Call for boosting research ties with OIC countries

Webinar held on ‘Academic Collaboration, Science Diplomacy’

ISLAMABAD:

A webinar on ‘Academic Collaboration, Science Diplomacy and OIC: Challenges and Opportunities’ was organised jointly by COMSTECH and the Department of International Relations, Islamia University Bahawalpur on Monday.

The objective of the event was to bring stakeholders from academic management and diplomatic circles together to address bottlenecks and create opportunities for international academic collaboration through science diplomacy.

The chief guest, Federal Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) Dr Arshad Mahmood said that it is our collective responsibility to collaborate and join hands for addressing challenges effectively, particularly in the current Covid-19 situation.

He said that academic institutions have a vital role to play in addressing various problems being faced by the Muslim community. There is a dire need to create collaborations and partnerships among the higher education institutions of the Islamic countries so that they may benefit from one another’s experience, expertise and knowledge, he added.

IUB Vice Chancellor Prof Athar Mahboob highlighted the challenges faced by the Muslim world. He stressed the need for cooperation and joint research projects.

COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof M Iqbal Choudhary stressed the need for developing linkages. He mentioned that there are some good research institutions in the OIC member states and emphasised the development of academic collaboration and funding mechanism for joint science projects.

Pakistan Science Foundation Chairman Prof Shahid Mahmood Baig said that everything can’t be made available under one roof for science research. There are many good institutions, research groups and labs working in OIC countries, he added.

He offered full support from his institution both technically and financially to joint activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2021.