The Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) at the University of Central Punjab (UCP) organized a training workshop on “Research Proposals & Grants: Challenges and Opportunities” on August 4, 2025.
The workshop was led by Dr. Hammad Naveed, Prorector UCP, and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh, Director ORIC, who shared practical insights into writing successful grant proposals. Topics included types of research and grants, key components of a proposal, technical considerations, reasons for proposal rejection, and available funding sources.
Participants were also introduced to drafting and improving proposals. The session aimed to equip faculty with the skills to navigate funding challenges and enhance UCP’s research competitiveness.
Key topics included types of intellectual property rights, national and international patent filing procedures, commercialization strategies, and guidelines from IPO Pakistan and USPTO. Participants explored what qualifies as patentable, how to draft and structure patent applications, and how to respond to objections during the prosecution process.
The session also featured live demonstrations of online tools such as the USPTO Patent Center and the IPO Pakistan e-journal, enabling participants to track patent progress and access published applications.
By focusing on transforming academic research into tangible, commercial outcomes, the workshop encouraged faculty to pursue innovation, institutional consultancy, and long-term research impact—reinforcing ORIC-UCP’s mission to promote applied research and knowledge transfer.