Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)

NETWORK OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

THE NETWORK

In view of the resolution passed by the Heads of Governments of Non-Aligned Countries during the 1989 meeting in Belgrade, supporting the establishment of a Network of International Science and Technology Centres was made one of the main objectives of the Commission.

The Expert Committee of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), based in Italy, initially selected 10 centres for the COMSATS Network, to provide the lead-role in their respective scientific and technological fields of specialization (membership of one of these Centres is under review). Subsequently, 15 more centres have been added to the Network. COMSATS promotes subject-specific networking of these Centres with their counterparts worldwide and facilitates joint activities, such as training, research projects, expert-exchange & technology-transfer especially through COMSATS’ International Thematic Research Groups. At the same time, COMSATS strives to mobilize the financial and technical support from the international agencies, for upgrading and strengthening these centres to help them achieve a greater role in the development of their respective regions.

The Objectives of the Network

The Network has the following objectives:

  • To assist the countries of the South to build and sustain a critical mass of world-class scientists and technologists in those areas of science and technology, which are of critical importance to sustainable socio-economic development.
  • To attract talent, reduce brain-drain, and induce competent Third World scientists and technologists working abroad to return to their countries.
  • To facilitate the transfer of technology and the supply to industry of highly qualified technical personnel.
  • To assist in finding S&T-based solutions to sustainability issues in the South.
  • To provide avenues for international cooperation in areas of science and technology of global concern, including those for environmentally sustainable development.
  • To provide a suitable framework for science and technology assessment and management in the South.
  • To develop strong links between Members of the Network and production sectors in the South.
  • To promote joint scientific research and technological ventures of common interest amongst the Members of the Network.
  • To assist in carrying out other programmes as assigned by the Commission.

The Functions of the Network

The Members of the Network carry out the following functions:

  • To conduct high-level research and training activities, nationally, regionally and internationally, in the scientific fields of each Node of the Network in order to achieve a critical mass of highly-qualified personnel in these fields in the South;
  • To conduct basic and applied research in order to help find solutions to socio-economic development and environmental challenges facing the South;
  • To conduct interdisciplinary research and modelling in order to devise scientific solutions to problems which have global implications for environmentally sustainable development;
  • To provide scientific and technical services to the Production and Services sectors in the South.

The Organs of the Network

The Network consists of the following Organs:

So far, 25 Centres of Excellence (highly reputed centres of science and technologies in the South) have been selected as nodes and are playing leading roles in their respective areas of specialization. These Centres also cooperate with their counterparts in the North with major focus on international cooperation, in the larger interest of humankind.

Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR)
Dr. Quadrat-i-Khuda Road
Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205
People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
Tel: (+880-2) 620020, 8653085,
Fax: (+880-2) 8613022
URL: www.bcsir.gov.bd

Embrapa Agrobiologia
Rod. Br 465, Km 47 – CEP 23851-970 Caixa
Postal 74.505 – Seropedica, Rio de Janerio
Federative Republic of Brazil.
Tel: (+55-21) 26821166, Fax: (+55-21) 26821230
URL: embrapa.br/agrobiologia

International Center for Climate and Environment Sciences (ICCES)
Institute of Atmospheric Physics
Chinese Academy of Sciences
P.O.Box 9804, Beijing 100080
People’s Republic of China.
Tel: (+86-10) 82995125, Fax: (+86-10) 82995123
URL: english.icces.ac.cn

Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB)
Chinese Academy of Sciences
32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, Tianjin 300308, China
Tel: (+86-22) 84861997/84861977,
Fax: (+86-22) 84861926

URL: english.tib.cas.cn

Centro Internacional de Fisica (CIF)
Edificio de Programas Especiales “Mamuel Ancizar” Ciudad Universitaria
Apartado Aereo 49490,
Santafe de Bogota, D.C., 
Republic of Colombia.
Tel: (+57-1) 4808991, Fax: (+57-1) 3681517
URL: www.cif.org.co

National Research Centre (NRC)
El-Bohouth Street (El-Tahrir Street),
Dokki, P.O.Box 12622, Cairo
Arab Republic of Egypt.
Tel: (+20-2) 33371010/33354971,
Fax: (+20-2) 33370931, 37601877

URL: www.nrc.sci.eg

University of The Gambia
Chancery Building, Kanifing P.O Box 3530 Serekunda, The Gambia
Tel: (+220-3650001) (+220-3353000)
URL: www.utg.edu.gm

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
P.O. Box M32, Accra,
Republic of Ghana.
Tel: (+233-21) 774772, Fax: (+233-21) 774380
URL: www.csir.org.gh

Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS)
Kampus ITS Sukolilo, Jalan Arif Rahman Hakim, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Tel:(+62-31) 5994251
URL: www.its.ac.id

Iranian Research Organization for Science & Technology (IROST)
No. 71, Sh. Mousavi St., Enghelab Ave.
P.O. Box 15815-3538, Tehran 15819,
Islamic Republic of Iran.
Tel: (+98-21) -88826830, 8828051-7, 88838336
Fax: (+98-21) 88838328, 88838341
URL: www.irost.org

International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS)
2 Anguilla Close, Mona Campus,
University of West Indies, Kingston 7,
Jamaica.
Tel: (+1-876) 9272134; Fax: (+1-876) 9770768
URL: www.icens.org

Royal Scientific Society (RSS)
P.O. Box 1438,
Amman – Al-Jabaiha 11941,
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Tel: (+962-6) 5344701 ext. 2830, Fax: (+962-6) 5340430
URL: www.rss.jo

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU)
050040 Almaty, Al-Farabi Ave. 71,
Republic of Kazakhstan.
Tel: (+7-727) 377-33-11
Fax: (+7-727) 377-33-11
URL: www.kaznu.kz/en/

National Mathematical Centre (NMC)
National Mathematical Centre
Kaduna-Lokoja Road, Sheda-Kwali
P.M.B 118, GWAGWALADA, Abuja
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Tel: (+234-09) 8820162, Fax: (+234-09) 5230783
URL: www.nmcabuja.org

International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS)
University of Karachi, Karachi 75270
Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Tel: (+92-21) 4824924, Fax: (+92-21) 4819018
URL: www.iccs.edu

COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI)
Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad
Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Tel: (+92-51) 8318485, 8318471,
Fax: (+92-51) 8318499
URL: www.comsats.edu.pk

Al-Quds University
Abdel Hamid Shoman St. Beit Haninia,
Jerusalem.
Tel: (+972-2) 5838652, 2794846,
Fax: 00972-2-5838653

URL: www.alquds.edu/en

University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD)
P.O. Box 5005, Dakar-Fann, Dakar
Republic of Senegal.
Tel: (+221-33) 8692782, Fax: (+221-33) 8252883
URL: www.ucad.sn

University of Granada
Rectorado. Hospital Real. Avda. del Hospicio, Granada
Kingdom of Spain
Tel: (+34-958) 243003
URL: www.ugr.es

Industrial Technology Institute (ITI)
363, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Tel: (+94-11) 2379800
Fax: (+94-11) 2379850
URL: www.iti.lk

Industrial Research and Consultancy Centre (IRCC)
P O Box 268, Khartoum
Republic of the Sudan.
Tel: (+249-185) 322244, Fax: (+249-185) 313753
URL: www.ircc.gov.sd

Higher Institute for Applied Science and Technology (HIAST)
P.O. Box 31983, Damascus
Syrian Arab Republic.
Tel: (+963-11) 5123819, Fax: (+963-11) 2237710
URL: www.hiast.edu.sy

Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization (TIRDO)
Kimweri Avenue, P.O. Box 23235, Dar-es-Salaam
The United Republic of Tanzania.
Tel: (+255-22) 2668822, Fax: (+255-22) 2666034
URL: www.tirdo.or.tz

Water Research and Technologies Centre (CERTE)
Technopole de Borj-Cédria – Tourist Route Soliman, Soliman 273-8020 BP,
Republic of Tunisia
Tel: (+216-79) 325122/79, 325199;
Fax: (+216-79) 325802

URL: www.certe.rnrt.tn

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK)
Ankara
Republic of Türkiye.
URL: www.tubitak.gov.tr/en