WNAM REPORT: The OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Russian Federation on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation in higher education, scientific research, emerging technologies, and joint academic initiatives during the First Working Group Meeting between OIC-COMSTECH and the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education held in Kazan, Russia.
The meeting brought together senior officials, university rectors, and representatives of leading scientific and research institutions from both sides to discuss avenues for expanding collaboration in science, technology, innovation, and academic exchange.
The session was jointly led by Coordinator General OIC-COMSTECH Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary and Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Mr. Airat Gatiyatov.
Discussions focused on academic mobility and capacity-building initiatives, climate cooperation including carbon supersites projects, joint scientific programmes, research infrastructure, fellowship programs, mega-science projects, and multilateral collaborative research initiatives.
Addressing the meeting, Prof Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary said Russia is an important observer member state of OIC-COMSTECH and a valuable partner in promoting scientific and technological cooperation among OIC countries. He emphasized the importance of strengthening scientific diplomacy and institutional partnerships between OIC member states and the Russian Federation.
He said collaborative research, academic networking, and technology-driven partnerships are essential for addressing shared global challenges and advancing sustainable scientific development. He also highlighted COMSTECH’s ongoing initiatives aimed at promoting science, higher education, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and research cooperation across OIC member states through international partnerships, training programmes, and institutional linkages.
Deputy Minister Mr. Airat Gatiyatov welcomed the growing engagement between Russian scientific institutions and OIC-COMSTECH and expressed Russia’s interest in expanding cooperation in higher education, research, innovation, and academic exchanges. He noted that collaboration in science and technology could contribute significantly to strengthening international partnerships and addressing common developmental challenges.
The Russian side included Mr .Timirkhan Alishev, Vice-Rector for External Relations, Kazan Federal University, Mr. Aleksander Belyaev, Director, Federal Scientific Centre of Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Mr Vadim Zakharov, Rector, Ufa University of Science and Technology; Ms Vittoria Idrisova, Rector, Russian Foreign Trade Academy of the Ministry of Economic Development; Ms Ekaterina Sechenova, Vice-Rector for External Relations, University of Tyumen; Ms Anna Fedotova, Deputy Director, Federal Scientific Centre of Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Mr Vladimir Kravchuk, Head of International Cooperation Sector, National Research Center Kurchatov Institute; Mr Irek Suleymanov, Deputy Head, Department of International Cooperation, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research; and Ms Irina Kuklina, Executive Director, International Centre for Innovations in Science, Technology and Education.
The OIC-COMSTECH delegation included Prof. Dr. Muddasir Asrar, Senior Adviser OIC-COMSTECH; Prof Dr.Shahid Mahmud, Chairman Interactive Group and Senior Honorary Adviser OIC-COMSTECH; and Prof Dr Muhammad Riaz Khan, Adviser to the Coordinator General on Academic Support Programmes.
Both sides expressed commitment to enhancing long-term cooperation through joint academic programmes, scientific exchanges, collaborative research initiatives, and institutional partnerships in priority areas of science and technology.
