The first day of the two-day Capacity Building Workshop titled “Strengthening the University Innovation Ecosystem: Research-Driven Innovation & Market Translation” was organized by the Office of Research Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC), Government College University Faisalabad.

The proceedings began with remarks by the Director ORIC, who outlined the objectives of the workshop and emphasized the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms for research commercialization, consultancy, and innovation.

Building on this perspective, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rauf-i-Azam encouraged faculty members to move beyond conventional research outputs and focus on commercialization and societal impact. He highlighted the importance of national-level policies in enabling effective research translation.

Complementing these views, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Amin shared his insights on adopting a structured, policy-compliant, and institutionally supported approach to consultancy and innovation.

The technical sessions focused on Policy Brief Development and Academic Consultancy Agreements. Dr. Hammad Majeed explained the concept, key components, and role of policy briefs in evidence-based decision making, guiding participants on translating research into actionable policy recommendations.

Dr. Muhammad Junaid, Livestock Promotion Consultant at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, shared practical insights on academic consultancy, identification of opportunities, and development of effective consultancy agreements with industry and government.

The day concluded with interactive discussions, reflecting strong faculty engagement and reaffirming the university’s commitment to research-driven innovation, consultancy, and commercialization aligned with national priorities