Moalims

ISLAMABAD: The Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) aimed on Monday to promote research and practice in higher education sector in term of its positive impacts on socio-economic development.
According to the details, the university will hold international conference on the research and practices in education. The major purpose of the conference is to provide researchers and practitioners a platform to present their recent work and to interact with fellows in global community.
Allama Iqbal Open University Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Shahid Siddiqui said university would promote research culture in the country at the higher education level. This was the part of university’s ongoing efforts, sharing mutual knowledge and experiences at national and international level for promoting applied research, he added. He revealed that the necessary preparations are afoot to hold this mega event in the beginning of 2016. So far more than 100 abstracts have been received. He hoped that this event would be a source of networking as well as sharing ideas for collaborative efforts for the purpose of sustainable development through education and research.
Faculty of education arranged the event, which has been on forefront in producing research graduates including teacher education, science education, special education, educational planning, management and distance and non-formal education.
The VC has also announced to constitute a special fund for promotion of research-based projects. The university in its educational pursuits has kept focus on research-based education at all levels, observed the VC.
It has already been decided to give cash prizes to best researchers, besides other incentives, for undertaking applied research that helps in addressing socio-economic problems of the country as well as improving quality of life.
On the occasion, a package of incentives has been approved to encourage academicians to focus on research-based activities that benefit the society. The cash awards will be given for writing books and research articles.
It was also decided that the university would also bear travelling and lodging expenses of its teaching staff for attending seminars and conference home and abroad. The research package was aimed at gearing up development at various levels through new inventions and to enhance academicians’ role in policy-making.
Dr Siddiqui also underlined the need of strengthening linkage between research institutions and those who are responsible for implementation. Research was the phenomena that do not occur in isolation, it must be linked with the society. He said that the universities should be known for their research work.
He said that the universities must play a pro-active role in constructing and creating knowledge, through research compatible to international standard. Inculcating critical thinking among students is imperative for bringing them in the mainstream of education and national development, he maintained.
Research should give answer to the questions, faced by policy-makers and other stake holders in the nation-building task, he added and hoped that the proposed conference will be an important step forward in promoting research culture in the country, Dr Siddiqui stressed.

News Reference: http://dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad/07-Jul-2015/aiou-plans-to-promote-research-and-practice-in-higher-education