The 8th national workshop on ‘Repair and Maintenance of Scientific, Engineering Equipment in Universities, and Research Institutions’ was inaugurated at Rustaq, Sultanate of Oman, on August 23, 2015, by Dr. Said Bin Hamed Al Rebaie, Secretary General of Education Council, Oman. The workshop is being jointly organized by Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), under the ISESCO-COMSATS joint cooperation programme for the biennium 2014-15.

The workshop is being hosted by the Omani Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) at College of Applied Sciences, Rustaq, Oman. Eighth in the series, the workshop is aimed to develop indigenous capacities of the local scientists and institutions in the developing countries for repair and maintenance of their scientific equipment to ensure smooth R&D activities.

The inaugural ceremony was also attended by Mrs. Wafaa El Alami, Head of Planning, Information and Documentation Centre, ISESCO; Dr. Abdullah Mohammed AL Sarmi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Oman; Dr. Hammod Amur Hamood Al Wardi, Dean College Applied Science, Rustaq, Oman; Mr. Nisar Ahmad, Deputy Director (Systems), COMSATS; Mr. Kamel Al Amry, MoHE, Oman; and the two resource persons of the workshop from Pakistan, Mr. Arif Karim and Mr. Faisal Ghazanfar. Also present on the occasion were the participants of the workshop, as well as senior officials and representatives from various Omani institutions, including MoHE, the Research Council; Ministry of Manpower; Sultan Qaboos University; Military Technological College; International Maritime College; Waljat College of Applied Sciences; Nizwa University; Shoar University; German University of Technology; and A’Sharqiyah University.

Dr. Al Wardi delivered his welcome remarks and hoped for the success of the event in building relevant capacities in the participants. In his message, read out on the occasion by Mr. Nisar Ahmed, the Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi, extended gratitude to ISESCO and MoHE, Oman. Highlighting the importance and relevance of the event, Dr. Qureshi hoped that the event would facilitate linkages among the participants and experts for future networking and interaction. Mrs. El Alami welcomed experts and participants of the national workshop and read-out the ISESCO message of H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director General ISESCO. Dr. Altwaijri considered the event important for promoting South-South cooperation for addressing scientific needs of ISESCO Member States. He hoped that the event would enhance opportunities for mutual cooperation among researchers, technicians and engineers from the different institutions of Oman.

In his keynote address, Mr. Arif Karim, one of the Resource Persons for the workshop, highlighted the need and importance of the workshop for scientists and technicians and shared the workshop methodology.

The programme of the workshop comprises ten technical sessions offering seminars on troubleshooting and repairing Spectrophotometer Systems; Flame Photometer Systems; Atomic Absorption system and XRF system; Thermal Analyzer; Gas Chromatographic Systems; HPLC Systems; Electron Microscopes; Laboratory Balances; Thermal Equipments (Oven & Furnace); and pH Meters. The lectures will be complemented by hands-on training in the labs of College of Applied Sciences and Sultan Qaboos University of Oman. Training will be imparted to more than 30 researchers, academicians, technicians and engineers from different organizations of Oman during the course of the event.

The workshop will conclude on August 27, 2015, after training the participants as Master Trainers.