Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sindh Professor Dr. Khalil ur Rehman Khoumbati has urged M.Phil and PhD scholars to channel their research towards innovation and industry-based solutions.

He stressed that while SU scholars had made modest academic contributions, the real challenge lay in producing impactful work that benefitted the economy and improved people’s lives.

This he said while addressing the scholarship cheque-distribution ceremony held in the Senate Hall of VC Secretariat on Thursday. SU Registrar & Director Student Aid Office Prof. Dr. Mushtaque Ali Jariko, Director Research & Graduate Studies Prof. Dr. Saima Qayoom Memon, Mr Qamar Nangraj and Mr Rafay Memon were also present on the occasion.

VC Dr Khoumbati awarded Sindh HEC Indigenous Scholarships worth Rs 7.59 million to its 33 candidates including 21 M.Phil and 12 PhD scholars, representing a wide range of academic disciplines. Each scholar received a cheque of Rs 230,000 to support their research and academic pursuits.

SU VC urged postgraduate scholars to align their research with the needs of industries and stressed that true academic excellence must translate into economic development and poverty alleviation.

While acknowledging that SU scholars have made modest contributions to the body of knowledge, he candidly remarked that the real challenge lay in producing impactful, innovation-driven research that could address local problems, strengthen industries and create opportunities for a better society.

He said that universities should serve as engines of growth where research moved beyond academic shelves and became a catalyst for industrial progress, sustainable livelihoods and national prosperity.

Expressing his gratitude to the Sindh Higher Education Commission (SHEC), Dr. Khoumbati highlighted the importance of such initiatives in strengthening the culture of research and innovation at public sector universities.

“These scholarships are not only financial assistance but also recognition of the hard work and dedication of our young researchers,” he said and added that research at universities must go beyond degree completion. It should create novelty and innovation, produce knowledge of global value and above all, benefit industries and society at large.

The Vice-Chancellor candidly remarked that while SU scholars had made modest contributions to the body of knowledge, there was still a long way to go in producing impactful, industry-based research.

He urged the recipients to make the best use of the scholarship amount, ensuring that their studies yield tangible outcomes for the economy and people’s lives.