Educational research associations the world over are seen to be making tremendous contribution towards building research networks, developing research cultures, enabling policies and practices to be linked to research and increasing the potential impact of research (e.g. British Educational Research Association). In order to initiate the development of a research culture in Developing Countries, Aga Khan University - Institute for Educational Development has taken the initiative to establish an educational research association in Pakistan namely "Pakistan Association for Research in Education" (PARE). Members could include but not be limited to: scholars and academics; educational researchers; educationists; policy makers and practitioners. PARE, earlier called PERA (Pakistan Education Research Association), was launched at the conclusion of the International Conference "Quality in Education: Teaching and Leadership in Challenging Times" during February 21-23, 2006 at AKU-IED.
The aims of the association are

• To promote a vibrant educational research culture in Pakistan
• To enhance the impact of educational research on policy and practice

The specific objectives of the association are to:

• Encourage and support the conduct of educational research on issues of relevance
• Identify, develop and disseminate standards for achieving quality in educational research
• Provide a forum for researchers to share research findings relevant to education with colleagues
• Encourage discussion and debate on methodological issues in educational research in Pakistan
• Disseminate research findings to a variety of stakeholders particularly amongst policy makers and practitioners
• Build research capacity of educationists in Pakistan
• Facilitate access to research databases and publications
• Network with similar organizations at national and international levels

Encourage the conduct and dissemination of comparative research on issues of significance to education in developing countries, particularly in the region

Executive Council Committee Members

• Dr. Nelofer Halai
  Associate Professor & Coordinator, PhD Programme, AKU-IED, Karachi

• Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal
  Director, Institute for Education and Research (IER), University of Punjab, Lahore

• Dr. Meher Rizvi
  Assistant Professor & Coordinator, M.Ed. Programme, AKU-IED, Karachi
•  
• Dr Aslam Adeeb
  Chairman & Professor, Dept of Education, Islamia University Bahawalpur       

• Dr Faisal Bari
  Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Lahore University of
  Management Sciences (LUMS)

• Dr Anjum Halai
  The Amir Sultan Chinoy Group Associate Prof. & Head, RAPS

• Dr Zafar Iqbal
  Professor & Chairman, Dept. of English, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan

• Dr Rozina Karmaliani
  Associate Professor and Director MScN Programme, Aga Khan University
  School of Nursing (AKU-SON) and Joint Faculty, Community Health Sciences
  (CHS), Karachi

• Dr Wazim Khan
  Professor, Institute for Education and Research (IER) University of Peshawar

• Dr Parveen Munshi
  Associate Professor, Faculty of Education University of Sindh, Hyderabad

• Mr. Abbas Rashid
  Chairman, Society for the Advancement of Education, Lahore

• Prof. Dr Rasool Baksh Raisani
  Pro-vice Chancellor, University of Baluchistan, Quetta

• Ms. Tazeen Saeed Ali
  Assistant Professor, AKU-SON and Joint Faculty, CHS, Karachi
  
  
• Ms. Tasneem Shabbar Zaidi
  Principal, Al-Murtaza School, Karachi

• Mr. Malik Shahbaz Ahmad Tahir
  Research and Documentation Specialist at SPO, Islamabad

• Dr Fauzia Shamim
  Professor, Department of English, University of Karachi