UNESCO approves a grant of US$ 35,000 for joint biennium programme with COMSATS; four Centres of Excellence of COMSATS in Pakistan, China and Sri Lanka will also host events under the collaboration.

On November 8, 2021, an MoU was signed between COMSATS and the Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO (PNCU) for execution of COMSATS-UNESCO joint project titled ‘COMSATS-UNESCO South-South Regional (Asia-Pacific) Technical Cooperation Programme (Biennium 2020-21)’ under the UNESCO participation programme. The project was approved by UNESCO in May 2021 for grant of US $ 35,000 under the regional category of UNESCO participation programme for 2020-21.

The proposed programme’s main goal is to strengthen the scientific and technical capacities of COMSATS and UNESCO common member countries in the Asia-Pacific region by leveraging knowledge from COMSATS’ Network of S&T Centres of Excellence, as well as other partnering institutions. The proposal calls for holding three to four international workshops/conferences in common fields of interest to COMSATS and UNESCO Member Countries. In this regard, four Centres of Excellence of COMSATS; CUI-Pakistan, ICCBS-Pakistan, TIB-China, and ITI-Sri Lanka, have formally consented upon hosting the following joint events.

COMSATS has previously successfully implemented the UNESCO Participation Programme in the biennium 2010-11 and 2006-07, with a total of 7 international workshops/seminars/ conferences held in COMSATS and UNESCO member countries.