ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and a leading Pakistani engineering institute on Sunday signed an agreement to boost cooperation in science, technology and innovation among OIC states, state-run media reported. 

Established by the OIC in 1981 and headquartered in Islamabad, COMSTECH continues to serve as a cornerstone of the OIC’s mission to promote scientific excellence and technological innovation, focusing on sustainable development, poverty reduction, and improvement in quality of life across member states.

State broadcaster Radio Pakistan said the agreement between COMSTECH and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) seeks to enhance joint research, capacity building and knowledge exchange. 

“Under the partnership, COMSTECH and PIEAS will jointly launch educational and scientific programs, organize international conferences, workshops, and training sessions and facilitate faculty and student exchange programs,” Radio Pakistan said. 

The MoU was signed by Professor Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, COMSTECH’s coordinator general and Dr. Naseem Irfan, PIEAS rector, during a ceremony on Sunday attended by senior officials and representatives from both institutions.

Another feature of the agreement is the launch of the Jabir Bin Hayyan Scholarship Program, which will enable students from OIC countries to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, and post-doctoral studies at PIEAS.

The scholarship covers the disciplines of computer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, medical physics, nuclear medicine and other cutting-edge fields.

“The MoU also includes provisions for short-term fellowships, facilitating international academic exchanges and sabbaticals, with accommodation provided by PIEAS,” the state media said. 

The OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization in the world, after the United Nations. It consists of 57 Muslim member states spread across four continents and is considered a collective voice of Muslim countries around the world.