ISLAMABAD: To recognize excellence in research, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has invited Pakistani researchers and scholars to apply for the HEC Research Awards 2026-27.
The awards will be given in three categories, Best Researcher, Best Young Researcher and Best Publication- across three broad disciplinary domains. The domains include Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Law, Education, Management and Public Policy; Physical Sciences, Engineering, Technology, Computer Science, Statistics and Mathematics; and Life Sciences, Biological Sciences, Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences.
The Best Researcher Award carries a cash prize of Rs500,000 and is aimed at recognizing researchers whose work has made significant contributions to intellectual and social development. Applicants must have been continuously residing in Pakistan for at least three years as of January 1, 2026.
The Best Young Researcher Award, also carrying Rs500,000, is for researchers under 40 years of age on January 1, 2026. Applicants must have been residing in Pakistan for at least one year. The award focuses on research contributions and future potential in advancing research and addressing social challenges.
The Best Publication Award carries a cash prize of Rs1 million and covers scholarly books and journal articles that have made a significant impact on research or contributed to addressing important problems.
For journal articles, the work must have no more than three authors, be published in an HEC-recognized W-category journal and have at least 100 citations. Books must be published by a recognized academic press and must not be more than three years old as of January 1, 2026.
Under the general eligibility criteria, applicants must not have been blacklisted by HEC, while research submitted for the awards must not have previously received the same award. All submissions will also be checked for plagiarism. Researchers who are eligible for both the Best Researcher and Best Young Researcher categories can apply for only one of the two categories.
The deadline for submission is October 31, 2026. Applications must be submitted through the HEC Research Awards portal, while late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Further details regarding eligibility and the application process are available through the HEC Research Awards portal.
