The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, have formalized a partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at fostering collaboration in policy research, capacity building, and evidence-based policymaking. The agreement focuses on critical areas such as climate adaptation, social protection, and economic empowerment.
Signing Ceremony
The MoU was signed by Dr. Fareeha Armughan, Head of the Center for Evidence Action Research at SDPI, and Prof. Dr. Misbah Bibi Qureshi, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sindh, Thatta Campus. The ceremony was attended by faculty members, researchers, and officials from both institutions.
Scope of Collaboration
Under the memorandum, both institutions will jointly undertake research projects, policy studies, field interventions, capacity-building initiatives, faculty and student exchanges, training programs, and advocacy activities. The partnership also includes student internships, collaborative publications, community engagement, and the development of evidence-based policy recommendations on climate change, social protection, sustainable development, and economic empowerment.
Digital Financial Literacy Training Program
Dr. Fareeha Armughan highlighted that the MoU builds upon a successful initial collaboration between SDPI and the University of Sindh on the Digital Financial Literacy Training (DFLT) program, supported by the European Union in Pakistan and the German Government through GIZ Pakistan. The DFLT program aims to reach remote areas of Sindh, targeting underserved women agricultural workers, and promotes financial inclusion and resilience through sensitization, awareness, and capacity building.
Vulnerability of Thatta
Dr. Armughan noted that the land of Sindh is critically important for development interventions, with Thatta being highly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters. She announced that SDPI would soon launch a second phase of fieldwork involving around 100 students from the University’s Jamshoro campus.
Academic and Policy Integration
Prof. Dr. Misbah Bibi Qureshi emphasized that universities are catalysts for social transformation and that partnerships with think tanks can translate academic knowledge into tangible development outcomes. She stressed the collective responsibility of addressing development challenges through collaboration between academia and policy institutions.
Provincial Focus
Dr. Shafqat Munir Ahmad, Deputy Executive Director (Policy) at SDPI, termed the agreement a significant opportunity for deepening cooperation on research and policy engagement. He noted that since the 18th Constitutional Amendment, SDPI has focused on provincial issues and development priorities, making academic collaboration essential for localized evidence and policy solutions.
Framework for Future Activities
The MoU provides a framework for joint research and policy dialogue on climate change adaptation, social protection, sustainable livelihoods, economic development, and community resilience. It also includes organizing seminars, workshops, conferences, training programs, and public awareness campaigns, encouraging student participation in field research and development initiatives.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dr. Shafqat Munir Ahmad and Dr. Fareeha Armughan presented a souvenir to Prof. Dr. Misbah Bibi Qureshi to commemorate the signing of the agreement.
