Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, Mirza Sayasat Nurbek, on Tuesday called for a significant expansion of scientific and technological collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states to address mutual challenges through strengthened research, innovation, and academic networking.
The Kazakh minister, accompanied by a delegation including presidents and rectors of prominent universities from his country, visited the Secretariat of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) to explore avenues for deeper partnership.
The delegation was officially received by Pakistan”s Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Khalid Hussain Magsi, Secretary Science and Technology Mr Shahid Iqbal Baloch, and the Coordinator General of OIC COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, along with other senior officials.
In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Choudhary emphasised the growing importance of science diplomacy, noting that collaborative platforms are increasingly vital in the global scientific sphere. He described Kazakhstan as a central player in the OIC region”s science and technology landscape, acknowledging its contributions to key initiatives such as the STI Agenda 2026 and forums honouring Muslim scholars.
Prof. Choudhary highlighted priority areas for future joint efforts, including biotechnology, digitisation, artificial intelligence, environmental science, agriculture, and innovation-led research. He commended Kazakhstan’s rising investment in science, its progress in higher education, and its development of indigenous capabilities like vaccine research and digital infrastructure.
Federal Minister Magsi referred to Kazakhstan as an active and valued partner of COMSTECH, recalling a long history of cooperation dating back to the 1996 establishment of the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Revolving Fund. This programme enabled over 100 Kazakh scholars to complete PhDs at Pakistani universities and engage in joint research.
Mr Magsi noted Kazakhstan”s consistent participation in COMSTECH-led activities, including scientific forums and collaborative research in fields such as food security, health sciences, and digital innovation. He stressed the need for nations like Pakistan and Kazakhstan to allocate greater resources to research and innovation for economic advancement and poverty alleviation.
Minister Nurbek commended the leadership of Prof. Choudhary in fostering scientific collaboration through COMSTECH and acknowledged the organisation”s role in bolstering research capacity across the Muslim world. He affirmed Kazakhstan”s readiness to further expand its partnership with COMSTECH in higher education, research, innovation, and academic exchange programmes.
The meeting concluded with a mutual agreement to enhance institutional linkages, develop further capacity-building programmes, and pursue joint research initiatives designed to tackle shared challenges in science, technology, and higher education.