Islamabad: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and University of Central Punjab (UCP), Lahore to strengthen think tank-academia collaboration for promoting young talent through joint research, academic exchange, policy engagement and capacity-building initiatives.Under the MoU, both institutions will collaborate on research projects, joint publications, conferences and consulting assignments, while providing internship and volunteer opportunities for students and training support for faculty. The partnership also includes exchange of experts for guest lectures and workshops, access to research and training facilities, participation of students in SDPI's international sustainable development conference, and joint grant-writing opportunities. Both sides agreed to promote institutional linkages through knowledge sharing, resource facilitation and professional development programmes with financial arrangements for activities to be finalized thr ough separate project-level agreements.During the virtual MoU signing ceremony, Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, Deputy Executive Director, SDPI and Dr. Mohammad Irfan Ali Fani, Department of Political Science and International Relations, UCP Lahore signed the document.Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sajid Amin Javed said the Institute looks forward to build this collaboration strong through effective implementation of this MoU in multiple collaborative domains.He said SDPI believes that academia is the factor of ideas that nurture and nestle young minds by imparting modern skills and education and generates best talent relevant to the market. 'Our partnerships go beyond student internships and consider it beyond that as it involves joint researches, projects and study initiatives, conferences, symposium and seminars of mutual interest,' he added.He added that the Institute is based in Islamabad and its partners linked through MoUs are its arms and eyes to function within the provinces that also helps it improve i ts rankings among academic institutions. He said the MoU implementation makes an MoU more effective and SDPI will be extending all-out support in this regard to the UCP.Dr. Mohammad Irfan Ali Fani said think tank and academia collaboration is critical to ensure efficacy of education imparted to students to compete in the market. He added that UCP students' association and attachment with the institutions like SDPI will help improve their scope in the industry. 'Many industry sector partners hold events and conferences in UCP-Lahore and seminars and SDPI is also welcome to hold such events at our venue,' he said.Dr. Irfan underlined that the UCP also sends its faculty members in industry and it is mandatory for them to engage with industry to monitor its contemporary trends to impart advanced training to its students. He also mentioned that the PhD and MPhil students are writing different theses and require data, in the pursuit, those students can serve SDPI's research endeavours that can benefit both stud ents and SDPI.Anam Naeem from Career Services Office, UCP said the Office is striving to develop MoUs in the industry and relevant sectors to initiate mutual beneficial collaborations for its students. She hoped that SDPI will collaborate with the University to facilitate its students for internship opportunities, conferences and beyond.