A national conference on Physics and emerging sciences held here on Wednesday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), laying greater focus on promoting research culture and linking the same with the country's socio-economic issues.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jul, 2018 ) :A national conference on Physics and emerging sciences held here on Wednesday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), laying greater focus on promoting research culture and linking the same with the country's socio-economic issues.

It was sixth event, organized by the university's Physics department in the recent years. The conference was largely attended by the research scholars and students of M Phil and PhD from various educational institutions of the country.

Inaugurating the conference, Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui underlined the importance of research-based activities in the socio-economic development and improving the living conditions of the people.

Research, he said, was given main priority from the day one he took over the charge of VC and that resulted in producing 17 quality journals in various disciplines. Various initiatives were taken in this direction. The students were provided a platform to showcase their research work and sharetheir research findings with fellow colleagues as well as the policy-makers.

Besides this, special cash awards were given to the faulty members and the students for doing internationally compatible quality research work and producing commercially viable projects.

A special fund for research and development (R and D) was constituted for constructing and disseminating knowledge, through research journals and conferences.

The University also took comprehensive training programs for professional development of its staff.

The university's research laboratories and the libraries were enriched and developed as main source of conducting research work.

In the recent years, the AIOU started a number of new programs, as well as revising the existing curriculum to upgrade studies in various disciplines of sciences, he added.

Dr Shahid Siddiqui appreciated the Faculty of Sciences, particularly the department of Physics for their consistent efforts in promoting quality research and undertaking new programs of BS, M Phil and PhD-level.

He hoped that the conference will help promote interaction among the researchers to exchange their experience and expertise in the field of science and technology.

Earlier, in his address of welcome, Dean Sciences Prof Dr Zafar Ilyas highlighted the academic achievements of the Physics department during the last four years and thanked the VC for his visionary support.

During the two-day conference, there will be four working sessions, during which fifty-three research papers will be presented. Out of these 50 were produced by the AIOU's students, he added.