Islamabad:The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved 224 cases of PhD scholars for International Research Support Initiative Programme (IRSIP), in addition to seven cases of Partial Support for PhD Studies Abroad. The Selection Committee’s meeting was held at HEC Secretariat Islamabad, with Executive Director Dr. Fateh Marri in the chair.
Under IRSIP, HEC offers a six-month research fellowship abroad to full-time PhD students. The purpose is to enhance their research capabilities, and also develop linkages between Pakistani and foreign institutions. IRSIP provides exposure to PhD scholars in order to enhance quality of research conducted by them in Pakistan.
The programme aims at creating a critical mass of highly-qualified manpower that could contribute towards socio-economic development of Pakistan. It facilitates assimilation, absorption and transfer of important and promising scientific and technological knowledge information to achieve rapid economic progress. It also provides training and research work opportunities to doctoral students at advanced research laboratories of reputed universities abroad.
Similarly, Partial Support for PhD Studies Abroad is an initiative aimed at providing financial support up to US $ 10,000 to Pakistani scholars who are in final stages of their PhD Studies abroad and need partial support e.g. tuition, thesis evaluation/submission fee, living expenditure, etc. without which their PhD degree programme will remain incomplete.