Higher Education Commission has announced the HEC Research Awards 2026-27 for Pakistani researchers and scholars.
The awards aim to recognise outstanding achievements in research and intellectual development. They also highlight research that contributes to social welfare and addresses important challenges.
According to HEC, researchers can compete in three main categories. These are Best Researcher, Best Young Researcher, and Best Publication.
Each winner will receive an official certificate and a cash prize.
The Best Publication Award offers the highest cash prize of Rs. 1 million. Winners of the Best Researcher and Best Young Researcher awards will each receive Rs. 500,000.
The Best Young Researcher category is specifically designed for researchers who are under 40 years of age.
HEC Research Awards Cover Three Disciplinary Groups
The awards will be presented separately across three broad academic and research groups.
The first group covers social sciences, arts and humanities, law, education, management, and public policy.
The second group includes physical sciences, engineering, technology, computer science, statistics, and mathematics.
The third group covers life sciences, biological sciences, health sciences, pharmacy, agriculture, and veterinary sciences.
This structure allows researchers from different academic fields to receive recognition within their respective disciplines.
Best Researcher and Young Researcher Awards
The HEC said the Best Researcher Award will recognise individuals with sustained achievements in research and academic publications.
Their work should demonstrate significant intellectual value and contribute to wider social development.
Meanwhile, the Best Young Researcher Award focuses on promising researchers at an earlier stage of their careers.
The category aims to recognise researchers who show strong potential for future academic contributions. Their work should also demonstrate the ability to address social challenges through research.
The Best Publication Award will recognise notable academic work and carries the largest financial reward among the three categories.
Through the Research Awards 2026-27, the commission aims to encourage high-quality research across Pakistan.
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The initiative also provides national recognition to researchers whose work contributes to knowledge, innovation, and society.
