National ICT R&D Fund (formerly known as PTCL funds) was created in January 2007 by Ministry of IT with the vision to transform Pakistan’s economy into a knowledge based economy by promoting efficient, sustainable, and effective (IT and Telecommunication) initiatives through synergic development of industrial and academic resources. Through this fund, collaborative efforts between academia, research institutions, and industry are encouraged to ensure that local economy can reap the monetary benefits of investment in research. ICT R&D has significant funds available for proposals which are geared towards creating ICT related technologies.
Research grants are awarded for high level and promising ICT-related development and research projects by individuals or groups from academia and / or industry actively involved in the development and research individually or collectively. The main thrust is that the projects should be based on either a universally known technology or a new technology developed by the applicant and should be aimed at achieving economically viable systems, products or processes beneficial to the nation.
ICT R&D grant is normally provided for a period of two years, renewable every year based on the performance. The grant covers honoraria of the project directors, salaries of researchers and support staff. It also provides travel within and outside Pakistan and purchase of very specific unavoidable equipment. Selection, monitoring and evaluation of projects submitted by various R&D organizations is done by Project Appraisal, Project Management, and Project Evaluation Committees constituted under the R&D Fund.
The CIIT is a leading teaching and research organization of the country with 100 plus active Ph.D faculty members contributing a large number of research papers in the international journals. It was with this intention that CIIT showed keen interest in utilizing the research potential of its faculty by submitting research proposals to the National ICT R&D Fund. It also arranged a presentation by the CEO of the Fund for its faculty members. Accordingly, 84 quality projects costing approximately Rs.1754.865 Million have been prepared by CIIT and 57 already submitted to National ICT R&D Fund.
For further details please visit the link given below.
Donor Agency URL: http://www.ictrdf.org.pk