An expansive academic partnership has been established between a premier Pakistani research centre and a leading Turkish university, aiming to introduce joint degree programmes, facilitate faculty and student mobility, and launch collaborative research projects.
According to a KU information on Thursday, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formalised between the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi and Turkey”s Konya Technical University (KTUN). The accord was reached during a ceremony at the 5th Pak-Turk International Conference on Chemical Sciences (PTICCS-2025), which was recently hosted by the ICCBS.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS, and Prof. Dr. Huseyin Deveci, Vice-Rector of Konya Technical University, inked the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions. The signing was witnessed by a significant gathering of academics and officials from both Pakistan and Turkey.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Shah characterised the agreement as a milestone for fostering collaborative educational, research, and cultural initiatives. He noted the deep-rooted historical and cultural connections between Pakistan and Turkey, asserting that these ties should be enhanced, particularly within the domains of education, science, and technology.
He also underscored the status of ICCBS as one of Pakistan”s foremost centres of excellence in chemical, biological, and biochemical sciences, functioning as a global hub for the training of scholars from numerous nations.
Konya Technical University is recognised as a leading public higher education institution in Turkey. Its mission focuses on developing entrepreneurial and ethically committed individuals, advancing the creation of knowledge and technology, and contributing expertise for societal benefit on regional, national, and international scales.
The scope of the new partnership is comprehensive, encompassing the development of joint and dual degree programmes at the master’s and PhD levels. The collaboration will also involve short and long-term mobility for faculty, students, and staff; co-supervision of postgraduate students and their internships; and the mutual exchange of academic experience and information.
Furthermore, the MoU provides a framework for organising joint academic events such as seminars, conferences, and symposiums, as well as the execution of shared research ventures.