The Coordinator General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary visited COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) on July 16, 2020. Prof. Choudhary was warmly welcomed by Rector CUI Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar. The formal meeting was attended by the senior management of CUI including the Rector, Registrar, Dean Sciences, Eminent Professors, Director CUI Lahore Campus/ Executive Director Inter Islamic Network on Information Technology (INIT) who joined meeting through video link and the Head International Office. Program Officer COMSTECH also attended the meeting.

The Rector gave details of different CUI activities, its engagements with OIC member countries, scholarships and research fellowships given to OIC member countries and long list of activities of INIT. In addition, he gave different research initiatives which CUI took for Covid testing and supply of ventilators during the pandemic. Prof. Dr. Arshad Bhatti gave details of his research work especially with Philips. The Registrar gave details of different research activities, patents filled/ awarded and their commercialization. The Executive Director INIT/ Director CUI Lahore campus gave details of different activities of INIT.

The Coordinator General COMSTECH appreciated CUI efforts for offering different scholarships/ fellowships, research & development activities for combatting Covid-19; and activities of INIT. He briefed about the future areas and priorities of COMSTECH to work jointly with CUI. Various possibilities to enhance Science and Technology cooperation were mutually discussed. Prof. Choudhary proposed further cooperation with CUI with a focus on African countries, women in science and Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries.

The Coordinator General COMSTECH further suggested to establish a COMSTECH funded consortium of excellence which will offer Research Fellowships of 6-12-month duration, opportunities of mobilities for distinguish scholars to travel among OIC world for structured research & development activities and to offer technical trainings on scientific equipment(s) among the member countries.

Coordinator General COMSTECH informed that INIT is one of the most active networks of COMSTECH. It was agreed to further mobilize INIT to initiate work on Artificial Intelligence and Big Data. It was discussed that INIT should hold multiple events in year 2021, at least one each in the geographical areas of African, Arabian, and Central Asian countries.

It was also agreed to sign collaboration between the two entities to further strengthen collaborative activities as well as work jointly for the betterment of Muslim ummah.

At the end, a CUI memento was presented to the honorable guest by Rector CUI and a group photo was snapped.