Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, met Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany Saqlain Syedah at the Embassy of Pakistan in Berlin to discuss ways to strengthen scientific and research collaboration. The meeting focused on enhancing academic partnerships, research cooperation and scientific mobility between German institutions and OIC member states.
Prof. Choudhary welcomed the opportunity to explore links with leading German research organisations including the Leibniz Association, Max Planck Society, Fraunhofer Society and Helmholtz Association, noting that COMSTECH Germany collaboration could significantly build scientific capacity across OIC countries, with particular benefits for Least Developed Countries in Africa.
He proposed establishing a structured COMSTECH-Germany science partnership in collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to promote long-term academic and research cooperation. Priority joint research programmes discussed include work on renewable energy, climate change, health sciences, artificial intelligence and water security, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals to ensure tangible impact for partner countries.
The agenda also covered expansion of scholarships and research mobility through co-branded fellowships and academic exchange programmes, and the option of adapting elements of the German-Jordanian University model to improve access to STEM education for refugees and host communities in OIC member states. Such measures aim to broaden participation and practical training opportunities for students and researchers.
To sustain these efforts, Prof. Choudhary proposed institutionalising an annual Germany-COMSTECH Science Policy Dialogue to deepen science diplomacy, innovation cooperation and sustainable development partnerships. He invited Ambassador Saqlain Syedah to visit COMSTECH headquarters in Islamabad on her next trip to Pakistan to discuss concrete steps for advancing this initiative.
