𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐇𝐄𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Islamabad, October 25, 2023: A delegation from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Wednesday visited the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to forge an impactful collaboration aimed at fostering research, academic excellence and international cooperation.

CAS delegation was led by its Vice President Prof. ZHANG Yaping and included key representatives from CAS and its affiliates as well as representatives from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).

In his opening marks, Chairman HEC Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed focused on four-point agenda including Research and Academic Collaboration, Scholarship Offers to Pakistani Students, Placement of Postdoctoral Students, and Training Programmes. He emphasised the significance of strong and enduring relationship between China and Pakistan and appreciated Chinese support in economic and political spheres. He expressed strong enthusiasm for deepening collaboration and maximizing impact from the joint academic ventures.

Prof. ZHANG Yaping affirmed that CAS is committed to address the pressing challenges, such as climate change through strong research collaborations. He expressed the intent to identify research areas of mutual importance and integrate Pakistani students into these transformative research projects. He also proposed a rigorous selection process, in partnership with HEC, to identify the best students from Pakistan, paving the way for remarkable achievements in this collaboration.

The meeting between HEC and CAS is poised to foster academic and research excellence. It is expected that the collaboration will pave the way for innovative research and educational opportunities. Under this collaboration, Pakistani students will have the opportunity to avail scholarships, making higher education in China more accessible. Promising postdoctoral students from Pakistan will have the opportunity to further their research at CAS and Chinese universities, fostering a dynamic cross-cultural exchange. A series of short-term training programmes under the aegis of CAS will enable Pakistani scholars to enhance their skills and expertise.

The delegation also participated in the Ground-Breaking Ceremony of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center (CPJRC) and the Opening Ceremony of the International Conference on Climate Change and Disaster Risk being held in Islamabad.