AIOU chemistry department gets Rs 4.5m grant under DAAD

The Department of Chemistry at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has been awarded a research grant of Rs 4.5 million for the year 2011-2012 under Deutcher Akademicsher Austausch Dienst (DAAD) programme “German-Pakistani Research Collaborations” against the proposal entitled “Establishment of a German-Pakistani Center of Competence for Catalysis and Regenerative Energies at the AIOU.
Earlier, AIOU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Nazir Ahmed Sangi AIOU visited University of Rostock, Germany in January, 2011 and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the German varsity regarding the establishment of the research center.
Dr Sangi appreciated the efforts being made by Prof Dr Naghmana Rashid, chairperson and Dr Muhammad Sher, project coordinator for Pakistan, assistant professor of the Department of Chemistry for their efforts, collaboration and submission of proposal for the awarded research grant.
Dr Sangi said that it was a great honour for the university, particularly for its chemistry department.
He said the research grant would benefit the postgraduate students of the department and the AIOU.
In addition, German-Pakistani Center will enhance the standards of research at the AIOU and lead to purposeful research in Pakistan, Dr Sangi added.
He said the AIOU was grateful to Prof Dr Peter Langer of the Institute of Chemistry at the University of Rostock for his support.
“Dr Peter Langer has been a very good friend of Pakistani students and especially the AIOU. He has also helped us get another grant of €36,947 for chemistry department and a personal donation of €15,000 for the Umerkot students,” Dr Sangi observed.
Prof Dr Naghmana Rashid, the chairperson of the Department of Chemistry at the AIOU, said that this research project would lead to fruitful mutual collaboration and to enhance the already existing good relations between both the countries further. She said it would also help the university enhance its quality of research.