VTTP National Policy Dialogues Series on S&T, Research, Higher and Basic/Primary Education
The National Policy Dialogue Series is designed as an exercise in participative national policymaking and aimed at inviting societal participation in idea generation, dialogue, and implementation of bold, creative, and pragmatic solutions to Pakistan’s most contentious problems. The first step of this series of interlinked initiatives is a Policy Papers Contest —subsequent activities might include a media dialogue, a national conference of idea champions, and corporate sponsored implementation pilots. Seeking to create a national repository of creative policy proposals and ideas, 5-10 page essays/papers (concise, substantive, and specific) are sought from individuals belonging to the entire cross section of Pakistani society i.e. ALL PROFESSIONALS/STUDENTS dealing with the following suggested topics:
· Higher Education Reform in Pakistan: What Went Wrong, How to Fix it?
· Practical & Innovative Approaches to promoting a Performance Culture in Higher Education.
· What should be the Science and Technology Policy Priorities/Actions for Pakistan?
· What Topical Areas of Research, Science & Technology should Pakistan Stress Upon and why?
· Practical & Creative ways of marketing Pakistan (the brand) and its Research/Technology abroad?
· Practical Models for Delivering Universal Basic & Primary Education in Pakistan.
· Practical & Innovative Approaches to Reforming Basic/Primary Education in Pakistan.
A national committee of experts will judge the essays/papers on several criteria like degree of realism and specificity, practicality/feasibility of proposed approaches, creativity and ingenuity of arguments and solutions, objectivity and quality of research etc. Several awards, including a National First, Second, and Third Prizes (Rs. 25,000, 15,000 and 10,000 respectively) and Plaques as well as Certificates of participation, would be awarded. Entries are due by August 14, 2004 (at the very latest) through email at (policydialogues@vttp.org). One individual may submit more than one paper. Papers would be evaluated and displayed on our website on a rolling basis, so please send in your paper as soon as possible. Please visit VTTP website (http://npds.vttp.org) to download detailed Writers’ Guideline and detailed instructions on the contest or you may send a blank email to VTTP-PolicyDialogues-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to subscribe to contest’s mailing list for receiving a detailed Writers’ Guideline and regular updates. All entries would be made available on VTTP website and those of its co-sponsors. A National Conference, interaction with decision-makers, and other dissemination opportunities might follow.
