COMSTECH

How COMSTECH Is advancing research across the Muslim world an article by Hafiz Ejaz Bashir.

A delegation of young female diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, accompanied by officials of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, visited the COMSTECH Secretariat.

The delegation was warmly received by the Coordinator General COMSTECH H.E. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhry and senior officials. During the interaction, the Coordinator General briefed the delegation on COMSTECH’s mandate, key programmes and initiatives aimed at advancing science, technology and innovation across OIC member states, with particular emphasis on the role of science diplomacy in fostering international cooperation.

The Coordinator General also highlighted COMSTECH’s ongoing programmes and cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran, including coordination and engagement with leading Iranian universities, scientific institutions and research organizations. He underscored the importance of strengthening institutional linkages, academic exchanges and collaborative scientific initiatives for the mutual benefit of OIC member states.

The delegation interacted with COMSTECH officials and international staff members and gained insights into the organization’s efforts to promote scientific collaboration, knowledge exchange and capacity building across the OIC region.

The visiting diplomats appreciated COMSTECH’s contributions to strengthening scientific and technological cooperation among member states and acknowledged the importance of science diplomacy in addressing shared challenges and advancing sustainable development.

The Coordinator General wished the young diplomats every success in their professional careers and expressed confidence that the next generation of diplomats would play an important role in strengthening international understanding, cooperation and people-to-people linkages through diplomacy.

The visit reflected the shared commitment to advancing science diplomacy and further strengthening scientific and institutional cooperation between COMSTECH and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

‏"كومستيك" تدرب 5 آلاف عالم وباحث من 54 دولة .. وتقدم 759 منحة دراسية وزمالة و تنفذ 174 مشروعاً ومبادرة خلال 2025
COMSTECH

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OIC-COMSTECH trains 5,000 scientists & researchers from 54 countries during the year 2025.

_759 scholarships and fellowships, 52 research grants awarded as OIC body expands global academic network_

Islamabad (July 7th, 2026)

The OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) extended its scientific and educational programmes to 54 countries during 2025, training 5,000 scientists and researchers and offering 759 scholarships and fellowships, according to its recent annual report for the year 2025.

The Islamabad-based international body undertook 174 projects and initiatives during the year, awarded 52 research grants and organised 68 training programmes, while expanding its network to more than 80 universities, research centres and academic institutions from OIC member states.

According to the report, scientists, students, researchers and institutions from countries including Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Palestine and Yemen, as well as several African states, benefited from the programmes.

The 759 scholarships and fellowships formed a major part of COMSTECH’s human resource development efforts, providing students and young researchers with opportunities for higher education, research and specialised training at universities and partner institutions in Pakistan and other countries.

The report said 5,000 scientists and researchers received training through 68 programmes covering the use of advanced scientific equipment, biotechnology, health sciences, vaccine technology, information technology and other emerging fields.

Another 52 research grants were awarded to support young and women scientists in biotechnology research, international scientific collaboration and research-related activities. The grants were aimed particularly at researchers in developing countries, where limited access to funding often restricts scientific work.

The report showed that COMSTECH’s activities covered a broad range of sectors. These included 17 initiatives in health and biological sciences, 15 in education, 13 in research, 11 in environment, climate change and water, nine in information technology and nine in development-related fields.

Programmes were also undertaken in agriculture, food security, biotechnology, engineering, humanitarian assistance, energy and science diplomacy.

Moreover, according to the report, COMSTECH conducted free medical and relief camps in flood-affected areas of Punjab during 2025, providing medicines, medical assistance and food rations to around 5,000 affected people in southern Punjab and Chiniot district.

In another major health initiative, COMSTECH, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), LRBT and Al-Shifa Trust, launched an eye surgery campaign across Africa in collaboration with the OIC General Secretariat. The programme provides free cataract and retinal surgeries while also building the capacity of local healthcare professionals through advanced training.

One of the report’s major features was the expansion of a network of more than 80 universities and research institutions. The network is being used to facilitate joint research, training, exchange of expertise and academic linkages across OIC member states and beyond.

The report reflects the growing role of the Islamabad-based COMSTECH Secretariat in connecting scientists, students and institutions across the Muslim world and beyond through research, higher education, capacity building and science diplomacy.