| 1st Steering Committee Meeting of HEDP Project held at HEC | 1st Steering Committee Meeting of HEDP Project held at HEC | <p style="text-align:justify;">Islamabad, January 24, 2020: The first meeting of the Steering Committee of Higher Education Development in Pakistan (HEDP) project was held at HEC Secretariat, Islamabad. The meeting was attended by members comprising provincial Higher Education Departments (HEDs), Vice Chancellors of different Universities and representatives of different ministries. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Fateh Marri, Executive Director HEC. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Dr. Marri welcomed the honorable members and informed them about HEDP project objective. The Steering Committee was briefed about the background and details of the project by Mr. Fazal Abbas Maken, Consultant Institutional Reforms and Focal Point for HEDP. It was highlighted that HEC Vision 2025 is based on Government's Vision 2025, which aims at improving teaching and learning along with strengthening governance in the higher education sector. HEDP has also been formulated to achieve the objectives set forth in HEC Vision 2025. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">He informed the members that project's life is of 60 months. The project objectives will be achieved through five components, which involve different sets of development activities focusing on teaching, use of technology, and collaboration in research. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Afterward, the component owners briefed the Committee about the set of activities planned for the next 18 months. The Vice Chancellors appreciated the efforts of HEC and assured their active participation in the project activities. The Committee approved the work plan and operation manual with the recommendation to involve stakeholders for developing criteria, policies, and designing training. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The Executive Director appreciated the active participation of the Steering Committee members and expected that the project team would be guided by the Committee for achieving its objectives. In his concluding remarks, Dr. Sajid Ali Yousifani, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Education, and Professional Training appreciated the launch of this project by HEC and underlined the need for consistent efforts to ensure the provision of quality education, through integrating technology in teaching, learning, and research.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">===============<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><br></p> | 24-01-2020 11:55:15 | <img alt="" src="/english/PublishingImages/ThematicImages/HEC%20ICON-15.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/news/news/Pages/SCM-HEDP.aspx |
| HEC Organises Awareness Seminar on Grand Challenge Fund | HEC Organises Awareness Seminar on Grand Challenge Fund | <p style="text-align:justify;">Islamabad, January 23, 2020: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) organised an awareness seminar on Grand Challenge Fund (GCF) for academia and industry, especially researchers and faculty members at the HEC Secretariat. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Dr. Zain-ul-Abdin, Director General R&D, HEC and Dr. Athar Osama, GCF Programme Chair, were the keynote speakers on the occasion. The seminar was attended by a large number of faculty members, researchers from universities across the country as well as the industry representatives. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Dr. Zain-ul-Abdin shed light on salient features of the GCF programme, its objectives, eligibility and requirements for award of the grant, the GCF themes, and specifications of proposals submitted under the programme. He said the GCF aims at stimulating collaborative interdisciplinary research within the strategic priority areas of relevance to present or future Pakistan-based industry and to society. He maintained that the individual grant value is Rs. 15-225 million under the programme. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">He underlined that proposals have to be submitted by February 7, 2020, adding that the proposals must be linked to at least one of the strategic priority areas, including food security, water management and sustainability, sustainable energy, sociology and philosophy, development economics, urban planning, climate change and environment, IT and telecommunication, and innovative governance and reforms. The purpose is to identify a national problem and solve it. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">DG R&D revealed that the GCF requires setting up a consortium of three to four applicants with at least one applicant from a research-intensive university, cross-disciplinary and relevant complementary scientific expertise, and project participation from industry, public authorities or other relevant organisations. He said a three-stage process is adopted for submission of proposals, including project outline stage, full proposal stage, and presentation to high level expert panel. The maximum project duration is three years, while the expected number of grants per year is 25. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">He also elaborated the three-stage evaluation process of proposals for award of grant, saying that the project outline is reviewed at the first stage, followed by full proposal desk evaluation, and presentation to high level expert panel. He also described the procedures followed at the final selection stage. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Sharing a presentation on the history, approach, thematic areas of GCF, Dr. Osama highlighted the models adopted to meet grand challenges in different developed countries. He said Grand Challenges Canada developed a concept called Integrated Innovation to describe the importance and potential impact of combining scientific, technological, social and business innovation. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Highlighting the benefits of the Grand Challenge Approach, he said the Grand Challenges bring "the best minds to the table" by articulating important challenges having the potential to deliver real impact. The Grand Challenges help build and strengthen communities of innovators and they can be used as a platform to address policy and governance issues. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Dr. Osama also referred to the Grand Challenges pursued by the World Health Organisation and the UK's Global Challenges Research Fund, UK's Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, USAID's Grand Challenges for Development. He said the HEC GCF model has been premised on certain critical assumptions. Universities have a central role to play in solving Pakistan's toughest problems. Private sector and Government partnerships are critical particularly when the former brings in prior Intellectual Property or capability to the consortium and significant development, implementation, or scale up capability. International partnerships will be encouraged when international partner brings a unique value to the protect team. He also explained the GCF 2020 thematic areas and suggested Grand Challenges. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">The Programme Chair said a successful GCF project must clearly demonstrate a solution to a grand challenge of national importance and may result in development of a consensus and coalition for large scale adoption. He further said that the GCF funded project must create a body of knowledge available to policymakers and practitioners seeking to address a problem. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">The GCF is a key element of the Higher Education Development in Pakistan Project supported by the World Bank and implemented by HEC. It is anticipated to promote research excellence in strategic sectors of economy, providing funds to selected institutions based on a competitive, peer-reviewed evaluation process of proposals. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Under the GCF, applications can be submitted in response to a call for proposals. Proposals have currently been invited. The submission of proposals must be made through the HEC portal i.e., according to the guidelines provided in the Call for Proposals. The GCF grand awards are made to the host higher education institutions lead PIs. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">===============<br></p> | 23-01-2020 12:07:28 | <img alt="" src="/english/PublishingImages/ThematicImages/HEC%20ICON-15.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/news/news/Pages/GCF-Seminar.aspx |
| HEC Launches Grand Challenge Fund | HEC Launches Grand Challenge Fund | <p style="text-align:justify;">Islamabad, January 13, 2020: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has invited research proposals from Pakistani faculty members of public and private universities for funding under the Grand Challenge Fund (GCF). Last date for submission of proposals is February 7, 2020. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">GCF is a key element of the Higher Education Development in Pakistan Project supported by the World Bank and implemented by HEC. The Fund is anticipated to promote research excellence in strategic sectors of the economy, and will provide funds to selected institutions based upon a competitive, peer-reviewed evaluation of proposals. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">It will support large, multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional research projects. Successful GCF projects are expected to be collaborative in scope, with research teams working cooperatively to accelerate research progress for societal impact.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The Fund is focused on supporting research in priority thematic areas of national interest. As many as 25 grants will be awarded every year, for three years. The Individual Grant Value will range from Rs. 15 million to Rs. 225 million.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Lead Principal Investigators, who will be university faculty members from research intensive institutions, are eligible to apply for the grant. The project team may include a consortia of faculty members from multiple university departments and/or multiple universities, private sector participants as well as international partners. The international collaborations are encouraged when the international partner brings a unique added value to the project team.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Proposals from academia or faculty members, endorsed by head of higher education institutions, Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization, or Directorates of Research must be submitted through HEC online portal <a href="http://eportal.hec.gov.pk/">http://eportal.hec.gov.pk</a>.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Information and details of programmes are available at <a href="http://www.hec.gov.pk/site/gcf">www.hec.gov.pk/site/gcf</a> <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">===============<br></p> | 13-01-2020 12:21:13 | <img alt="" src="/english/PublishingImages/ThematicImages/HEC%20ICON-15.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/news/news/Pages/HEC-GCF.aspx |