HEC launches challenge fund

ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Monday invited research proposals from Pakistani faculty members at public and private universities for funding under the Grand Challenge Fund (GCF). The last date for submission of proposals has been set as February 7, 2020.

The fund is expected to promote research excellence in strategic sectors of the economy and will provide funds to selected institutions based on a competitive, peer-reviewed evaluation of proposals, read a statement issued by the commission on Monday. It added that the GCF is a key element for Higher Education Development in the Pakistan Project supported by the World Bank and implemented by the HEC. 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.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2020.