ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC), has invited research proposals from faculty members of Pakistani Public and Private sector Universities, in collaboration with the French counterparts, for funding under the PakFrance PERIDOT Research Programme. According to Official Sources from Research & Development Division HEC on Monday, PERIDOT is the Franco-Pakistani Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC) Programme providing opportunities to Pakistani and French researchers to interact for joint research activities. The programme is implemented in Pakistan by HEC and in France, jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (MAEDI), and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR), the sources told. The objective of this programme is to develop new scientific and technological cooperation between French and Pakistani higher education institutions/research laboratories by supporting the mobility of researchers from both sides, they added. Sharing the details of the key features of project, the sources told that the expected number of grants is up to 5 per year, while maximum project duration is 03 years. The priority Areas of the project is Agricultural Productivity and Food Security, Nutrition, Health Sciences, Sustainable Energy, Innovative Governance, and Reforms. The eligible Pakistani faculty member must prepare a joint research proposal on prescribed application form in collaboration with French counterpart. The Pakistani faculty member must submit the joint proposal via HEC online portal: eportal.hec.gov.pk that must be endorsed by the Head of ORIC/Directorate of Research. The proposal submission deadline is Friday, December 24,2021. For further details of the programme, the applicants may visit HEC and Campus France websites: HEC: https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/services/facuIty/peridot/Pages/defauIt.aspx or www.campusfrance.org/fr/peridot. However, queries regarding the programme may be directed to infoperidot@hec.gov.pk.