Research grant increased from Rs250,000 to Rs1 million, announces Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood

Islamabad (Staff Reporter)

The Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) organized the Research Awards 2026 ceremony, which was chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood.

The ceremony was attended by deans of various faculties, professors, principal officers, faculty members, researchers and a large number of students.

The purpose of the event was to promote quality research at the university, encourage research activities and acknowledge the contributions of faculty members, researchers and students who demonstrated outstanding performance.

During the ceremony, a total of 171 researchers and students, including 118 faculty members and 51 students, were awarded research grants, cash prizes and certificates of appreciation. Special awards were also presented to researchers who achieved remarkable success in different fields of research.

Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood said that the identity of universities is established through quality research. He stated that research is the foundation of academic growth, global recognition and national service for any university.

He said that effective measures are being taken at Allama Iqbal Open University to strengthen the research culture and encourage research projects aimed at addressing social issues.

The Vice Chancellor appreciated that 69 percent of research projects were from the Faculty of Science, calling it a positive development, while emphasizing the need for improvement in other departments as well.

He congratulated the award-winning faculty members, researchers and students and expressed hope that they would continue to enhance the university’s reputation at national and international levels through high-quality research. He also stressed the importance of collaboration with other institutions.

Speaking on the occasion, Director ORIC Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Athar said that the Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization is playing an active role in promoting research at the university, securing national and international research grants, supporting research projects, scientific publications, innovation activities and strengthening industry-academia collaboration.

He said that due to these efforts, the Vice Chancellor has increased the project research grant from Rs250,000 to Rs1 million.

Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Athar added that ORIC is ensuring a supportive research environment, technical assistance and financial resources for researchers and students, which has resulted in continuous growth in the university’s research activities.