prof but is a guest speaker who will teach some cutting edge areas of that course.

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Fraudia establishing a centre, or laying the foundations and ground work can be possible in 6 months. But adjusting to a certain department, how it works and how people learn is a longer process. I personally feel anything less than 6 months would provide superficial knowledge and not the indepth version that can be transfered later on.

You can teach 1 person or 20 in a superficial manner, but if they themselves cannot pass on the knowledge is it really worth it? Rather go for fundamental grounded teaching for a long term period.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Zakk: *
CM: Most people working full time outside Pakistan would be lucky if they could get more then 2-3 weeks leave to visit Pakistan.

I have met Doctors who used their annual leave and went to Pakistan for 2 weeks to conduct free eye operations as part of an exchange programme. If those kind of arrangements can be institutionalised, I think it has great potential.

Another example is Pakistani Universities, they are facing serious shortages of qualified people at various levels. These kind of short placements can build contacts and some people may decide to temporarily shift to Pakistan and contribute.
[/QUOTE]

sabaticall is the answer, long leave with 30% pay are offered here by many companies for people who wants to go around the world and i will sign this

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CM

I agree that more time may be better if used effectively, but this solution right now is better than no solution. it also varies on the type of work.. I mean if its a very specific, very special area that u just go and impart the knowledge to a small number of people in an intensive 6 weeks exercise, it think that is going somewhere.

depending on topics a great way to do that will be that u have different experts teaching inter related subject..let me actually try to explain that with an example.

lets say there is one book with 16 chapters, local profs and experts can do justice to 13 of them. for the remainign 3 topics, get theree experts, each with a specialization in that topic...in conjunction with the current faculty, teach that as an intensive 6 weeks gig to students, once that is fone expert#2 shows up and he drills his area of expertise. the continuation could be maintained by having the local partnering prof who set steh tone of the overall class.

the key is to be flexible and innovative in how this is used. the time of the people also has to be used effectively and not at the usual pace there.

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Pir: good points, a scheme like this does help play an important role for those who don't wish to relocate for an extended period of time. The added benefit is that people of Pakistani origin can usually adjust faster in Pakistan.

Even a limited exposure can help broaden people's understnding of issues. I e mailed the people in charge of TOKTEN and asked about any major success stories with regard to Pakistan. Here's a part of the reply:

To emphasize the impact of this programme on one of the Pakistani sectors is the establishment of a National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Faisalabad at the recommendation of Dr. Anwar Nasim, an internationally known geneticist, who introduced Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Pakistan. Today, the Institute is recognized as the leading national research institute in this area and is the national focal point for International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

Like I said, it's not going to turn the country around in a minute, but the scheme is a start. I say spread the word...(maybe the mods could keep a permanent link about TOKTEN up somewhere?

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zakk that is a good idea about a link to them from pak.org main page in our pak orgs directory etc.