Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.

<h4>Background</h4>Grant administration plays a pivotal role in the success of research and academic endeavors. However, in Pakistan, academic institutions often face challenges in this domain, primarily due to a lack of specialized training and infrastructure.<h4>Aims</h4>Th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mustafa Hassan, Bakhtawar Ghafoor, Gerald Bloomfield, Ayeesha Kamal, Aysha Almas, Safia Awan, Muhammed Tariq, Salim Virani, Zainab Samad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314141
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850129259177181184
author Mustafa Hassan
Bakhtawar Ghafoor
Gerald Bloomfield
Ayeesha Kamal
Aysha Almas
Safia Awan
Muhammed Tariq
Salim Virani
Zainab Samad
author_facet Mustafa Hassan
Bakhtawar Ghafoor
Gerald Bloomfield
Ayeesha Kamal
Aysha Almas
Safia Awan
Muhammed Tariq
Salim Virani
Zainab Samad
author_sort Mustafa Hassan
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Grant administration plays a pivotal role in the success of research and academic endeavors. However, in Pakistan, academic institutions often face challenges in this domain, primarily due to a lack of specialized training and infrastructure.<h4>Aims</h4>This research paper presents the outcomes of a comprehensive capacity-strengthening workshop, hosted in two cities, aimed at improving grant administration skills in Pakistani academic institutions.<h4>Methodology</h4>A pre and post-survey analysis was conducted to assess participants' knowledge and experience. A pre-survey method was used to develop the learning objectives and content for the workshop, whereas the post-survey tool was used to assess the immediate effect of a two-day capacity-strengthening workshop on participants' knowledge of grants.<h4>Results</h4>Response rates for Karachi participants were 86% pre and 87% post, while for Islamabad participants, they were 63% pre and 57% post. Notably, participants in Islamabad, where infrastructure and support services are often less advanced, exhibited significant improvement in their understanding of grant administration processes. Factors contributing to the workshop's success included its dynamic content, interactive learning methods, and an inclusive learning environment.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The outcomes of this research provide insights into the effectiveness of tailored capacity-strengthening programs in addressing the unique needs of diverse academic institutions. In addition, it highlights the potential of collaborative learning, where participants from various backgrounds come together to enhance their collective knowledge. This initiative underscores the importance of enhancing grant administration skills to foster a more robust research ecosystem in Pakistan.
format Article
id doaj-art-9c2acd5e9f054e1bb7097b985ebcb71b
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2024-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-9c2acd5e9f054e1bb7097b985ebcb71b2025-08-20T02:33:04ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011911e031414110.1371/journal.pone.0314141Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.Mustafa HassanBakhtawar GhafoorGerald BloomfieldAyeesha KamalAysha AlmasSafia AwanMuhammed TariqSalim ViraniZainab Samad<h4>Background</h4>Grant administration plays a pivotal role in the success of research and academic endeavors. However, in Pakistan, academic institutions often face challenges in this domain, primarily due to a lack of specialized training and infrastructure.<h4>Aims</h4>This research paper presents the outcomes of a comprehensive capacity-strengthening workshop, hosted in two cities, aimed at improving grant administration skills in Pakistani academic institutions.<h4>Methodology</h4>A pre and post-survey analysis was conducted to assess participants' knowledge and experience. A pre-survey method was used to develop the learning objectives and content for the workshop, whereas the post-survey tool was used to assess the immediate effect of a two-day capacity-strengthening workshop on participants' knowledge of grants.<h4>Results</h4>Response rates for Karachi participants were 86% pre and 87% post, while for Islamabad participants, they were 63% pre and 57% post. Notably, participants in Islamabad, where infrastructure and support services are often less advanced, exhibited significant improvement in their understanding of grant administration processes. Factors contributing to the workshop's success included its dynamic content, interactive learning methods, and an inclusive learning environment.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The outcomes of this research provide insights into the effectiveness of tailored capacity-strengthening programs in addressing the unique needs of diverse academic institutions. In addition, it highlights the potential of collaborative learning, where participants from various backgrounds come together to enhance their collective knowledge. This initiative underscores the importance of enhancing grant administration skills to foster a more robust research ecosystem in Pakistan.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314141
spellingShingle Mustafa Hassan
Bakhtawar Ghafoor
Gerald Bloomfield
Ayeesha Kamal
Aysha Almas
Safia Awan
Muhammed Tariq
Salim Virani
Zainab Samad
Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.
PLoS ONE
title Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.
title_full Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.
title_fullStr Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.
title_full_unstemmed Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.
title_short Building block for success: A case study of capacity-strengthening in grant administration for Pakistani universities.
title_sort building block for success a case study of capacity strengthening in grant administration for pakistani universities
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314141
work_keys_str_mv AT mustafahassan buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT bakhtawarghafoor buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT geraldbloomfield buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT ayeeshakamal buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT ayshaalmas buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT safiaawan buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT muhammedtariq buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT salimvirani buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities
AT zainabsamad buildingblockforsuccessacasestudyofcapacitystrengtheningingrantadministrationforpakistaniuniversities