Rawalpindi Women University (RWU) has achieved a historic distinction as the first women-only university from Pakistan to join the prominent Silk Road Agricultural Education and Research Innovation Alliance (SAERIA), an influential organization under the ambit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This significant milestone highlights RWU’s growing global profile, underscores its commitment to women-led academic research, and promises extensive opportunities for both students and faculty to engage in agricultural innovation and international collaborations.
The alliance, SAERIA, is an exceptional platform uniting over 156 institutions from approximately 19 countries, primarily within Central Asia. Its objectives include fostering sustainable agricultural development, facilitating scientific innovations, and enhancing regional cooperation. RWU’s entry into the alliance signals its proactive role in contributing to sustainable agriculture, biotechnology, biodiversity conservation, and eco-friendly innovations on a global level.
This notable accomplishment was realized through the strong, visionary leadership and persistent dedication of RWU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Anila Kamal. Prof. Kamal was invited by the Silk Road Alliance and Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (NWAFU) to represent Pakistan at the alliance’s annual international summit in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The summit, co-hosted by NWAFU, China, and the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University, served as a robust platform for discussions on agricultural innovation, food security, and climate-resilient agricultural strategies.
Representing Pakistan prominently at this international forum, Prof. Dr. Anila Kamal officially expressed the country’s firm commitment to regional cooperation in agricultural science and sustainability. In her formal pledge, she affirmed Pakistan’s dedication to collaborative research in agricultural biotechnology, biodiversity protection, and eco-innovative approaches. She underscored her country’s commitment to gender equality in the sciences, stressing the need to actively involve female researchers and students in international dialogues and partnerships. Prof. Kamal conveyed appreciation to the Silk Road Alliance and other summit hosts for creating avenues enabling women-led universities such as RWU to help shape inclusive agricultural policies aligned with future global priorities.
Throughout the summit, Prof. Kamal engaged in fruitful discussions with leading figures from prominent institutions within the alliance, including Prof. Dr. Lixin Zhang, Chairman of the Belt and Road Biohealth Agricultural Industrial Alliance. Their interactions focused on exploring mutually beneficial avenues in research collaboration, student and faculty exchanges, and policy cooperation under China’s strategic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
RWU’s entry into SAERIA presents its faculty and students with significant opportunities for growth, academic enrichment, and global exposure. Anticipated benefits include participation in international exchange programs, access to fully-funded scholarships, and research training at esteemed institutions across China and Central Asia. Such partnerships will empower RWU, enhancing its research capabilities significantly in agricultural biotechnology, biohealth, climate-smart strategies, and biodiversity conservation.
The seeds for RWU’s participation in this alliance were sown earlier this year with the successful organization of a trilateral meeting between RWU, NWAFU, and Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU). Under the theme “Strengthening Pak-China Partnerships for Agricultural Advancement and Environmental Sustainability,” the meeting highlighted joint research ventures, academic exchanges, and the launch of a Pak-China Agro-Biodiversity Research Centre initiative. Leading academic experts such as Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad from QAU and Prof. Dr. Lixin Zhang from NWAFU strongly endorsed RWU’s proactive steps and supported its future role in the alliance.
Reflecting on RWU’s historic entry into SAERIA, Vice Chancellor Dr. Anila Kamal stated with pride, “It is a moment of pride that a women-led university from Pakistan is now part of a powerful regional platform shaping the future of agriculture and sustainability. We are proud to be contributing to this dialogue and paving the way for our young women to learn, lead, and innovate globally.”
