ISLAMABAD, Jan 1: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has launched a programme to facilitate collaborative research between Pakistani universities and expatriate academics settled abroad by establishing an organization named “Pakistan Organization of Collaborative Research (POCR)”.

This organization will be responsible for arranging funds for collaborative research and for hosting exchange visits and workshops to incumbent collaborative research.

This was stated by Prof Dr Attaur Rahman, the HEC chairman, in a statement here on Wednesday.

Dr Ata said foreign researchers would be facilitated with an opportunity to contribute to the development of research and higher education in Pakistan with their expertise, experience and feedback from their colleagues.

“The HEC envisages the POCR as the one window organization through which expatriate and Pakistani universities will be able to collaborate with minimum bureaucratic efforts on the part of participating researchers”, he said.

He said the HEC was in the process of establishing an up-to- date database of expatriate academics with their research interests.

The first workshop titled “Research Enhancement Workshop” is scheduled to be held at the HEC Auditorium on Thursday. The workshop will be attended by eminent researchers settled abroad and presently serving in Pakistan. The eminent researchers and the persons affiliated with research and development in universities of Pakistan will contribute their views and comments in the workshop. — APP