Visit of Dr. Razaq Raj, Principal Lecturer, Leeds Beckett University to Department of Management Sciences, CIIT Lahore Campus
Dr. Razaq Raj visited Department of Management Sciences, CIIT Lahore Campus from 19 December 2015 to 1 January 2016 under the PPQP (National Talent Pool) program.
The specific objectives of the visit were: (i) to interact with the faculty staff members and post and under graduate students with a view to explore future collaborative research, (ii) to guide post and under graduate students in pursuing their research in completion of the Ph.D. program, (iii) to develop Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage research in Pakistan. The details are given below:
- Seminars to MS and Ph.D. students
He conducted number of seminars for the MS and Ph.D. students. The purpose of these presentations, which were based on his published research in Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, Strategic Management and Financial Management, was to demonstrate to the post and under graduate students. How the research idea is conceived, how is it developed into researchable hypotheses, how empirical research is conducted, the writing of the paper, and submission to academic journals. The research presentations also provided opportunities to explain to the students the strategic growth model and financial risk models related to the research papers, and current issues in theoretical, empirical and applied finance. The students has benefitted from lectures and discussions.
- A Seminar to the MS Students on Thesis Structure
The main goal of this seminar was to introduce the students to understand the MS thesis structure and design. In depth discussion taken place during the seminar with students. Similarly, the students seemed to lack critical understanding of the subject area and primary research design. It seems to be an area where there is a considerable room for improvement.
- Individual Meetings with the Faculty and Graduate Students:
During my visit he also met with academic staff, post and under graduate students, individually and in groups on various occasions. The purpose of the meetings was to find common grounds for collaborative research, as well as to guide the staff and post graduate students in their research endeavors.
He visited religious sites i.e. Nankana Sahib and Katas Raj with Dr. Abdus Sattar Abbasi, Head of Department for Management Sciences. The purpose of the visit to Religious Sites was to enhance the research collaboration and publish the research papers and books. In the current literature there is relatively limited research exploring the understanding and motivation of religious tourists’ patterns of visitation to sacred sites within Pakistan.
The following research collaboration has been agreed with Dr. Abdus Sattar Abbasi.
Articles
- Emerging Religious Tourism in Pakistan
- The Religion and Pilgrimage Tourism within Pakistan
- Visitors’ Experience of Pilgrimage sites of Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists in Pakistan
Books and Proposals
- Book title: Religious Sacred Sites as Tourism Attractions in Asia – CABI Publishing UK.
Book Proposal for Higher Education Commission Pakistan
- Book title Religious Tourism in Pakistan
Book Chapter (Raj and Griffin)
- Sacred Routes and Conflicts
Funding Opportunities
- Apply for project funding with British Council
- Apply for religious tourism funding with UNESCO
In conclusion the visit under the PPQP (NTP) program has been very successful and knowledge sharing experience for the host institution. It has been a great enriching experience for him to have interacted with the CIIT faculty staff and students.