The Office of Faculty Research (OFR) at ULAB was established in 2010 under the leadership of the late Professor Brian Shoesmith, playing a pivotal role in advancing research at the university. Professor Shoesmith initiated the Faculty Research Grant scheme, setting a model among Bangladeshi universities. Under the subsequent leadership of Professor Sumon Rahman, OFR expanded its services and resources, fostering a dynamic research culture aligned with ULAB’s mission, vision, and guiding principles. Committed to promoting innovation, interdisciplinary, and societal impact, OFR continues to support faculty members in research and academic publishing, encouraging collaborative research locally and internationally.
To promote high-quality research, ULAB has implemented a publication reward scheme aimed at recognizing and encouraging scholarly excellence. Under this initiative, faculty members publishing articles in prestigious Scopus, IEEE, or Web of Science-indexed journals are awarded monetary rewards, while students publishing papers receive separate incentives. Additionally, the Office of Faculty Research (OFR) provides conference participation grants to support faculty and students presenting their research at academic conferences. These grants are designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and enhance ULAB’s visibility in the global research community. Furthermore, to maintain ethical research standards, OFR conducts ethical review meetings periodically to ensure that research proposals adhere to established ethical guidelines, effectively mitigate potential risks, and prioritize participant welfare. This comprehensive approach demonstrates ULAB’s commitment to fostering a rigorous and responsible research environment.
OFR also focuses on capacity building by organizing interdisciplinary seminar series, workshops on proposal writing and research methodology, and mentorship in research proposal development, report writing, and securing external funding. Furthermore, it provides essential research support services, including predatory journal alerts, funding opportunity notifications via a grants database, a Young Researcher’s Pool, and a database of faculty research specializations and publications. Through these initiatives, OFR plays a crucial role in strengthening ULAB’s interdisciplinary research ecosystem, empowering faculty members and students to contribute meaningfully to academia and society.