VC UAF emphasises industry-academia linkages
Chairing a strategic review meeting in ORIC's conference room, joined by Director Research Prof Dr Imran Arshad, Prof. Dr. Zahid Abbas, the Vice Chancellor outlined an ambitious roadmap to enhance operational efficiency and accelerate research commercialization.
Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali underscored the pivotal role of the Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) as a facilitator and engine for professional advancement at the varsity. He emphasized Director ORIC for strengthening human capital, including new faculty members, to ensure competence in research management, intellectual property rights, patenting, commercialization, and transparent financial workflows.
He directed setting up a facilitation desk at ORIC to provide necessary guidance to PIs and ensure completion of all prerequisites. Recalling his position as Director ORIC at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Multan, he said that due to establishment of facilitation desk there, faculty members were provided with all necessary guidance and facilities.
He underscored the need for examining and analyzing at least two models of commercialization from leading international and local universities. He asked ORIC to circulate instructions to the faculty members for inclusion of social scientists as co-principal investigators in all research proposals to enhance societal relevance and impact creation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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