Islamabad (GNP): NUST Rector Dr. Muhammad Zahid Latif met with participants of this year’s NUST Internship Programme for International Students (NIPIS-2026) during an interactive session, also attended by Pro-Rector (RIC) Dr. Rizwan Riaz.
Addressing the interns, the Rector emphasized how engaging international students helps build people-to-people ties, fosters cross-cultural understanding, and opens doors for academic collaboration.
He said programs like NIPIS strengthen NUST’s global profile by bringing talented students from around the world together for academic and cultural exchange.
Dr. Zahid also walked the group through NUST’s broader research and academic landscape and shared his outlook on where the university is headed. The session wrapped up with an open conversation in which the interns discussed their time at NUST, reflected on their academic paths, and asked the Rector questions spanning higher education, research, and their own future plans.
NIPIS, one of NUST’s signature international initiatives, has hosted students from partner countries since 2018, giving them exposure to academic and research work at the university alongside a chance to experience Pakistan’s culture firsthand. This year’s cohort is the largest since the program began, with 51 international interns from 15 countries taking part.
The closing ceremony was graced by Ambassador of Lebanon, H.E. Abdulaziz Issa, Ambassador of Syria, Dr. Ramez Alraee, Minister Counsellor (Defence), Sri Lanka, Brigadier G.A.K.R Gumaratne and Diplomat and Political Officer, Embassy of Egypt, Dr Hager Abdellatif alongside Pro-Rector Research, Innovation & Commercialization, Dr. Rizwan Riaz and Head of Placements, Maryam Akmal.
Dr. Hager Abdellatif serves as the Diplomat and Political Officer/representative from the Embassy of Egypt who has participated in international student programs and official engagements at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad.
NIPIS’26 brought together 51 international interns from 15 countries, making it the largest and most globally diverse cohort in the programme’s history. innovation, research and emerging technologies.
In addition to their internship and academic engagements at NUST, the interns participated in an interactive session with the Rector NUST, Dr. Zahid Latif, providing them with an opportunity to gain insights into NUST’s vision, strategic direction and broader role in shaping the future of education and innovation.
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The Rector also apprised the visiting dignitary of some of NUST’s crowning achievements, including its fast-paced ascension as one of the world’s finest seats of higher learning and research.
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.
