AIOU initiates special cash awards for quality research

Islamabad: Special cash awards will be given to the students of higher education for doing internationally compatible quality research work and producing commercially viable projects that helps the society to overcome socio-economic problems of the country.

This was announced by Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while addressing the opening session of 5th National Conference on Physics and Emerging Sciences held here on Tuesday at the university’s main campus.

Best research award will be given to the PhD students on country-wide basis. Similarly best research project’s award will also be available for the students MSc and BS. These awards were being introduced from the current year, and a sizeable budgetary allocation has been made for this purpose, the VC added. 

He also announced constitution Special Fund in the budget for research and development (R and D) activities for constructing and disseminating knowledge, through research journals and conferences. The University will also undertake soon comprehensive training programs for professional development of its faculty members as well as the servicing staff, he added.

Focusing on the research-based activities, the AIOU has so far produced twelve research journals that aimed at improving living-conditions of the people, through innovation and new development in various fields. 

The 5th Conference of the emerging sciences is the 21st such kind of activities that has the basic idea of disseminating knowledge and helping the participants to share knowledge and expertise in the relevant fields

Dr. Shahid Siddiqui further said most of the targets that were set about two and half years’ ago have been achieved, that included promoting research-based activities, professional development of their employees, revision of text books and curriculum and strengthening of students’ support system. 

The two-day event was being attended by eminent scientists, researchers, academicians as well as students of MPhil and Phd from various parts of the country, It was aimed at providing the scholars a platform not only to share their research work but also to learn about current research in Physics and others sciences from eminent scientists.

Earlier, Dean Science Prof. Dr. Naghmana Rashid and Chairman Physical Department Dr. Zafar Ilyas highlighted the objectives of the conference, stating that around seventy-five papers will be presented during the three-working session. They also thanked the VC for his support and encouragement giving boost to the academic departments and introducing new programs.

An eminent academician Dr. Mrs. Asghari Maqsood also spoke at the inaugural session and lauded the AIOU’s initiatives in the field of research and the professional development.