Karakoram International University conferred annual awards namely; Best University Teacher, Best University Researcher and Best Department on Dr. Muhammad Ismail, Dr. Sajjad Ali and Department of Chemistry, respectively in the recognition of dedication and efforts made by Dr. Ismail and Dr. Ali to promote academic and research milieu in the department on Friday August 4, 2017. The awards comprise a certificate and a cash prize of 50,000 for best teacher, a certificate and cash prize of 30,000 for best researcher and a trophy for the department.

The best teacher award was based on academic, research and creative performance, while the performance of researcher was evaluated on the basis of research and creative work.

A committee comprising of 6 officers headed by Prof. Dr. Muazzam Nizami, director IMARC was constituted to evaluate documents of applicants/ departments for KIU Awards-2017. A dead line was given to the entire faculty/ all departments of KIU to submit the relevant information. For best University teacher of the Year Award, HEC criteria were followed and for the Best Researcher of the Year Award and Best Department of the Year Award, the criteria and weighting was defined by the Committee.

Overall, eight researchers/faculty members from different faculties/departments submitted the information before the deadline for the Best Researcher of the Year Award and six departments from different faculties submitted the information before the deadline for Best Department of the Year Award. The awards were initiated and awarded by Quality Enhancement Cell KIU.

After a detailed scrutiny and evaluation process in line with the set standard guidelines of HEC by Quality Enhancement Cell, Dr. Ismail was selected as best teacher, he obtained his doctorate from HEJ, Research Institute of Chemistry, post-doctorate from the UK. Dr. Ismail won the most prestigious international grant from UNESCO in green chemistry for the year 2016. It is a first time a scientist from Pakistan has been able to win this valuable award from the credible international scientific forum. He has been able to publish 16 SCI articles in world leading journals with a combine impact factor of 27.

Dr. Sajjad Ali is currently serving as head of chemistry department. In the recognition of Dr. Ali’s research activities in 2016, he was honored with Best Researcher of the year-2016. Dr. Ali has published 29 research articles including a patent with a combined impact factor more than 40. In the history of KIU, QEC has introduced these awards for the first time to produce outstanding graduates, good researchers by improvement in the quality of teaching and research. Acting Vice chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalil Ahmed and QEC Director Mir Tazeem Akhtar presented awards and appreciate the contribution of awardees for boosting the standard of research and academics.