Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)
An Overview of COMSATS’ Activities in 2017
The Gambia
Somalia
Turkey
An Overview of COMSATS’ Activities in 2017 (Excerpted from COMSATS’ Annual Report 2017)
Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)
Table of Contents
1. ACTIVITIES OF COMSATS’ STATUTORY BODIES 02
2. MAJOR SECRETARIAL ACTIVITIES 04
3. ACTIVITIES OF COMSATS’ CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE 06
4. STRENGTHENING TRIANGULAR COOPERATION: COLLABORATIONS WITH 14 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
5. STRENGTHENING SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION: MEETINGS WITH 17 OFFICIALS FROM THE SOUTH
6. INTERNATIONAL VISITS OF SECRETARIAT OFFICIALS 19
7. S&T EVENTS ORGANIZED WITH COMSATS SUPPORT 22
8. SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS 23
9. PUBLICATIONS AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION 25
10. FINANCIAL AFFAIRS 26
LIST OF FOCAL POINTS IN COMSATS’ MEMBER STATES 27
LIST OF HEADS OF CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE 29
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 1 ACTIVITIES OF COMSATS’ STATUTORY BODIES
The Coordinating Council of COMSATS comprises the Heads of its 21 International S&T Centres of Excellence. The Council meets once annually to decide on matters relating to the membership of the Network, in consultation with the Consultative Committee. The Council also approves the programmes and budget of the COMSATS’ Network, as well as makes rules for governing its own procedures.
20th Meeting of COMSATS Research, Arab Republic of Egypt. Coordinating Council (May 14-15, 2017, Cairo, Egypt) The Council Meeting comprised three technical sessions spread over two days. The participants deliberated on a 13-point agenda. COMSATS Coordinating Council held its 20th meeting on May 14-15, 2017 in Cairo, Egypt, Major Outcomes of the Council Meeting which was hosted by COMSATS Centre of Excellence in the country National Research Among the major outcomes of the meeting Centre (NRC). The Centre also holds the were: Chairpersonship of the Council, by virtue of which the Centre’s President Prof. Dr. Ashraf • Induction of Al-Quds University, Palestine, Shaalan chaired the meeting. The two-day in COMSATS’ Network; meeting had participation from 14 Centres • Offers of technical cooperation and of Excellence of COMSATS belonging to scholarships among Network members in a Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Ghana, Kazakhstan, number of fields; Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Senegal, • Reconstitution of Technical Advisory Tanzania, Tunisia and Turkey. Officials from Committee by induction of suitable COMSATS Secretariat and officials of partner members in TAC; international organizations, UNESCO and • Renewed commitment of the Council TWAS also participated in the meeting. Members towards COMSATS’ programmes and assurance of enhanced participation; The meeting was inaugurated on 14th May 2017 • Approval of financial matters and in a graceful ceremony by His Excellency Prof. administrative actions. Khaled Kassem, Senior Assistant Minister for Strategic Plans and Supporting Systems, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
2 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org 2nd Meeting of COMSATS’ Technical the benefit of the Member States. Advisory Committee (November 15, st 2017, Trieste, Italy) 41 Meeting of COMSATS Management Committee The Technical Advisory Committee deliberates on matters affecting technical programmes The COMSATS Management Committee and international collaborations of COMSATS assists the Executive Director’s Secretariat in with a special focus on improving the efficacy implementation of policy decisions taken by of COMSATS’ Network. COMSATS held the the Coordinating Council and other organs second meeting of its International Technical of COMSATS; recommends programmes Advisory Committee on 15th November 2017, and budget of COMSATS; monitors financial in Italy. The meeting was hosted by The World activities of COMSATS; evaluates rules and Academy of Sciences (TWAS). regulations of COMSATS Secretariat; and deliberates upon other administrative issues. The TAC members that attended the meeting COMSATS Management Committee held were: Dr. Sabah AlMomin, Kuwait; Prof. its 41st meeting under the chairmanship of Huadong Guo, China; Dr. Jalila Ben Salah Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. S. M. Junaid Abbes, Tunisia; Prof. Dr. Yin Li, China; Prof. Zaidi, on 2nd March 2017. Sahalu B. Junaidu, Nigeria; and Prof. Dr. Amal AlAboudi, Jordan; while Dr. Richard The three major agenda items of the meeting, Catlow, United Kingdom; and Prof. Dr. Sok which needed immediate attention of the Ching Cheong, Malaysia, participated through members, were: video-conferencing. The Committee members encouraged COMSATS Secretariat to facilitate • defining proper structure of the the expansion of the Network through induction organization; of renowned R&D Centres from the South • enhancement of annual budget; and and the North. TAC also advised COMSATS • induction of new staff members to to facilitate upgradation of existing Centres strengthen the Secretariat. of Excellence through financial and technical support. The members also encouraged A major decision of the Management Committee COMSATS to initiate new programmes and meeting was the unanimous nomination of four projects, which are of significance in achieving members of Board of Governors of CIIT for a the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for term of 3 years.
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 3 MAJOR SECRETARIAL ACTIVITIES
COMSATS Secretariat performs secretarial functions for both the Commission and the Network of Centres of Excellence. It is responsible for holding regular meetings of the statutory bodies and following up their deliberations and decisions. The Secretariat also executes COMSATS’ programmes and activities in partnership with other intergovernmental agencies, national S&T institutions, R&D organizations and members of academia and scientific community across the world. Other core activities of the Secretariat relate to: pooling and managing financial resources; enhancing membership of COMSATS and its Network; and disseminating information to the stakeholders.
Enhancement of Membership of Enhancement of Membership of COMSATS’ Commission COMSATS’ Network
• Turkey became 25th and Somalia became • Al-Quds University, Palestine, became the 26th Member State of COMSATS. By virtue 21st member of COMSATS Network of of the state membership, both the countries International S&T Centres of Excellence will be represented at the Heads-of-State during the 20th Coordinating Council level Commission and the Ministerial level Meeting held in Cairo, Egypt. The Consultative Committee of COMSATS. Certificate of Membership was issued from • Efforts to realize Afghanistan, Argentina, COMSATS to University on 31st May 2017. Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, • As a result of COMSATS active follow-up Brazil, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, through correspondence and interactions Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, with focal points in these countries, Tianjin Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Romania, South Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB) Africa, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, from China, and National University of Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen’s state Science and Technology from Zimbabwe membership continued during 2017. expressed their willingness to join COMSATS’ Network of Centres of Excellence.
4 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org Follow-up of the Decisions of the 20th Excellence to participate in training courses Council Meeting in Science-policy/diplomacy for scientists and diplomats, COMSATS Secretariat • The Coordinating Council advised is encouraging Member Countries and COMSATS Secretariat to continue with Centres of Excellence to benefit from the the efforts for inducting more Centres of offer. Excellence in order to expand and enhance • COMSATS Secretariat also invited the the technical and scientific activities of Member States and Centres of Excellence to COMSATS’ Network. In this regard, the benefit from the offers of scholarships made Mohammed V University (Morocco) was by the Centres of Excellence. engaged. Moreover, the Tianjin Institute • An important outcome of the meeting of Industrial Biotechnology (China) was was a consensus on regularly organizing nominated for induction in COMSATS’ workshops on repair and maintenance of Network of Centers of Excellence. scientific instruments to enhance Science • The Coordinating Council desired to and Technology capacity. The latest effort activate and strengthen other organs made in this regard was organization of of COMSATS, i.e., the Consultative National Training Workshop on Repair Committee and Technical Advisory and Maintenance of Scientific Engineering nd th Committee by holding regular meetings Equipment on 2 -6 October 2017 at to facilitate networking and collaboration KazNU, Almaty, Kazakhstan. among different Member States and Centres of Excellence. Accordingly, the 2nd Disbursement of Annual Membership meeting of TAC was held in Trieste, Italy, Contribution (AMC) on 15th November 2017. • The Council encouraged all Centres of • COMSATS pursued rigorously the matter Excellence to benefit from the scholarship/ of improving the inflows of Annual fellowship programmes of TWAS. In this Membership Contribution. As a result the regard, TWAS has been requested to provide organization received grants from four relevant information and details for Ph.D member states including China, Pakistan, scholarships/post-doctoral fellowships. Kazakhstan and Sudan. • As per the offer made by TWAS for COMSATS’ Member States and Centres of
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 5 ACTIVITIES OF COMSATS’ CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
A group of twenty-one R&D institutions from different developing countries, predominantly COMSATS’ Member States, is affiliated with COMSATS to its Network of International S&T Centres of Excellence. The Network Members serve as COMSATS’ technical resources for South-South cooperation in line with their mandates for programmes of scientific research and development.
A glimpse of some activities of the Centres of COMSATS Network of Centres of Excellence is given below: Excellence as its 21st member during the 20th Coordinating Council Meeting. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University • The University in collaboration with (KazNU), Kazakhstan eCampus University, Italy, co-organized the first international conference titled “Bridging the future: the Women’s • KazNU held an online Conference on nd International Scientific Methodical, titled perspective” on 2 December 2017 in ‘New trends in development of Arabic Naples, Italy. Studies’. • The University signed a cooperation Bangladesh Council of Scientific agreement with European Organization and Industrial Research (BCSIR), for Nuclear Research (CERN) on 13th Bangladesh September 2017. • The Universities of Russia and Kazakhstan • During the reporting period, BCSIR signed a treaty titled ‘Green bridge through published 121 research papers in different th generations’ on 9 November 2017. journals. Twenty one technologies for commercialization were developed and 11 Al-Quds University (AQU), Palestine patents obtained. • Seventy two national and international • Al-Quds University, Palestine, joined seminars, symposia and conferences on
6 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org R&D were organized. Turkey, the Gambia, Somalia, Kingdom • The Council provided training to 423 of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Pakistan. professionals on different scientific These included diplomats, ambassadors, equipment. academicians and other important • In 2017, scientists of BCSIR supervised personalities. 182 M.Sc theses of students from different • Some events that took place at CIIT during universities. the reporting period included: • Events held during 2017 include -- International Seminar on ‘Environmental -- Symposium on ‘Environmental and Climate Change’ (May 9, 2017); Chemistry for Securing Water Quality’ -- 10th Technomoot consisting of seminars, (30th July 2017). symposia, and exhibitions (May 9-10, -- Exhibition on Science and Technology 2017); and a seminar on “Biomass for Greener -- 9th South Asian International Conference World” (19th - 21st January 2017) was on ‘Today’s vision, tomorrow’s reality’ organized by Pulp and Paper Research (August 23- 25, 2017); Division of BCSIR Laboratories, Dhaka. -- International conference on Environmentally Sustainable COMSATS Institute of Information Development 2017 (August 26-27, 2017); Technology (CIIT), Pakistan -- Sustainable Urban Development-SUD 2017 (October 25-26, 2017); th • In 2017, a total of 127 research projects, 117 -- 15 Frontiers of Information Technology travel grant applications and 7 seminar/ Conference (FIT-2017) (December 17- workshops were approved. Eleven US, one 22, 2017). UK and four Pakistani patents filed and four patents (3 US and 1 Pakistani) accepted. Council for Scientific and Industrial • Forty five international students (including Research (CSIR), Ghana 26 Ph.Ds, 10 Postdoctoral, 6 MS, 2 Undergraduate and 1 Senior Visiting • The Crops Research Institute (CRI) of Researcher) were enrolled. the Council for Scientific and Industrial • Important visitors were received from Research (CSIR) released four new yam Thailand, Afghanistan, France, China, varieties, namely Afaase Adepa, Afaase Australia, United Kingdom, Jordan, Japan, Hoodenfoo, Afaase Biri and Afaase
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 7 Soanyinto. The new varieties, which have cardboard to control weeds by crowning, been tried and evaluated for over 10 years, pizza boxes were used for recovery of are said to be very nutritious, high yielding pastures. and pest resistant. • Development of bacterial inoculant that • Governing Council for Scientific and promotes biological, nitrogen fixation Industrial Research (CSIR), Accra, Ghana, resulting increase in cowpea productivity was inaugurated on 18th July 2017. by up to 33 percent. • The EMBRAPA Agrobiologia’s Johanna EMBRAPA Agrobiologia, Brazil Döbereiner Biological Resource Center (CRB-JD) was inaugurated in Rio de EMBRAPA Agrobiologia organized a number Janeiro. of capacity-building activities during the year • A research group of EMBRAPA 2017. These include: Agrobiologia on food security was founded.
• A field day on cowpea for the farmers of During the reporting period researchers from Paty do Alferes. Ghana visited EMBRAPA Agrobiologia, Brazil • EMBRAPA Academic Hackathon in on November 27, 2017, to learn about the Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro. process of inoculant production and benefits • 5th Global meeting of Alliance for of Rhizobium inoculant technology for small- Mountains at the United Nations holding vegetable farmers. Headquarters for Agriculture was held on 12th December 2017 in Rome. During the Industrial Research and Consultancy meeting, the Mountains 2018 was launched Centre (IRCC), Sudan for protection of land. • Two courses were conducted on collection • IRCC established and operationalized and management of forest seeds in a Soybean Processing Pilot Plant at its conservation units. premises. The plant is a part of a project ‘Supporting Food and Nutrition Security in Some of the research activities carried out in the Sudan through Soybean’. reporting period were: • A delegation from the UNIDO, Vienna, visited IRCC on 16th December 2017 • A study on the use of material as cheap as in connection with R&D cooperation
8 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org • Project to develop a National Mercury Release Inventory for the industrial sector was also initiated during January 2017. • ITI provided technical services during the reporting period pertaining to: -- paper and printing ink used in text books, -- rice samples to check toxicity, -- analysis of pesticides residues, Sudan dyes, Histamine and antibiotic residues by GCMS-MS, and -- noise, vibration, air and water quality. • During 2017, ITI organized 9 and participated in 20 capacity-building in Cleaner Production in Sudan. The activities. visit concluded with an Agreement on • Two international collaborative research the Resource of Efficiency and Cleaner projects during the year were also initiated: Production in the Republic of Sudan. A collaborative research with Korean Food Research Institute on Biological activity Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), evaluation system assistant project for Sri Lanka nutraceutical applications of Sri Lankan native plants; and An Indo – Sri Lanka • The two major research sections of the ITI, Research Programme. Sri Lanka, Food Technology Section and • Fourteen research articles were published. Herbal Technology Section resumed their operation in January 2017. International Centre for Chemical and • A joint research project with the Medical Biological Sciences (ICCBS), Pakistan Faculty of University of Sri Jayawardanepura, Sri Lanka, on bioactivity studies of Eclipta • During 2017, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, prostrate and another project carrying out Director ICCBS, was appointed as a clinical trials on Coccinia grandis with member of the National Commission for Medical Faculty, University of Ruhuna, Sri Science and Technology (NCST). Lanka, also commenced during the year. • The American Heart Association (AHA),
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 9 United States, awarded “Paul Dudley International Centre for Climate and White International Science Team Award” Environment Sciences (ICCES), China to three ICCBS scientists for their poster presentation. • ICCES developed a CAS Earth system • Pakistan’s first Sino-Pakistan Ethnomedicine model and climate forecast system to help Research Center was inaugurated at ICCBS find solutions to climate and environmental th on 10 February 2017. challenges confronting developing • A Research and Development Centre of countries. the pharmaceutical company, The Searle • The Centre organized/co-organized and Company Limited (TSCL) was inaugurated participated in various capacity-building at ICCBS Technology Park and Technology activities. Covering a variety of topics Incubation Centre. including climate change, environmental • ICCBS obtained following accreditations challenges, oceanic and atmospheric and certifications during the reporting administration, disaster prevention, and period seasonal and decadal prediction. -- ISO 17043:2010 Accreditation for IAC, ICCBS South-South Cooperation was facilitated -- ISO 9001:2015 Standard Certification with visits to and from institutions from the • The Centre inked a number of agreements South, which include: COMSATS Institute of of cooperation, with important institutions Information Technology, Pakistan; Sri Lanka; from China, Palestine, South Africa, and Tajikistan Academy of Sciences, China; and Pakistan. International Centre of Physics (CIF), Colombia. • The capacity building events organized by Prof. Zhaohui Lin, Director of ICCES, visited the ICCBS in 2017 include: National Research Center (NRC), Egypt, from -- Three-day workshop on ‘Next Generation May 16-17, 2017 and signed a Memorandum of DNA Sequencing Data Analysis’ (March Understanding between ICCES and NRC. 27-29, 2017); th -- 6 International Symposium-cum- • The Centre completed thirty-year numerical Training Course on Molecular Medicine experiments on ensemble hind casting of and Drug Research (November, 6-9, IAP-AGCM 4.1, evaluated (Preliminary) 2017); the model’s forecasting ability of summer climate anomaly and days of extreme high
10 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org temperature in China. National Research Centre (NRC), • Headway was made improving real-time Egypt numerical climate prediction system and research on predictability and forecasting • The researchers obtained a patent for methodology. the new compound, which includes • The Center also made progress on the microorganisms that could increase wheat development of ocean circulation and yields in arid and semi-arid regions by as land surface models and developed a new much as 68 percent. The new compound module for plant establishment in the would contribute to increasing wheat dynamic global vegetation IAP-DGVM, productivity by making it possible to plant • On May 16, 2017, World Meteorological wheat in completely arid lands. st Organization (WMO) awarded its 61 • On 8th January 2017, Mr. Ahmed Soud, International Meteorological Prize (IMO) Chief Executive, Egyptian Environmental to Prof. Qing-Cun Zeng, founding director Affair Agency; and Dr. Ashraf Shaalan, and member of ICCES of Sciences. President, National Research Center signed • The Institute of Atmospheric Physics, a cooperation protocol for conservation Chinese Academy of Sciences was given the of Environment. The protocol targets lead of CAS’ newly developed Earthlab. promotion of technical and applied research capacity in conservation and protection of National Mathematical Centre environment. (NMC), Nigeria Royal Scientific Society (RSS), Jordan NMC organized a few capacity-building activities including: During 2017, the RSS officials received a number of international awards and recognitions, • A competition for Mathematics students including. from Universities across the Nigeria (1st to • The Director-General of UNESCO, Ms. 6th April 2017); and Irina Bokova, honored Princess Sumaya • A three-day Conference of ‘Mathematical bint Hassan of Jordan (President RSS) with Sciences Students Association’ of Nigerian the title of ‘UNESCO Special Envoy for Tertiary Institutions (17th-21st April, 2017). Science for Peace’ (2017-2019).
NMC initiated collaboration with Professor Nkechi Agwu, Carnegie and an African Diaspora Fellow on Ethno-Mathematics under a capacity building framework in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Prof. Dr. Moiz-ud-din Khan, Chairperson of the Department of Mathematics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, Pakistan, was hosted during his three day visit to the Centre 11-13 September, 2017. It helped open avenues of collaboration between CIIT and NMC.
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 11 • Her Royal Highness was also awarded Tanzania Industrial Research and a Chancellor’s Citation by Chancellor Development Organization (TIRDO), Nicholas Dirks. Tanzania • Dr. Muhammad Saidam, Chief Scientist, RSS, was among 15 eminent scientists • The TIRDO Energy Division acquired and experts to work as ‘Team of Global state-of-the-art equipment (including CHS Experts to Serve UN’, with the various Analyzer and Bomb Calorimeter Parr 6400) branches of the United Nations to compile for analyzing the quality of coal (and other comprehensive reports with the aim of energy materials). giving policy-makers necessary data and • A Greener Casava processing system was information on sustainable development. developed by TIRDO, which consists of a grating machine with a pressing unit, a The World Science Forum 2017 was organized hybrid solar-biogas tunnel drying system by the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan for cassava grits, yeast fermentation system (RSS), in collaboration with the United for bioethanol production and bacteria Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural fermentation system for production of Organization (UNESCO); Hungarian Academy oligosaccharides, and anaerobic digester for of Sciences (MTA); American Association for biogas production. the Advancement of Science (AAAS); World • TIRDO scientists brought out 13 Academy of Sciences (TWAS); European publications during 2017. Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC); International Council for Science (ICSU); Inter- Academy Partnership (IAP); International TUBITAK Marmara Research Centre Social Science Council (ISSC); and Science (MAM), Turkey Counsellor representatives of the G77. Held from 7th to 10th November 2017, the Forum TUBITAK MAM continued its efforts for gathered 3000 leaders from 140 countries. There South-South and North-South Cooperation were 15 thematic sessions, 150 organizations in 2017. Some interactions in this regard were represented, 22 special sessions, and a number with a delegation from Pakistan Meteorological of side events. Department (PMD), Consul General of Slovak Republic in Istanbul, Chief Scientific Adviser of
12 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org British Foreign Ministry, Consulate General of Diabetic Flour” were introduced at Halal Expo the United Kingdom, President of Palestinian 2017, Turkey. Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence (HCIE), Director of Qatar National Research University Cheikh Anta Diop Fund, Director Qatar Foundation, and senior (UCAD), Senegal officials from National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia, Indonesian Institute of Sciences On 4th December 2017, Michel Seck, a PhD (LIPI), Institute for Research and Community student at the Department of Mathematics Services (LPPM), Diponegoro University and and Computer Science, UCAD, developed a Islamic Development Bank (IDB) software named ‘Simula’ that helps the teachers of secondary and higher level education in TÜBİTAK MAM hosted a meeting of the preparing lessons and correcting the exercises. Country Consultants of The Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency (ISPAT) in countries, Water Research and Technologies including USA, Germany, United Arab Centre (CERTE), Tunisia Emirates, China, France, Spain, Japan, Korea, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia on 28th During 2017, CERTE conducted research in November 2017. number of fields including: hydro-geophysics and geostatistics; hydrogeology modeling; Collaborations were sought/strengthened with geology, geochemistry and mineralogy; water Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific resources modeling and climate change impact; Research (TNO) and CERN. A “Cooperation sanitary engineering, toxicity; new approaches, Framework Agreement” was signed with the and techniques; application of membranes ; latter in Switzerland. phyto-remediation; disinfection of wastewater; and rural sanitation. During 2017, TUBITAK MAM participated in and organized a number of activities for CERTE organized the following two capacity-building of human resource in science international events: and technology related to water challenges, strengthening cooperation, nuclear power • Atlas Geo-resource International Congress plants, restoration of heritage and renewable (AGIC); energy. • International Conference on Advanced oxidation processes. After having catered to requests from China, TUBITAK MAM is now providing test and The officials from CERTE also participated in 3 analysis services to the United States of America. other international events. The number of the countries served has reached 17, subsequent to the “implantation and sub- CERTE also increased its partnership in several acute toxicity test” requests from the private internationally funded bilateral and multilateral sector of the USA. projects with PHC-UTIQUE, France; TRIFOLD, Germany; CMPTM, Morocco; European Union TÜBİTAK MAM developed a starch-added Horizon 2020; and German Academic Exchange flour to help check the ever increasing rates of Service (DAAD), Germany. obesity and diabetes in Turkey. The new products “Starch-added Diet Flour” and “Starch-added
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 13 STRENGTHENING TRIANGULAR COOPERATION: COLLABORATIONS WITH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
COMSATS has been endeavouring to expand its cohort of national and international partners to foster broader and more effective collaborations in Science and Technology and launch new programmes and activities through its Centres of Excellence for sustainable socio-economic development of the Member States. These partnerships aim at complementing COMSATS’ programmes focusing on capacity- building of S&T community in developing countries. The horizons of the cooperation in this regard are being broadened to the North to augment the organization’s efforts for strengthening triangular cooperation.
Institutions in United Kingdom on 11 December 2017.
In order to enhance the cooperation with the On the invitation of the Commission, Dr. John institutions of United Kingdom, officials from Kirkland, former Head of the Association of COMSATS Secretariat visited UK and held Commonwealth Universities (ACU) visited meetings with officials of Lancaster University, COMSATS Secretariat on a four-day visit on Universities UK International (UUKi), December 11, 2017, with a view to provide Commonwealth Secretariat, Association of informed inputs for re-aligning COMSATS’ Commonwealth Universities (ACU), and programmes for a better impact. British Council. United Nations Economic and Social As a follow-up, delegates from the British Council Commission for Asia and the Pacific comprising of Mr. John McGovern, Consultant (UNESCAP) at British Council UK; Ms. Liz Dempsey, Advisor at British Council Manchester; and COMSATS signed an MoU with UNESCAP Mr. Hamza Salim, Project Manager at British on 20th December 2017. Dr. S. M. Junaid Council Pakistan, visited COMSATS Secretariat Zaidi, Executive Director, COMSATS, and
14 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Executive Secretary, with ICGEB, Italy. Senior officials of COMSATS UNESCAP, signed the MoU on behalf of held a meeting in ICGEB. The two sides agreed their respective organizations. The MoU on initiating Joint Fellowship Programmes entails collaboration in joint research, events, in respective Member States. It was agreed capacity-building, and strengthening the that the calendar of scientific events and COMSATS Network of Centres of Excellence. annual meetings would be shared by the two The cooperation also involves exchanging organizations and sponsorship and/or travel comprehensive thought leadership, cooperation grants would be provided to scientists belonging platforms as well as technical and advisory to common Member States. The officials also services; to support member countries in nominated reference personnel to identify exploiting the potential of STI for sustainable areas of collaboration and possibilities for joint development. programmes and agreements as well as follow- up the initiatives taken in this regard. Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Oman National Computer Emergency Readiness Team (OCERT) During 2017, COMSATS and ISESCO jointly organized five capacity-building events,On 2nd November 2017, a Protocol of in Pakistan, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, and the Cooperation was signed between COMSATS Gambia, on food security, applications of ICTs, and the Oman National Computer Emergency maintenance of scientific equipment, viruses Readiness Team (OCERT) for cooperation in and vaccines, and internet security. Over 580 areas of cyber security and computer emergency scientists, engineers, technicians and industry response. As agreed in the Protocol, both sides professionals benefitted from the events. will collaborate for the following activities:
International Centre for Genetic • Joint research and development projects; Engineering and Biotechnology • International conferences, training and workshops; (ICGEB), Italy • Exchange of experts and researchers; and • Exchange of information and technical COMSATS enhanced its efforts to collaborate expertise.
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 15 The European Union Khan Domki, the Honorable Minister of State for Science and Technology and In line with COMSATS’ efforts to expand the Ms. Yasmin Masood, Federal Secretary, scope of its programmes and international Ministry of Science and Technology, visited partnerships, a delegation from European COMSATS Secretariat. Union (EU), Pakistan, visited COMSATS • Dr. Zaidi, hosted a hi-tea for senior scientists Secretariat on 28th August 2017.including Ms. and experts from different institutions Anne Marchal, Charge d’Affaires, EU, Pakistan, related to science and technology on and Mr. Husnain Iftakhar, Senior Economist. It 29th March 2017. To seek their inputs was suggested to have consultations and high- for improving the future projects and level meetings with senior officials of EU to programmes of COMSATS. further explore avenues of cooperation between • On April 21, 2017, an honorable Member the two organizations. Ms. Marchal believed of National Assembly, Government of that EU-COMSATS partnership could be useful Pakistan, Ms. Tehmina Daultana, visited given that due channels are utilized and right COMSATS Secretariat. resources mobilized in the regional office and • On July 18, 2017, the Executive Director EU HQ in Brussels. COMSATS hosted a luncheon for the leadership of the Pakistani Universities at Interactions with Host Country, the premises of COMSATS Secretariat. Pakistan Institute of Peace and Diplomatic • On March 15, 2017, the Federal Minister Studies (IPD) for Science and Technology, Government of Pakistan, H.E. Rana Tanveer Hussain, On 22nd June 2017, a Memorandum of hosted a dinner to introduce the newly Understanding was signed between COMSATS appointed Executive Director COMSATS and the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies to the diplomatic community of Member (IPD), Islamabad, Pakistan. The cooperation and potential member states in Islamabad, that continued under the agreement led as well as senior government functionaries to strengthening COMSATS membership of Pakistan. campaign. • On 3rd October 2017, H. E. Mr. Dostain
16 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org STRENGTHENING SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION: MEETINGS WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE SOUTH
One of the functions of COMSATS is to support major initiatives designed to promote indigenous S&T capacities of the Member States through synergies among relevant Governments/Institutions in the North and the South. Dignitaries, officials and delegations from a number of developing countries are engaged on regular basis to establish and promote linkages to strengthen South-South cooperation in a number of fields, including education, training and research.
Meetings with Diplomats of Member • Ambassador of Sudan, H. E. Mr. Tageldin th States Elhadi Eltahir (19 June 2017); • Ambassador of Palestine, H. E. Mr. Walid th During 2017, meetings were arranged with the Abu Ali (7 July 2017); foreign diplomats and dignitaries in Islamabad • Minister for Science and Technology, th to sensitized them on COMSATS’ undertakings China, H.E. Prof. Wan Gang (8 July 2017); and future aspirations. The foreign diplomats • High Commissioner of Bangladesh, H. E. th and dignitaries were briefed about the scope, Mr. Tarik Ahsan (11 July 2017); mission and mandate of the Organization. • Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher These included: Education, Research, Science and Technology (MHERST), The Gambia, th • Ambassador of Palestine, H. E. Mr. Walid H.E. Mr. Yaya Sireh Jallow (14 September Abu Ali (27th March 2017); 2017); • Ambassador of Syria, H. E. Mr. Radwan • Ambassadors of Tunisia, H. E. Mr. Adel Loutfi (3rd April 2017); Elarabi, and Somalia, H. E. Mrs. Khadija nd • Vice President, TUBITAK MAM, Turkey, Mohamed Almakhzoumi (2 October Dr. Murat Makaraci (29th May 2017); 2017); • The First Secretary, Chinese Embassy in • Ambassador of Morocco, H. E. Mr. th Islamabad, Mr. Jia Wei (12th June 2017); Mohamed Karmoune (27 November • Ambassador of Jordan, H. E. Mr. Nawaf 2017); Khalifa Ibrahim Saraireh (14th June 2017); • President, Scientific and Technological • Ambassador of Tunisia, H. E. Mr. Adel Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), th Elarbi (15th June 2017); H. E. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Arig Ergin (12 December 2017)
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 17 Meetings with Diplomats of Potential Beishembiev (4th August 2017); Member States • Ambassador of Vietnam, H. E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Luu (18th August 2017); Meetings were also held with representatives • Ambassador of Yemen, H. E. Mr. th of foreign missions of non-member states Mohammed Motahar Alashabi (18 August throughout the year with a view to exploring 2017); their potential for becoming COMSATS’ • Ambassador of Azerbaijan, H. E. Mr. Ali st member states. Among other things, the officials Alizada (21 August 2017); and diplomats were apprised about the mandate, • High Commissioner of South Africa, H. E. th scope and international projects of COMSATS. Mr. Mpendulo Jele Kumalo (24 August They were also sensitized about the benefits and 2017); obligations of joining COMSATS as a member • Ambassador of Tajikistan, H. E. Mr. Sherali th state. To encourage the officials of respective S. Jononov (30 August 2017); countries for joining the organization, they were • Ambassador of Cuba, H. E. Mr. Gabriel Tiel nd acquainted with the programmes of COMSATS Capote (22 September 2017); that have benefited the member states. Other • High Commissioner of Kenya, H. E. Prof. th aspects related to finances of the organization Julius K. Bitok (27 September 2017); like Annual Membership Contribution were • Deputy Head of Mission, Afghanistan, H. st also highlighted during the meetings. The E. Mr. Zardasht Shams (31 October 2017); officials met included: • Ambassador of Azerbaijan, H. E. Mr. Ali Alizada (3rd November 2017); • High Commissioner of Malaysia, H.E. • Ambassador of Nepal, H. E. Ms. Sewa th Dato’ Dr. Hasrul Sani Mujtabar (19th June Lamsal Adhikari (24 November 2017); 2017); • Ambassador of Argentina, H. E. Mr. Ivan th • Ambassador of Uzbekistan, H. E. Mr. Ivanissevich (24 November 2017); Furkat A. Sidikov (2nd August 2017); • High Commissioner of Pakistan to th • Ambassador of Turkmenistan, H.E. Mr. Australia, H. E. Mrs. Naela Chohan (29 Movlamov Atajan Nurlyevich (2nd August December 2017); 2017); • Ambassador of Brazil, H. E. Mr. Claudio th • Ambassador of Kyrgyz Republic, H. E. Erik Raja Gabagli (12 April 2017).
18 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org INTERNATIONAL VISITS OF SECRETARIAT OFFICIALS
The senior officials of COMSATS Secretariat undertake international visits from time-to-time to strengthen and expand the membership of COMSATS and its Network of S&T Centres of Excellence, participate in international meetings, and develop partnerships and cooperative mechanisms with relevant institutions in different countries.
Ghana (May 2017) Nigeria (July 2017)
A three-member delegation of COMSATS Mr. Farhan Ansari, Sr. Assistant Director headed by Ambassador (R) Fauzia Nasreen, (Programmes), COMSATS Secretariat, visited Advisor as COMSATS Headquarters visited Abuja, Nigeria, from 24th to 28th July 2017, in Accra, Ghana from 21st to 24th May 2017. Other order to represent COMSATS while jointly officials accompanying her were Mr. Nisar organizing the 4th International Workshop on Ahmad and Mr. Basit Rehman. The purpose ‘Applications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare of the visit was to strengthen relations with and Agriculture’ (25th to 27th July 2017, Abuja, the country hosting the Chair of COMSATS Nigeria). Also important meetings were held through interactions with its partner institutions with the Federal Minister for Science and within the country. In this regard, meetings Technology, Government of Nigeria; and were held at COMSATS’ focal point, Ministry the Director, National Mathematical Centre for Environment, Science, Technology and (NMC), Nigeria. Innovation (MESTI) and COMSATS Centre of Excellence in the country, the Council for The United Kingdom (August 2017) Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Important discussions and exchanges took place A delegation from COMSATS Secretariat led especially pertaining to the Chairperson’s office by the Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. S. and future activities of COMSATS. M. Junaid Zaidi, visited the United Kingdom from 5th to 13th August 2017. The delegates held successful meetings with officials from Universities UK International; Lancaster
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 19 University; Commonwealth Secretariat; High Finance, CIIT-Lahore; and Mr. Shahzad Commission of Pakistan in UK; Association Ahmed, Manager (International Relations), of Commonwealth Universities; and British CIIT, Islamabad, visited Malaysia and Thailand. Council London. The officials that were met The purpose of the visit included follow-up of pledged to provide support to COMSATS for its the matter accession of Malaysia and Thailand projects and activities in Member States. to COMSATS as member states; attending Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Forum (KLIFF-2017); Thailand (July 2017) meetings at International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF), International A three-member delegation of COMSATS Islamic University Malaysia, University Putra comprising of Mr. Bilal Chouhan, Director Malaysia, High Commission of Pakistan in (A&E); Mr. Laeeq Hassan Jaswal, Assistant Malaysia, and Ministry of Science Technology Professor; and Mr. Shahzad Ahmed, Manager and Innovation in Malaysia; participation in (IR), visited Bangkok, Thailand, from 16 to 23 Disaster Resilience Week at United Nations July 2017. The visit was undertaken to attend Economic and Social Commission for Asia training on “Excellence in Change and Impact Pacific (UNESCAP), Bangkok; and meetings at Evaluation” jointly organized by International Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangkok, Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Thailand. Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and United Nation Economic and The Gambia (October 2017) Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). The training was meant for Ms. Huma Balouch, Senior Assistant Director productive learning experience and interaction (Programmes) COMSATS, undertook a visit with technical experts, speakers and participants to Sere Kunda, the Gambia, from 10th-12th from other think tanks and policy institutions. October 2017 with an objective to represent The training facilities were provided by COMSATS and make necessary organizational UNESCAP office in Bangkok. arrangements at the jointly organized first International Congress on Viruses and Vaccines Malaysia and Thailand (October 2017) in Tropical Areas. Ms. Balouch also held a meeting with the Vice President of the Republic A delegation of COMSATS comprising of Prof. of the Gambia, and higher officials of Medical Dr. Qaisar Abbas, Director, CIIT-Lahore; Dr. Research Council (UK) unit in the Gambia, to Abdus Sattar Abbasi, Head, Centre of Islamic discuss matters of mutual interest.
20 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org Oman (November 2017) headed by the Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, visited People’s Republic A five-member delegation of COMSATS of China from 16th-22nd December 2017. The Secretariat visited the Sultanate of Oman delegation met Chinese authorities and Heads from 31st October to 2nd November 2017, of various scientific institutions with the in connection with signing a Protocol of agenda to further strengthen the relationship Cooperation with Oman National Computer in research and innovation between China and Emergency Readiness Team (OCERT). Besides COMSATS. The purpose of the visit was to the MoU signing, the delegation held meetings meet the senior officials of Chinese Ministry with the Ambassador of Pakistan in Oman and of Science and Technology (MoST); Ministry officials of Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. of Commerce; Chinese Academy of Sciences The officials also participated in Young Leaders (CAS); International Center for Climate and Forum. Environmental Sciences (ICCES); and Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB). Italy (November 2017) Kazakhstan (December 2017) A four-member delegation of COMSATS headed by Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, Executive Mr. Farhan Ansari, Sr. Assistant Director Director COMSATS, and comprising of Mr. (Programmes), COMSATS Secretariat, visited Tajammul Hussain, Advisor (Programmes); Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 19th to 23rd December Dr. Kamran Jahangir, Advisor (TAC); and 2017, in order to perform the following tasks: Mr. Farhan Ansari, Senior Assistant Director (Programmes) visited Trieste, Italy in order to • To represent COMSATS in a co-organized participate in the 2nd Meeting of COMSATS’ event, 7th International Workshop on Technical Advisory Committee. On the sidelines ‘Internet Security: Enhancing Information of the TAC meeting the delegates visited ICGEB Exchange Safeguards’, and Headquarters in Italy. • To hold a meeting with the Rector and Vice Rector, Al-Farabi Kazakh National China (December 2017) University (KazNU), Kazakhstan.
A four-member delegation of COMSATS
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 21 S&T EVENTS ORGANIZED WITH COMSATS SUPPORT
Capacity-building activities are an important feature of COMSATS’ programmes aimed at strengthening South-South Cooperation. The organization has been regularly organizing scientific events in areas of crucial importance to strengthen scientific linkages; build indigenous capacities; and promote S&T as a tool for development. These events provide a useful platform to the members of the scientific community, development experts, donor and development agencies, and the decision-makers in particular from Member States, to share their views and experiences on contemporary issues of importance for S&T-led socio-economic development.
The events organized during 2017 included: Gambia (11th-12th October 2017); and • International Workshop on Internet • Conference on Agriculture, Food Security Security: Enhancing Information Exchange and Biotechnology, Islamabad, Pakistan Safeguards, Almaty, Kazakhstan (19th-23rd (26th-27th April 2017); December 2017). • International Workshop on Applications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare and Agriculture, Abuja, Nigeria (25th-27th July 2017); • Forum on 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda for Sustainable Development, Islamabad, Pakistan (12th September 2017); • National Workshop on Repair and Maintenance of Scientific, Engineering Equipment in Universities, Research Institutions and Small Scale Industries, Almaty, Kazakhstan (2nd-6th October 2017); • International Congress on Viruses and Vaccines in Tropical Areas, Sere Kunda,
22 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS
For the benefit of its Member States, COMSATS undertakes special assignments, such as conducting scientific studies, undertaking pilot projects, or implementing educational programmes. Two of the COMSATS’ flagship projects have been successfully transformed into full-fledged institutions, i.e., COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (covered in earlier section) and COMSATS Internet Services (CIS), while a third project on tele-health is being expanded. The administration related to graduate students from Member States studying at CIIT is also one of the special assignments of the Secretariat. Some of the foreign students after thorough evaluation have been engaged to facilitate in COMSATS’ operations.
COMSATS Tele-Health Programme • During the reporting period, COMSATS (CTH) agreed to join hands with a medical facility at Muzaffarabad, Midlands Doctors Medical COMSATS initiated efforts to reach out to its Institute (MDMI), in order to establish a member states for joint collaborations in tele- tele-health set-up at MDMI health facility health. In order to share the experiences and and link it to overseas medical specialists. lessons, and to seek collaborations in the field of tele-health, mapping of tele-health and related One of the components of COMSATS Tele- projects of COMSATS’ Centres of Excellence Health is being executed at COMSATS Internet and relevant organizations has been started. Services (CIS) as a project titled “Establishment Some developments include: of TeleHealth Clinics Network”. The project comprises of a network of 13 rural telehealth • COMSATS joined hands with Shaheed clinics, that are functional and successfully Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University operating at rural Basic Health Units (BHUs) (SZABMU), Pakistan Institute of Medical located in the vicinity of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sciences (PIMS) for establishing an e-health Peshawar, Swabi, Lahore, Multan, Khairpur, system at PIMS hospital, Islamabad, linking Quetta, Musakhail, and Gwadar. patients at far-flung areas with medical practitioners at the hospital.
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 23 In 2017:
• CIS expanded its operations in Rawalpindi/ Islamabad area by establishing base stations/ CIS offices at Tarnol, BaraKahu, and PWD Colony and also expanded its services from Lahore to Okara and Hasilpur. • A Node at Toba Tek Singh has been established by CIS, Faisalabad.
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) project won last year by CIS is being executed COMSATS Internet Services successfully in Attock, Bahawalpur, Jehlum, Sargodha, and Okara (50 BHUs connectivity and support). Currently, CIS is operating in 17 cities and has more than 10,000 customers of organizations from public and private sector. COMSATS Graduate Scholarship Programme During the year 2017, six meetings of Board of Management of CIS were held under Ten doctoral/post-doctoral scholarships the chairmanship of Dr. S.M. Junaid Zaidi, are available for international students Executive Director COMSATS. An important from COMSATS’ member countries at the decision of the Board meeting was appointment International Centre for Chemical and Biological of Mr. Jamshed Masood as the Chief Executive Sciences (ICCBS), Karachi, while Bangladesh Officer (CEO). Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Bangladesh; International Centre for CIS offers eight brands of core services, which Climate and Environmental Sciences (ICCES), form ‘The Colors of CIS’. These included China; and National Research Centre (NRC), Wireless broadband, Domain, hosting, and Egypt, have also agreed to provide access to VPS and Optical Fiber Connectivity. The value their labs and facilities and engage researchers added services include Hurricane™ (On-demand from other member countries through post- broadband), Prism™ (Website development), doctoral fellowships. Viacon™ (Video conferencing), and COM meeting™ (web Conferencing Service). CIS also COMSATS Foreign Interns offers social services in the form of ComClinic™ Programme (Tele-health service). During 2017, 18 foreign students serve at CIS Tele-Health clinic network comprising of COMSATS Secretariat under the new Foreign 13 rural Tele-Health clinics has been operating Interns Programmes of COMSATS. The interns successfully at Rural Basic Health Units (BHUs) were assigned to select three countries each and located in the remote areas of Pakistan. establish contacts with in the top universities/ institutions of the selected countries in areas CIS Islamabad has initiated an e-education of Science and Technology for possible project in collaboration with Universal Service collaboration on scientific research activities Fund (USF), Islamabad. with COMSATS and its Centers of Excellence.
24 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org PUBLICATIONS AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
Information dissemination through publications is an important mechanism of outreach for COMSATS, which is done through four major tools: bimonthly Newsletter, bi-annual journal ‘Science Vision’, COMSATS’ Series of S&T Publications and COMSATS’ official website, apart from other promotional material. From time to time, COMSATS also collaborates with different institutions to bring out joint publications.
COMSATS Newsletter published during the reporting period. The composite Volume included 7 papers on By the end of 2017, a total of 53 issues of different themes. the newsletters have successfully kept the stakeholders abreast of COMSATS’ activities COMSATS’ Series of Publications and aspirations, among other things. The year on Science and Technology (16): 2017 saw five issues of Volume 9 and one of International Symposium on Light volume 8 printed. and Life – Proceedings
The 16th book of the series covering the proceedings of the International Symposium on ‘Light and Life’ held to observe UNESCO’s International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies was published and distributed.
Profiles of COMSATS Centres of Excellence (Brief) Annual Report 2016 In order to provide ready COMSATS Annual Report 2016 was finalized in information on COMSATS early April 2017 with a completely new outlook Network, to stimulate duly covering COMSATS activities, including important relevant those of its Centres of Excellence. collaborations, brief profile compilation of the network Mid-Year Report 2017 (January to of COMSATS’ Centres of June 2017) Excellence was developed.
The activities of COMSATS Secretariat and COMSATS’ Website and other its Network of International Science and Informational Material Technology Centres of Excellence in the first half of year 2017 were documented in a Mid- As an important repository of all information Year report. on COMSATS, the official website of COMSATS was kept updated with fresh information on COMSATS’ Journal ‘Science Vision’ various undertakings and related aspects of the (Volume 21) organization.
Volume 21 (1&2) of Science Vision was also
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 25 FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
COMSATS Secretariat manages annual grant by the Government of Pakistan for meeting the recurring expenditure of the Secretariat besides Annual Membership Contributions received from COMSATS’ Member States, as well as COMSATS Endowment Fund.
The Government of Pakistan, being the host Annual Membership Contributions (AMC) country of COMSATS Secretariat, is meeting from four Member States, Pakistan, China, the running costs of COMSATS Secretariat Kazakhstan and Sudan. under an international agreement. Currently, the Government of Pakistan annually Annual Membership contributes PKR 40.00 million towards the Contribution - 2017 running costs of COMSATS Secretariat. Country Amount (US$) M/s. HLB IJAZ TABUSSUM & CO., Chartered Pakistan 20,000 Accountants were engaged to conduct audit of China 20,007 accounts for the financial year ended on June Kazakhstan 20,000 30, 2016. The Auditors’ Report and Audited Financial Statements for the year ended on June Sudan 3,000 30, 2016, were approved by the Coordinating Total 63,000 Council of COMSATS during its 20th meeting held on May 14-15, 2017, in Cairo, Egypt. During the year 2017, COMSATS received
26 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org LIST OF FOCAL POINTS IN COMSATS’ MEMBER STATES
H.E. Mr. Yeafesh Osman Dr. Khaled Elshuraydeh Minister Secretary General Ministry of Science and Technology Higher Council for Science and Technology Dhaka, Bangladesh. (HCST) Amman, Jordan. H.E. Prof. Wan Gang Minister H.E. Mr. Sagada Yerlan Kenzhegalievich Ministry of Science and Technology, Minister Beijing, China. Ministry of Education and Science Astana, Kazakhstan. Dr. César Ocampo Director General Mr. Jang Chol The Administrative Department of Science, President Technology and Innovation - COLCIENCIAS State Academy of Sciences Bogotá D.C., Colombia. Pyongyang, Korea, D.P.R.
H.E. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar H. E. Mr. Mohamed Hassad Minister Minister Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific National Education, Vocational Training, Research Higher Education and Scientific Research Cairo, Egypt. Rabat, Morocco.
H.E. Dr. Badara Joof Dr. (Mrs.) Amina M.B. Shamaki Minister Permanent Secretary Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Federal Ministry of Science & Technology Science and Technology Abuja, Nigeria. Kotu, The Gambia. Ms. Yasmin Masood H.E. Prof. Dr. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng Federal Secretary Minister Ministry of Science and Technology Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology Islamabad, Pakistan. and Innovation Accra, Ghana. H.E. Dr. Sabri Saidam Minister H.E. Dr. Syed Zia Hashemi Ministry of Education and Higher Education Minister Ramallah, Palestine Ministry of Science, Research and Technology Tehran, Iran. Hon. Fortunato T. De La Peña Secretary Hon. Dr. Andrew Wheatley Department of Science and Technology Minister (DOST) Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Manila, Philippines. Mining Jamaica, West Indies.
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 27 Hon. Mary Teuw Niane H.E Prof. Makame M. Mbarawa Minister Minister Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur, des Ministry of Communication, Science and Universités, des Centres Universitaires Technology Dakar, Senegal. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
H.E. Mr. Abdi Dahir Osman H.E. Prof. Slim Khalbous Minister of Education Minister Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Education Research Somalia Tunis, Tunisia.
Hon. Susil Premajayantha H.E. Prof. Hasan Mandal Minister President Ministry of Science, Technology and Research The Scientific and Technological Research Battaramulla, Sri Lanka. Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Ankara, Turkey H. E. Dr. Tahani Abd Allah Atia Minister Dr. Peter Ndemere Ministry of Science and Communications Executive Secretary Khartoum, Sudan. Uganda National Council for S&T Kampala, Uganda. H.E. Dr. Atef Nadav Minister Hon. Prof. Jonathan Moyo Ministry of Higher Education Minister Damascus, Syria. Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Harare, Zimbabwe.
28 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org LIST OF HEADS OF CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
Mr. Md. Faruque Ahmed Mr. Charles N. Grant Chairman Director General Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial International Centre for Environmental and Research (BCSIR) Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) Dhaka, Bangladesh. Kingston, Jamaica.
Dr. Gustavo Ribeiro Xavier HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan Director General President Embrapa Agrobiologia Royal Scientific Society (RSS) Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Amman, Jordan.
Prof. Lin Zhaohui Prof. Dr. G. M. Mutanov Director Rector International Centre for Climate and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) Environment Sciences (ICCES) Almaty, Kazakhstan. Beijing, China. Prof. Stephen E. Onah Prof. Dr. Yanhe Ma Director/Chief Executive Director General National Mathematical Centre (NMC) Tianjin Institute of Industrial Abuja, Nigeria. Biotechnology (TIB) Tianjin, China Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar Rector Dr. Eduardo Posada F. COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) Director Islamabad, Pakistan. International Centre of Physics (CIF) Bogotá, Colombia. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary Director Prof. Dr. Ashraf Shaalan International Center for Chemical and President Biological Sciences (ICCBS) National Research Centre (NRC) Karachi, Pakistan. Cairo, Egypt. Prof. Dr. Imad F. S. Abukishek Prof. Dr. Victor Agyeman President Director General Al-Quds University Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Abu Dis, Palestine (CSIR) Accra, Ghana. Prof. Ibrahima Thioub Rector/President of the Assembly Dr. Fathollah Moztarzadeh of the Université Cheikh Anta Diop President of Dakar (UCAD) Iranian Research Organization for Science & Dakar, Senegal. Technology (IROST) Tehran, Iran.
www.comsats.org COMSATS Activities 2017 29 Dr. G.A.S. Premakumara Prof. Mkumbukwa Madundo Angelo Director/CEO Mtambo Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) Director General Colombo, Sri Lanka. Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization (TIRDO) Dr. Widad Hassan Abdel Halim Hassan Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Director General Industrial Research and Consultancy Prof. Ahmed Ghrabi Centre (IRCC) Director General Khartoum, Sudan. Water Research and Technologies Centre of Borj-Cedria (CERTE) Dr. Maher Suleiman Soliman, Tunisia. Director Higher Institute for Applied Science and Dr. Orkun Hasekioglu Technology (HIAST) President Damascus, Syria. TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM) Gebze Kocaeli, Turkey.
30 COMSATS Activities 2017 www.comsats.org
Embrapa Agrobiologia-Brazil TIB-China
CUI-Pakistan
AQU-Palestine
COMSATS Secretariat Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat, Sector G-5/2, Islamabad - Pakistan Ph: (+92-51) 9214515-7, Fax: (+92-51) 9216539 URL: www.comsats.org, Email: [email protected]