STAFF REPORTER
PESHAWAR :
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan organized an awareness session at its Regional Centre Peshawar for universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the topic, “The Importance of Establishing ORICs and Measures to Improve ORIC Performance and Rankings.” Representatives from public and private sector universities, including Directors of ORICs, Directors of Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs), and other relevant university officials, participated in the session.
The event commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Shafi-ur-Rehman, Deputy Director of HEC Regional Centre Peshawar. In his address, he highlighted the critical role of Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORICs) in strengthening university research systems, promoting innovation, fostering academia-industry linkages, and enhancing the overall performance of higher education institutions. He emphasized that HEC would continue to provide support for the establishment and strengthening of ORICs to advance institutional development and improve research quality.
The technical session was led by Mr. Ahmad Gulzar Kiani, Assistant Director at HEC’s Research and Innovation Division. Participants were briefed on the strategic importance of ORICs in promoting research, innovation, commercialization, and collaboration between academia and industry. Detailed presentations were delivered on the HEC ORIC Policy 2021, the ORIC accreditation framework, performance evaluation mechanisms, and the role of ORICs in achieving institutional growth and national development objectives.
During the session, participants were informed about the key functions and responsibilities of ORICs, including research management, intellectual property support, technology transfer, commercialization facilitation, industry engagement, promotion of start-ups and spin-off ventures, and assessment of research impact. Speakers highlighted how ORICs contribute to improved institutional governance, increased research productivity, enhanced opportunities for external funding, and innovation-driven economic growth.
Special attention was given to measures for improving ORIC performance and rankings under HEC’s ORIC Scorecard Framework. Participants were briefed on performance indicators related to research output, commercialization outcomes, intellectual property creation, industry linkages, start-up development, and institutional support. Practical recommendations were also presented for strengthening ORIC structures, improving data management and reporting systems, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and aligning institutional priorities with national research and innovation goals.
The session also provided an interactive platform for discussion, allowing participants to share challenges faced in establishing and effectively implementing ORICs. Representatives from various institutions exchanged experiences and discussed best practices for strengthening research ecosystems, fostering innovation, and increasing the impact and significance of university-based research.
Concluding the session, participants reaffirmed the importance of developing strong ORIC systems within universities to promote excellence in research, innovation, commercialization, and industry engagement. The event reflected HEC’s continued commitment to strengthening research and innovation management capacities in higher education institutions and supporting universities in building robust ORICs that can drive research excellence, innovation, commercialization, and meaningful connections with industry and society.
