November-December 2015
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Inside this Issue From the Executive Director’s Desk 01 News/Activities/Highlights from COMSATS 02 Secretariat Special Section: Second International 08 Workshop on ‘Applications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare and Agriculture’, Rabat S&T Indicators of Member State: Iran 11 Activities/News of COMSATS’ 13 Centres of Excellence Opinion: Role of Intellectual Property in 16 Promoting Innovation: From the Perspective of Developing Countries Science, Technology and Development 18 Profile of Head of Centre of Excellence: 19 Prof. Dr. Ahmed Ghrabi, Director General Group Photo of the organizers and participants of International Conference on Mathematical CERTE, Tunisia Modelling, Abuja, Nigeria (28-29 December 2015) COMSATS’ Brief and Announcements 20 Patron: Dr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi From the Executive Director’s Desk Executive Director COMSATS In the last issue of COMSATS Newsletter refugees suffered inhuman treatment on Editors: for the year 2015, it will be instructive to some European soils, the well-known face Mr. Irfan Hayee Ms. Farhana Saleem recall what the year entailed for the world at of the special envoy of United Nations High large, in general, and for COMSATS, in Commissioner for Refugees was most Editorial Support: particular. In so far as it is difficult to conspicuous because of its absence. Mr. Abdul Majid Qureshi characterize a temporal segment of the Except for Germany, most rich nations history of mankind as generally good or shied away from accommodating sufficient Designing & Development: bad, what may be of interest is to identify number of refugees claiming their inability Mr. Imran Chaudhry the best and the worst occurrences during to meet financial and social costs, the relevant period. The relative frequency notwithstanding the generous spending on Contributions from readers are of all that happened within extreme ends of bombing Middle Eastern countries. Surely, welcome on any matter these categories, could serve as a measure this year saw one of the worst human relevant to the mission of of objective review, although the choice of tragedies and a woefully inhuman response COMSATS, namely the extremes in itself could be different, to it. promotion of South-South depending on different perspectives. In cooperation in science and terms of human suffering, the worst The hope for a better future for all nations, technology for sustainable progress of the developing episode that occurred in 2015 was irrespective of their current economic countries. The responsibility epitomized by the corpse of a three-year old standings, was of course rekindled in 2015 for the accuracy of any Syrian refugee child washed ashore on a with landmark achievements at some UN information rests with the Turkish beach. The mayhem in Syria, forums. In New York, the United Nations original source. Views created by regional rivalries and conflicting Sustainable Development Summit expressed in this publication interests of world powers, led to the approved the 2030 Agenda with 17 do not necessarily reflect traumatization of a whole nation and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) those of its editors, publisher or COMSATS. exodus of millions in search of refuge. The having 169 associated targets. This champions of human rights, who never fail resulted in a smooth upgrading of COMSATS Secretariat: to sermonize developing countries about Millennium Development Goals (MDG), Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat, G-5/2 rights of refugees and legal obligations of which were set for the first 15 years of the Islamabad - Pakistan States in this respect, balked when hordes new millennium. It is claimed that the new Tel: (+92-51) 9214515 to 17 of desperate victims made their way to goals are ‘supremely ambitious’. Some Fax: (+92-51) 9216539 Europe, risking the lives of their families en E-mail: [email protected] route to a perceived safe haven. While most continued on page 03 URL: www.comsats.org COMSATS Newsletter, November - December 2015 COMSATS Newsletter, November - December 2015 NEWS/ACTIVITIES/HIGHLIGHTS FROM COMSATS SECRETARIAT Executive Director COMSATS visits IROST, upon the matters of leading the Group on ‘Renewable the public expressions of recognizing science as a vehicle informed and sustainable choices, particularly in areas of Iran Energy’, and participation in another Group, i.e., ‘Climate for socio-economic development by political leaderships healthcare, energy, and environment. Dr. Faisal Khan Change and Environmental Protection’ led by COMSATS’ and decision-makers of the developing countries, very little asserted the urgent need to encourage start-ups to bridge Interactivity with COMSATS’ Network of Centres of Centre of Excellence in China. IROST is one of the Centres is being done by way of actions to back these statements. He the gap between academia and industry in Pakistan, Excellence is a high priority at COMSATS Secretariat to offering scholarships to students from COMSATS’ Member said that World Science Day is an opportunity to make a especially with regard to the emerging sciences. He ensure mutually beneficial relationships among the member States. Related issues were also discussed along with the commitment to encourage young scientists to take a considered emerging trends related to Synthetic Biology as institutions and sound technical inputs for COMSATS’ possibility of Iranian students availing similar offers from leadership role in future. He appreciated COMSATS one such opportunity for Pakistan and urged the relevant international programmes and activities. After the 17th COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT). The Science Diplomacy Programme launched in early 2015, as a quarters to take immediate measures to optimally benefit COMSATS Coordinating Council Meeting, May 19-20, officials discussed ways to mobilise Iran’s Annual major initiative for advocacy of science. from it. Dr. Pervaz advocated technology-transfer and 2014, Tehran, Iran, hosted by COMSATS’ Iranian Network Membership Contribution to COMSATS and donation technical cooperation among the developing countries, and Member, the Iranian Research Organization for Science and towards its Endowment Fund, as well as to seek support for The technical deliberations of the event comprised of three diversification of energy supply as means for achieving Technology (IROST), the Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. COMSATS Technology Park from Iranian institutions, like presentations on: ‘Status of Science in a contemporary reduced energy-related imports. I.E. Qureshi, visited the Islamic Republic of Iran during IROST Incubation Centre and Pardis Technology Park. Pakistani Society’ by Dr. Ayesha December 2015. Arranged by Mustafa Prize Foundation, the Razzaque, an Independent Education visit to Iran was primarily undertaken to participate in the The important developments taking place at IROST Consultant; ‘The Case for Next Mustafa Prize 2015 ceremony. Incubation Centre were shared by Dr. Molanejad. He Generation of Life Sciences’ by Dr. informed Dr. Qureshi that Prof. Nasrin Moazami would lead Faisal F. Khan, Director, Institute of th the COMSATS’ ITRG on ‘Renewable Energy’. The On 26 December 2015, Dr. Qureshi held a meeting with the Integrative Biology, CECOS University of Executive Director strongly advised that correspondence newly appointed President of IROST, Prof. Fathollah Information Technology and Emerging should be initiated by Prof. Moazami to select her Group Moztarzadeh, accompanied by Prof. Abdolreza Samimi, Sciences; Peshawar, Pakistan; and Members. Prof. Samimi assured Dr. Qureshi that the issues Vice President for Technology Development IROST, and Dr. ‘Energy Options for a Sustainable raised by him will be thoroughly followed up. On behalf of his M. Molanejad, Acting President for International Future’, by Dr. M. Pervaz, Director- organization, Prof. Moztarzadeh pledged continued support Cooperation IROST. In his meeting with the senior IROST General, Hydrocarbon Development rd to COMSATS’ programmes. officials, Dr. Qureshi discussed key outcomes of the 3 Institute of Pakistan. General Meeting of COMSATS, held in Ghana (October Apart from attending the Mustafa Prize 2015 ceremony and 2015), which included harmonized Statutes of COMSATS; Dr. Razzaque presented a case for holding meetings at IROST, high-points of Dr. Qureshi’s visit and extension of COMSATS’ Strategic Plans for the next five creating a science-literate society based to Iran included visits to Pardis Technology Park, AryoGen years. The purpose and procedures involving COMSATS’ on the fact that such societies make World Science Day 2015: Discussion Forum Chaired by Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad Biotechnology Company, and Iran Nanotechnology Initiative International Thematic Research Groups (ITRG) were also Council (INIC). During the course of the visits to these discussed. Centres and interactions with local and foreign S&T leaders participating in Mustafa Prize ceremony, the programmes contd. from page 1 ... ‘From the Executive Director’s Desk’ undertaken through its programme of ‘International Thematic The officials also deliberated upon were also discussed the and activities of COMSATS were highlighted and Research Groups’ (ITRG). The spectrum of activities under matter of IROST establishing a ‘Centre for Human Research collaborations sought wherever feasible. may even find these to be utopian. However, hope is the best the ambit of ‘capacity-building’ encompasses technician level Development in Advanced Science and Technology’, which workshops on repair and maintenance of scientific equipment