The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia in Islamabad, has officially launched the second phase of the COMSTECH-Consortium of Excellence (CCoE) Somalia Programme, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening scientific capacity and higher education in Somalia.
The launch ceremony was held at the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad on July 31, bringing together vice chancellors and rectors of leading public and private universities, ambassadors from Sudan, Tajikistan, Yemen, and Rwanda, senior officials from the Embassy of Somalia, representatives of partner institutions, and COMSTECH officials.
Speaking at the event, Coordinator General OIC-COMSTECH Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary said that human resource development remains one of COMSTECH’s top priorities, emphasizing that sustainable development across the Muslim world depends on investments in education, scientific research, innovation, and advanced technical skills.
He described the second phase of the COMSTECH-CCoE Somalia Programme as another major milestone in the organization’s efforts to empower Somali youth, researchers, scientists, and professionals through quality education, specialized training, and institutional collaboration. Prof. Choudhary appreciated the support of the Embassy of Somalia and member institutions of the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence, expressing confidence that the initiative would contribute significantly to Somalia’s socio-economic development and institutional capacity.
Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia to Pakistan, H.E. Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan, thanked COMSTECH, the Government of Pakistan, and member institutions of the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence for their continued support in higher education, science, technology, and capacity building.
He said the fellowship programme would equip Somali scientists, researchers, and professionals with advanced knowledge and practical skills, helping strengthen Somalia’s academic, scientific, and development sectors. The ambassador described the initiative as a reflection of the longstanding brotherly ties between Pakistan and Somalia and praised COMSTECH’s leadership in promoting scientific cooperation among OIC member states.
Under the second phase of the programme, COMSTECH has announced 25 fully funded fellowships for Somali nationals currently residing and working in Somalia. The fellowships are being offered by member institutions of the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence in collaboration with the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP).
The programme includes three- and six-month research fellowships in STEM disciplines and public health, technical training in industrial settings, short courses in allied health sciences and nursing, and specialized training in high-demand fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Cyber Security, Remote Sensing, Biotechnology, Digital Skills, Precision Agriculture, Food Processing, and Agricultural Research.
In addition to fellowships, the initiative will promote faculty exchanges, joint research supervision, curriculum development, laboratory support, institutional partnerships, and academic collaboration between Pakistani and Somali universities.
The programme is open to Somali nationals pursuing or holding Master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral qualifications, with the aim of equipping them with cutting-edge knowledge, research expertise, and practical skills to support Somalia’s national development.
COMSTECH and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia will jointly coordinate the programme to ensure a transparent application, selection, and placement process for candidates.
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The launch further expands COMSTECH’s capacity-building initiatives across the Muslim world. According to COMSTECH’s 2025 Annual Report, the organization implemented scientific and educational programmes in 54 countries, trained nearly 5,000 scientists and researchers, awarded 759 scholarships and fellowships, organized 68 training programmes, provided 52 research grants, and carried out 174 scientific and development initiatives. Through its growing network of universities, research institutions, and strategic partners, COMSTECH continues to promote science diplomacy, higher education, innovation, and human resource development across OIC member states.
