Islamabad : The Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in science, technology, and higher education across OIC member states.
WUACD is an initiative of Airlangga University is a growing international network comprising 41 universities from 11 countries, focused on advancing academic collaboration and community development.
The signing ceremony took place at the Airlangga University East Java, Indonesia, where Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General OIC- COMSTECH, and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih, Rector Airlangga University and President of WUACD, formally signed the MoU on behalf of their organizations.
The agreement aims to promote joint research, academic exchange, and innovation in key scientific fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Health Sciences, and Engineering. Special emphasis will be placed on supporting scholars and researchers from underrepresented OIC member countries, particularly in Africa.
As part of the MoU, both institutions will offer a range of academic and training opportunities. These include short-term technician training programs of three to four weeks and long-term research fellowships ranging from six to twelve months. Fellows will be hosted at Universitas Airlangga and mentored by its faculty, while OIC- COMSTECH will assist with award issuance and visa facilitation.
Airlangga University serving as the WUACD secretariat, will manage academic placements and supervision. The collaboration is designed to foster practical research, knowledge sharing, and stronger institutional ties among member universities.
On this occasion, OIC- COMSTECH also proposed to host the next WUACD Annual Summit in Islamabad a gesture welcomed by WUACD leadership and seen as a step toward deepening academic cooperation and regional engagement.
Officials from both sides described the MoU as a strategic milestone that will build scientific capacity, encourage innovation, and contribute to sustainable development roughout the Islamic world. The partnership is expected to open new pathways for long-term cooperation and community advancement through science and education
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
