Research Center

POKHARA UNVERSITY RESEARCH CENTER (PURC)

Research and Innovation (R&I) are the key activities leading to the knowledge generation that complement the teaching, learning, and entrepreneurship activities in higher education institutions. There is an increasing challenge in mainstreaming academic research and involving both faculty members and students in applied research and innovation activities maintaining the quality and integrity of the research in higher education institutions (HEIs). Pokhara University (PU) has committed to spend approximately 3% of its operating budget on research and development during the period of the fifth strategic plan 2023-2028. Realizing the need to excel in academic research and innovation activities and to align academic research with the agenda framed in the National Education Policy, Higher Education Policy, Pokhara University Act 2053, Pokhara University established the Pokhara University Research Center (PURC) in 2012.

PURC is an umbrella institution established with the mandate to promote, regulate, and monetize the research and innovation activities conducted in the different academic and research institutions of Pokhara University. PURC is dedicated to formulating, executing, and regulating the research and innovation policies, guidelines, and action plans to achieve the set goals and targets of PU. Harnessing the research expertise of its in-house human resource, PURC strives to strengthen the quality of research and innovation facilities to address the national development agenda (Goals) of the Government of Nepal (GON) (see more about the national development agenda at https://npc.gov.np/en) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (see more about the Global Goals at https://sdgs.un.org/goals). PURC endeavors to foster national and international collaborations to promote applied research and innovation activities addressing the priorities of GON and UN SDGs.

Guiding Principles

PURC is a central entity with a mandate to oversee research activities in academic and research institutions running within Pokhara University. PURC commits to the following principles to promote research and innovation activities at Pokhara University.

  1. National Research and Innovation Priorities: PURC shall align research and innovation programs to complement the national research and innovation priorities.
  2. Excellence in Research and Innovation: PURC shall provide research and innovation facilities to promote internationally competent research and innovation activities thereby improving the intellectual productivity and global ranking of Pokhara University. PURC shall promote the establishment of specialized research facilities to attract highly competent national and international researchers and students to Pokhara University.
  3. Novelty and Applicability: PURC shall promote research and innovation activities demonstrating novelty and applicability with the potential to generate high-impact intellectual property.
  4. Knowledge, Economy, Social prosperity and National development: PURC shall promote the generation and valorization of intellectual property for revenue generation, sustainability of higher education, social prosperity and national development.
  5. Transparency, Equality, and Impartiality: All the activities of PURC shall be made transparent abiding by the PU regulations. All the research facilities and funding shall be treated equally and impartially regardless of any personal attributes of the bona fide researchers.
  6. Ethics and Integrity: PURC declares a strong and perpetual commitment to internationally accepted standards of research ethics and integrity. Any researcher committing any breaches of research ethics shall be forbidden unconditionally from access to PURC research facilities including funding and resources.
  7. Zero Tolerance against Plagiarism: PURC declares plagiarism a serious academic crime and, therefore, adopts and advocates for ‘zero tolerance against plagiarism’. Any academic activities committing plagiarism shall be brought under disciplinary prosecution accordingly.
  8. University Social Responsibility (USR): With the best acknowledgement of the contribution of the people from the local communities to establish and nurture the university to flourish well, PURC shall endeavor to share academic knowledge and intellectual benefits to the community as an integral part of the University Social Responsibility (USR).

Roles and Responsibilities

  1. PURC shall function as an independent entity of Pokhara University at the capacity and rights equivalent to a multidisciplinary Faculty with a mandate to develop academic research and innovation programs independently as well as in collaboration with other faculties, schools, and colleges of Pokhara University as well as national and international academic and research institutions.
  2. PURC shall establish, coordinate, and oversee specialized research institutes, centers, schools, laboratories, chair groups, departments, and similar units to conduct the degree and non-degree research and training programs.
  3. PURC shall run research and training programs in applied courses independently as well as jointly in collaboration with reputed national and international universities and institutions to attract highly competent national and international students and researchers to Pokhara University.
  4. PURC shall implement research and innovation policies, strategies, and action plans as endorsed by the Executive Council, Academic Council, Research Council, Act, Policies, and Regulations of Pokhara University as well as the Research and Innovation priorities of the Government of Nepal.
  5. PURC shall seek and secure funding to establish central research facilities, recruit internationally competent human resources, and provide logistic support to promote research and innovation activities in Pokhara University independently and in collaboration with different academic institutions (Faculties, Schools, and Colleges) of Pokhara University as well as similar national and international institutions.
  6. PURC shall implement strategies to foster national and international collaborations to strengthen research and innovation programs through short and long-term collaborations for the exchange of knowledge and resources.
  7. PURC shall promote and oversee research and innovation activities in all academic and research institutions running within Pokhara University.
  8. PURC shall organize national and international conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programs.
  9. PURC shall manage and/or professional journals and publications.
  10. PURC shall conduct appropriate knowledge-sharing programs for local community engagement under the scheme of University Social Responsibility (USR).

Vision

Become a leader in higher education, research and innovation in Nepal.

Mission

Transform Pokhara University from a conventional teaching university into an eminent research University.

Goals and Action Plans

 
SN Goal Action Plan
1. Establishment of Central Research Facility (CRF) to provide world-class research, innovation, mentoring, and training facilities.
  1. Establish specialized thematic research chair groups, centers, and Centers of Excellence (COE).
  2. Establish Central Research Laboratories (CRLs).
  3. Upgrade existing general laboratories into specialized research laboratories.
2. Provide sustained research and innovation funding to research students, research fellows, and principal investigators.
  1. Establish Pokhara University Research and Innovation Fund (PURIF).
  2. Initiate research and innovation fellowships and discovery grants to support principal investigators and research students.
  3. Provide incubation, mentoring, ideation, entrepreneurship, and start-up support to new talents.
3. Monetization of Pokhara University’s Intellectual Property.
  1. Formulate the benefit-sharing guidelines for Intellectual Properties (IPs) and knowledge economy.
  2. Initiate IPR literacy and support programs.
  3. Initiate startup funding and build a sustainable startup ecosystem.
  4. Initiate establishing spin-offs to industrialize Pokhara University’s IPs.
4. Initiation of internationally recognized Higher Degree Research programs in applied research areas addressing national development agenda and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
  1. Initiate Higher Degree Research programs at master and doctoral levels in applied research areas.
  2. Reorient the existing curricula of Pokhara University accommodating a substantial weightage of the primary research component.
  3. Provide equal opportunities to both national and international students to pursue higher degree research in applied areas.
  4. Produce highly skilled human resource competitive to lead the future research, innovation, development, industry, and service sector globally.
5. Recruitment of highly skilled and internationally trained human resources.
  1. Conduct capacity enhancement programs to strengthen the research competence of the Pokhara University faculties.
  2. Initiate the tenure-track recruitment of young and internationally trained meritorious principal investigators and researchers.
6. Assurance of ethics, integrity and quality in research and innovation.
  1. Formulate Pokhara University Research and Innovation code of conduct.
  2. Monitor and evaluate the ethical grounds of the research activities.
7. Foster active partnerships with Governmental and Non-governmental sectors at the national and international levels to address the National Development Goals (NDGs) and the United Nations Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs).
  1. Establish active collaborations with i) Government agencies, ii) Higher Education and Research Institutes, iii) Industries, iv) National and International Development Agencies v) Communities at the national and international level.

Priority Areas

Pokhara University and PURC strive to orient academic research and innovation activities to contribute to the targets of the National Development Goals (NDGs) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

National Development Goals

The national goals of the Fifteenth Five Year Plan (2019/20 to 2023/2024) of the National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal are listed below (https://npc.gov.np/en).

  1. High and equitable national income
  2. Development and full utilization of human capital
  3. Accessible modern infrastructure and intensive connectivity
  4. High and sustainable production and productivity
  5. Well-being and decent life
  6. Safe, civilized and just society
  7. Healthy and balanced environment
  8. Good governance
  9. Comprehensive democracy
  10. National unity, security, and dignity

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

(Figure source: Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, https://sdgs.un.org/goals).