ISLAMABAD: The Innovation Steering Committee of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has been holding brainstorming sessions to focus on making the universities a powerhouse of high-growth innovation, applied research and entrepreneurship. The committee on Saturday met with Imtiaz Rastgar in the chair to discuss different opportunities and challenges for tapping potential of faculty members and students at length. The members were tasked to come up with models and formats to make role of Office of Research Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) more proactive and target-oriented. HEC Executive Director Dr Arshad Ali was also present during the meeting. Incentive policy for ORIC, faculty and students to attract them for innovation commercialisation and entrepreneurship was also thoroughly discussed besides presentation of a roadmap for ORIC visibility and outreach. The meeting also mulled over strategy to engage senior management of universities to further strengthen the scope of ORIC and the process of their monitoring and evaluation. Dr Arshad Ali reiterated HEC’s commitment to enhance the scope of innovation and commercialisation through incubation centres. He also shed light on various other programmes of the commission that help universities in developing a culture of relevant research. The committee also discussed means to strengthen links between academia and industry through ORICs. The representatives of industry, ORICs and other stakeholders attended the meeting.