INTRODUCTION

The underpinning focus of the Mohammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU) is to craft and produce innovative and academically sharp individuals. The university thus established the Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) with a purpose to promote external linkages and R&D culture at the university in particular by supporting the creation of new knowledge and commercialization of research undertaken by the MAJU faculty, staff and students.
Realizing the fact that the innovation & commercialization are now the new driving forces for the socio-economic and technological development of the country, the ORIC MAJU is overwhelmingly committed to transforming the R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurial efforts of the university into commercially valuable products, technologies, and solutions.

Vision

To serve the country as the most dynamic and competitive center of learning, research & development and service to humanity.

Mission

To provide quality research, promote scholarship with service to the nation, support innovation, inculcate creativity while following the key moral values and promote sustainable development.

Core Values

The following core values shall be adhered to:
Honesty, Creativity, Competitiveness, Academic Freedom, Innovation, Excellence, Self- Reliance, Equal Opportunity, Respect for Diversity, Institutional Culture and Corporate Governance.

ORIC MANDATES

In line with its professional objectives, the MAJU ORIC has been striving to promote R&D, innovation and commercialization culture thereby adhering to its core values, operational standards and legal requirements of the university. As such, following is the precise account of the mandates entrusted to ORIC.

  • Identification & Dissemination of Research Collaboration & Grants opportunities
  • Research Rewards & Recognitions
  • Promotion of Business Incubation & Startups Culture
  • IP Development & Registration Support
  • Cross-faculty Knowledge Exchange & Research Support
  • Research Data Management
  • Research Proposals & Grants Application Endorsement
  • Research Output Collection
  • Research Patenting & Commercialization Support
  • Training & Capacity Building
  • KPI Monitoring on Research, Innovation & Commercialization
  • Faculty Outreach & Consultancy Support
  • University-Industry Linkage Development
  • HEC ORIC Scorecard Development
  • Policy Development & Advocacy on Research, Innovation, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship
  • Creation of     new    knowledge     &     best     practices     in    research,                    innovation, commercialization & entrepreneurial domains.
Message from Director (ORIC)

A warm welcome to the very first issue of the ORIC Report. This report gives a quick account of some key events & activities undertaken by ORIC during the past 6 months in the areas of research, innovation, commercialization & entrepreneurship. Needless to say, “Innovation”, “Commercialization” and “Startups” have now become the buzz words for Pakistani universities, thus our ongoing focus has been on enhancing outreach, solving industry problems, and commercializing new knowledge and research roduced at MAJU. Consistent with our President’s vision of transforming MAJU as an innovation-focused university, the office has recently introduced range of new initiatives and programs that are specifically aimed at enhancing external linkages and fostering R&D, commercialization, and incubation activities at MAJU. With this in mind, we have further strengthened ORIC’s existing governance and policy framework by putting in place full-fledged policies on Startups Development, Faculty Consultancy Services, Research Ethics and Intellectual Property Management coupled with the development of ORIC’s strategic plan for the next 5 years. Moreover, with the formal re-launch of the incubation program that encountered a slowdown owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, our newly established Business Incubation and Startups Centre (BISC) is now in full swing to support transformation of ideas into sustainable businesses. In the end, I would welcome suggestions (if any) for improvement of our subsequent digital editions. Happy Reading!!!

Dr. Muhammad Kashif Ishaque