ISLAMABAD, Sep 2 (APP):Senate of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Wednesday approved a comprehensive package of institutional reforms to strengthen governance, research, academic programmes, employee welfare and student support, while enhancing the institute’s role in evidence-based policy making. The decisions were taken at the 19th meeting of the PIDE Senate, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and PIDE Chancellor Professor Ahsan Iqbal, a …
PIDE Senate approves sweeping reforms to strengthen governance, research
ISLAMABAD, Sep 2 (APP):Senate of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Wednesday approved a comprehensive package of institutional reforms to strengthen governance, research, academic programmes, employee welfare and student support, while enhancing the institute’s role in evidence-based policy making.
The decisions were taken at the 19th meeting of the PIDE Senate, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and PIDE Chancellor Professor Ahsan Iqbal, a news release said.
In his opening remarks, the Chancellor stressed the need for a holistic and integrated policy framework involving the public sector, private sector and academia to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.
He particularly emphasised evidence-based, results-oriented research to help Pakistan build a sustainable export surplus and improve its trade performance.
The Senate approved the minutes and compliance report of its 18th meeting, noting that 11 of the 12 decisions taken previously had been fully implemented. Efforts to secure land for the PIDE campus are continuing with the relevant authorities.
The Senate also endorsed the Progress Review and Compliance Report for 2025-26, highlighting significant institutional and research gains under PIDE’s Institutional Development Strategy 2025-2030, centred on “REACH,” ensuring research reaches policy, knowledge reaches government, learning reaches the marketplace and Pakistani ideas reach wider audiences.
According to the report, PIDE’s RePEc research standing improved to 102.26, while research output rose to 361 products in 2025 from 240 a year earlier, an increase of more than 50 per cent.
The institute established eight new research centres, digitised its three-year rolling research work plan for real-time tracking of research assignments, and recorded a threefold increase in academic enrolment. Its graduate employment rate reached 89 per cent within one year of graduation.
The Senate approved elections to fill long-vacant faculty seats on PIDE’s statutory bodies, with Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed elected to the Senate and Dr. Madiha Riaz to the Syndicate, restoring full faculty representation in decision-making forums.
A major decision was approval of 11 institutional policies covering academic appointments, employee welfare and student support. The policies formalise arrangements for Professors of Practice, Meritorious Professors, Professor Emeritus, Senior Fellows, Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Academic Staff.
The approved welfare measures include fee waivers for employees’ children and merit- and need-based scholarships for students.
The Senate also approved the PIDE National Talent Hunt Programme, a nationwide initiative to identify and nurture promising analytical talent through a four-stage selection process. Selected scholars will receive full tuition waivers, stipends and mentorship. The programme will be financed through an endowment fund and corporate and alumni partnerships rather than the government grant.
During deliberations, Senate members discussed engaging Pakistan’s academic diaspora, including scholars at leading global institutions, through sabbaticals and postdoctoral placements to strengthen research and policy work at PIDE.
The Senate approved the business model for the newly developed MS in Project Management (MSPM), a self-financing programme aimed at building project management capacity for Pakistan’s public and development sectors. Drawing on international faculty, top-tier academics and senior practitioners, the programme is structured to break even with 12 enrolled scholars.
The Senate further approved 20 appointments at Professor (BPS-21) and Associate Professor/Chief of Research/Director-ORIC (BPS-20) levels following a multi-stage selection process involving technical evaluation and interviews across six Selection Board sittings. Candidates were assessed through reviews by experts from leading universities in the UK, Australia and Canada.
In closing, the Chancellor directed that members from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan be included in the Senate as we advance, extending representation on the institute’s apex governing body to these regions.
PIDE Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Nadeem Javaid, in turn, called on provincial representatives present at the meeting to deepen their engagement with PIDE on policy research, inviting each province to work with the institute on demand-driven research aligned to its own priorities.
The Chancellor thanked the Vice Chancellor and the Senate for their guidance and support over the past year and expressed confidence in PIDE’s continued role in delivering evidence-based policy solutions to help Pakistan achieve its ambitious export growth targets in the years ahead.
