Technology Development Fund: HEC invites researchers to submit proposals

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Wednesday invited researchers and academicians to submit their proposals under Technology Development Fund (TDF) in its third call for proposals by August 30, 2018. The TDF is a five-year Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) approved project, worth Rs 2.91 billion, which aims to support joint proposals of academia and industry to ensure prototype product development and its commercialization.
Against the second call for proposals, 276 proposals were received, out of which 91 were approved in 25 different industrial sectors including agriculture engineering, IT, nanotechnology, industries symbiosis, renewable energy, mining, and applied engineering sciences. Whereas against the first call for proposals in fiscal year 2016-17, 35 out of 116 received proposals were approved in correspondence with 16 different industrial sectors. The TDF is one of the flagship projects of the HEC towards accomplishment of Vision 2025 of the government of Pakistan with an aim of industrial development through technology transfer from academia to industry for building knowledge-based economy.
Under the project Tier-II, research of academicians will be supported financially with Rs 14 million for commercialization of products, patent filing, prototype development, initial product development, marketing, and licensing of new products.
Since its inception, the TDF has been playing a vital role in promotion of academia-industry linkages and mobilizing local industries to team up with academicians to pitch their joint proposals. Moreover, the TDF has won trust of renowned industries including Sazgar Engineering, Engro, Fauji Group of Companies, Shezan, Metro-Habib Cash & Carry, Shafi Reso Chemical, TCS, Qarshi Industries, Murree Brewery, Starco Fans, Saffron, Pioneer Cement, Seasons Foods, Shama Ghee, SUZU, and Shakarganj.
These industries and many others have joined hands with academicians to transfer technology, employment creation and revenue generation through innovation which is a success on account of the HEC and TDF.
The HEC envisages helping the productive minds of Pakistan to impact economy through new and emerging technologies.
The proposals shall be submitted by PhD scholars who have completed their PhD and have done research in the following specified areas: (1) telecommunication, information and technology/computers (applications in government services, health, textile, agriculture & dairy etc); (2) engineering sciences, micro electronics, water, power, energy and fleet management; (3) biotechnology and allied fields (in health, agriculture, textile, leather & dairy etc); (4) material sciences/manmade material (nanotechnology); (5) robotics, defence and military needs and; (6) any other applied disciplines which are inductive or conducive to success of products developed or upscale the process of industrial level manufacturing.
The proposed funded projects would be expected to develop a product or service which would positively impact, inter alia, the economy, solve current problems, meet market needs, utilize local raw materials, move current products up the value chain, and create large-scale employment. The HEC has planned to fund 200 projects in the five years. Those research projects which have commercial viability would also be funded through the project.