ISLAMABAD, NOV 20 /DNA/ – “It is the need of the hour for positive, centripetal forces in Pakistan to come together and promote impactful indigenous research in the country, and Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), through their collaborative ventures, are set to contribute in this regard”.

These were the views shared by Prof. Dr. Athar Mahboob (TI), vice chancellor, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, during a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IPS and IUB aimed at exploring and pursuing joint research, academic and publishing ventures, facilitating cooperation and collaboration between the two institutions in fostering dialogue and discussions among scholars, experts and policy makers in the areas of national interest, and capacity building endeavors for the research faculty and  students to carry out policy-oriented research.

Khalid Rahman, Chairman, IPS signed the document on behalf of his organization.

The MOU signing ceremony, which took place at IPS in Islamabad, was also attended by IPS’ Vice Chairman Ambassador (r) Syed Abrar Hussain, Prof. Dr. Jawad Iqbal, dean, Faculty of Management Sciences and Commerce, IUB,  Naufil Shahrukh, GM Operations, IPS, Syed Nadeem Farhat, Senior Research Officer, Shahzad Gill, assistant professor, IUB, Shafaq Sarfraz, manager outreach, IPS among a number of other officials from both the alma maters.

The Vice-chancellor of IUB further said that such strategic collaborations in academia and think tanks were required to realize Pakistan’s dream of a knowledge-based economy and society.

He hoped that the MOU would help build a strategic community comprising academia, research institutions and policy-makers in the country.