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ISLAMABAD, Nov 29: Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman Prof Attaur Rahman has announced that the commission would set up a Rs100 million national research and development fund.
According to official sources, faculty members of universities can apply for funding for specific projects leading to increased agricultural productivity, development of industrial products and processes, import substitution and export enhancement.
Information regarding the fund has been circulated to all the universities in the country, so that they may come forward with appropriate projects, the sources added.
The sources said funds would only be allocated to selected projects. Projects in the field of social sciences, economics, business, etc will also be considered for funding, they added.
The sources said a maximum amount of Rs2 million would be allocated for a single project.
The faculty members have been asked to submit their bio-data and list of publications along with projects, as only the most qualified professors will get the financial support under this programme, the sources added.
They said the HEC was striving to improve the quality of education and link the education process with the economic development of the country.
APP ADD: The HEC chairman has emphasized the need for enhancing and developing science departments of public universities by equipping their libraries and laboratories and providing them additional funds.
In this respect, the chairman has written a letter to all the vice-chancellors of public universities for their demands and suggestions.
He asked the vice-chancellors to provide actual expenditure incurred on individual departments last year. Prof Attaur Rahman also directed them to send a list of Ph.D. level faculty members in the fields of science and technology.
