ISLAMABAD: The Virtual University of Pakistan (VU) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) are working together to develop bilateral cooperation and establish digital platforms to help enhance virtual education across the Muslim world, a senior official said on Wednesday.
ICESCO is a specialized organization that operates under the aegis of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), working to support and strengthen relations among member states in the fields of education, science, culture and communication. The Virtual University of Pakistan is a public university headquartered in Lahore.
“During a meeting with the head of science and technology of ICESCO, Professor Dr. Raheel Qamar, we discussed various aspects of virtual learning and discussed the phenomenal success of the 'Digiskills' program in Pakistan,” VU Rector Professor Dr. Arshad Saleem Bhatti told Arab News, referring to a program launched four years ago to provide digital skills training to Pakistanis from different walks of life.
“Moreover, with ICESCO, VU will arrange boot camps by inviting experts from various Muslim countries,” he said, adding that it had also been agreed that VU would use its platform to overcome the digital divide in North African Muslim states and equip young people there with digital skills.
“For this purpose VU will play a key role in developing content in their languages,” Bhatti added.
ICESCO’s Qamar has also held a separate meeting with COMSTECH officials in Pakistan to promote cooperation in science and technology among OIC member states.
Launched by 57 OIC member states at the platform’s Islamic Summit in Makkah in 1981, COMSTECH is the OIC’s Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. The headquarter of COMSTECH is in Islamabad, Pakistan. One of the body’s main goals is to enhance member states’ capabilities in science and technology.
“During the meeting of officials of COMSTECH and ICESCO, which are OIC organizations, we have discussed four programs to promote science and technology innovations in the Muslim world,” COMSTECH coordinator general Professor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary told Arab News.
Under the first program, COMSTECH and ISESCO will provide fellowships to women scientists in Africa, he said.
“The objective is to promote women scientists as they get minimum opportunities there. Majority of these women scientists will come to Pakistan and work on top research institutions here. Others will be sent to Indonesia, Malaysia and UAE.”
Chaudhary said the second program would pick top Pakistani researchers for COMSTECH and ISESCO fellowships to travel to different countries for the capacity building of Muslim youth there.
The third program relates to space technology where both OIC organizations would launch a space awareness program for youth in the Muslim world.
“The UAE has launched a Mars mission which is a great news and a very proud moment for the Muslim world,” Chaudhry said. “This has brought a visible difference in science and technology education in the Emirates so that should be used for the capacity building of other Muslim countries scientists.”
Another program will promote the innovative work of Muslim scientists, Chaudhry added, in the fields of computer and mobile applications, artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical, food and agriculture.
“We also discussed possibilities of starting exhibitions of made-in-OIC products,” the professor said. “We want to organize a dedicated exhibition of innovative products of the member states in fields related to science and technology.”