The Pakistan Science Foundation is an institution under the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of Pakistan. It funds scientific studies, research, development and technological research and science popularization in the country. It was recently reported that the Pakistan Science Foundation plans to execute the “Competitive Research Programme”.
The PSF have released funds for the research support program that aims to target to bring socio-economic development in areas related to water, medical sciences, biotechnology, and energy. Syeda Rehana Batool, Principal Scientific Officer of PSF stated that: “Planning Commission approved PKR two billion for this program. Initial funding for Competitive Research Programne has been released”. As a result of the Competitive Research Program (CRP), the PSF invited local nature applied proposals from scientists, technologist, engineers, and tech entrepreneurs through strict curriculum and procedure. According to Rehana Batool, 1200 research proposals were received by the Foundation.
The research proposals that were submitted by the candidates represented a diversity of areas in the country. These people belonged from different parts of the country who will be evaluated by different technical experts ranging from several departments, universities and institutions. According to the details of the competition, the research proposals were supposed to be submitted in two categories including Consortium Research Grants and Triple Helix Model- which is a research in collaboration with a certain industry in Pakistan.
The Consortium Research Grants will finance research ideas that are aimed to provide a solution to mega national issues through consortium of scientists from multiple professions and organizations that target a particular socio-economic gains. Similarly, Triple Helix Model solves industrial issues that will aim to replace imports and enhance the value addition of local goods and produce that can be later exported. Rehana Batool highlighted that around PKR 8 million would be allocated for Individual Research and PKR 20 million will be allocated for Consortium Research.