According to a national media outlet, the administration of Punjab University (PU) has re-assigned Rs. 30 million in research funding to the university’s Transport Wing for the payment of student bus expenses.
This move has been criticized by PU faculty members as research funds should only be utilized for academic purposes in order to protect the integrity of research efforts.
According to a national daily, the money was earlier sanctioned by PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Khalid Mahmood from the university’s budget heading ‘Lumpsum Provision for Research-Improvement of Education’ and tabled as an agenda item for official approval at the PU Syndicate meeting on 29 April.
The re-appropriation was accepted during the meeting, although other Syndicate members, notably Dr. Asghar Iqbal and Dr. Muhammad Islam, were opposed. Dr. Islam made a dissenting note.
The decision to redirect the funds has been met with criticism as they were intended to be used for research, and staff members were already struggling to cover expenditures for travel grants and other research-related costs due to stagnant research funds and rising inflation.
Furthermore, reports show that the university’s research funds are mostly underutilized due to the university’s cumbersome processes, which creates a discouraging environment for research culture.
Source: Pro Pakistani