‘The Role of Academia in Policy Processes’

Chairman IPS Khalid Rahman delivered a lecture on ‘The Role of Academia in Policy Processes’ at a seminar collaboratively held with the similar title by IPS and Karachi University’s Department of Mass Communication at the latter’s premises on November 26, 2021.

Speaking on the occasion, Rahman shed light on how academic discourses play a role in shaping the public opinion, which in turn can go on to have an impact on policymaking at the national level.

Rahman stressed that if academics are genuinely interested in the betterment of the society which they are a part of, their research should be aimed at following the issues of their surroundings, society, industry, and the world in general. This way they will be able to contribute significantly towards shaping public perceptions, and consequently, reforming policy agendas indirectly.

Rahman then linked his presented notion to the local context, maintaining that researchers from Pakistan too should take it as a responsibility to look at and study the indigenous issues using indigenous lenses, aiming to present homegrown solutions to the local problems.