Purpose and Nature
The University – Industry Technology Support Program (UITSP) grants are awarded to high-level and promising academic research projects relevant to the needs of Pakistan's industrial sector. These grants help promote industrial development through applied sciences research.
Research Domain
The University – Industry Technology Support Program provides support for research projects in the fields of industrial importance.
Duration
A research grant will normally be provided for a period of two years.
Entitlement
The grant would include the purchase of scientific apparatus/equipment, expendable supplies, specialized literature, online literature and other items needed for the project. The grant covers the honoraria of the Principal Investigator (and co-principal investigator ideally from the industry with advance academic degree), and salaries of research associate(s) and supporting staff. It may also cover travel within the country for project-related activities.
Agreement
After the Research Grant is approved for funding, a written agreement is required between the HEC, the collaborating Industry and the grantee (PI) and his/her institute.
The host institute must administer the grant according to the Agreement and must agree to provide laboratory space, salaries and other facilities necessary for the project. The equipment, material and literature provided for the project through the University – Industry Technology Support Program remains the property of the institute after the project is completed.
The total project cost shall be borne by the HEC and the Industry where HEC shall contribute 80% of the total project cost while the rest of the amount shall be disbursed by the industry before the commencement of project to HEC.
The HEC Finance Division routinely makes the award (first year grant) to the PI's institute in approximately 30 days after the agreement deed and other requirements are formalized.
Report
- A short annual report is required from the PI within fifteen days of the completion of each year to both HEC and collaborating industry. The progress report should highlight the major achievements during the reporting period and completion of targets/goals in the subject year. The release of the subsequent year award is tied up with the receipt and review of the Annual Progress Report.
- The grantee (PI) is required to submit a Final Report including a financial report within one month (three months) of the completion of the project.
- The grantee must keep all relevant stakeholders properly informed about the applications of the results obtained and must acknowledge support from HEC and the collaborating industry in all publications or presentations. Any research result under this Research Grant shall be the joint property of HEC and industry stakeholder based on their respective financial proportion supplied to researcher. The researchers shall be able to present/publish the results in all types of normal academic publication mediums.
Financial Assistance by HEC
The research grant will preferably have two years duration with a budget of up to Rs. 6.0 million where HEC component will be 80% of the total budget and the participating industry stakeholder will share 20% of the total budget. In very special cases, where the PI has proven track record of applied research or have patents, research proposal with a maximum budget of up to Rs. 8 million may be considered.
Arbitration:
In the case of any dispute related to any matter pertaining to the subject research grant, the decision taken by HEC shall be final and binding.
