Past Events

Jointly organized by OIC- COMSTECH and Pakistan Academy of Sciences.

Date: January 24, 2024

Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad

The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is instrumental in the production of medications and healthcare products, serving a pivotal role in global health. With a primary objective to create pharmaceutical drugs and healthcare products that are safe, effective, and of high quality, the industry engages in a diverse range of activities, including research and development, drug formulation, manufacturing, packaging, and distribution.

While some nations have well-established pharmaceutical industries, others grapple with challenges in fostering robust manufacturing capabilities. Import dependency, a historical trend in several OIC countries, renders them vulnerable to disruptions in the global supply chain. Acknowledging the importance of pharmaceutical self-reliance, some OIC member countries have embarked on initiatives involving significant investments in research and development, technology transfer, and capacity building. Collaborative efforts, knowledge-sharing, and regional cooperation are underway to strengthen pharmaceutical industries collectively.

This seminar will analyze the status of indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing in OIC Member States and the way forward to achieve self-sustenance.

Topics to be covered:

1. Policy and Regulatory Landscape
2. Technological Innovations and Research
3. Capacity Building and Skill Development
4. Sustainability in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
5. Public-Private Partnerships
6. Technology Transfer and Knowledge Exchange
7. Incorporating Traditional Medicine
8. Pandemic Preparedness and Response
9. Case Studies and Success Stories
10. Intellectual Property and Innovation

Speakers: 

The speakers for this seminar will be from Academia, Drug Regulation Authority Pakistan (DRAP), Industry, Economists, Chamber of Commerce, and Technical Experts.

Registration Process:

• For physical participation register at the following link: Click Here
  Physical Participation is open for participants from Islamabad/Rawalpindi.   
• For virtual participation register at the following link: Click Here 
• Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit a properly filled form.
• Selected candidates will be notified through email; hence, applicants are required to check their emails regularly.

Venue:

The workshop will be held at the COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan. The city with the backdrop of Margalla Hills and National Park was purpose-built as the capital of sixth largest globally and second most populous (in OIC) country Pakistan in the year 1966. Pakistan, according to the Forbes magazine, is a hidden treasure for tourists with rich cultural diversity, ancient history, diverse landscape, cuisines, modern cities, and locally produced items.

Technical Focal Person:
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Wasay
Professor
Section of Neurology, The Agha Khan University, Pakistan
Past Secretary, Sind Chapter, Pakistan Academy of Sciences

Workshop Coordinators:

Muhammad Haris Akram
Program Manager
COMSTECH, Islamabad.
Email: haris@comstech.org
Phone: +92 51 9220681

Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad
Program Officer
COMSTECH, Islamabad.
Email: Haseeb.ahmad@comstech.org

Date:  19-23 February 2024.
Venue: Songhai Center, Benin

Organized by COMSTECH and ICESCO in collaboration with Songhai Center

Convened by: COMSTECH Forum for Environment and Ecosystem Restoration (CFEER)

1. Objectives

Integrated workshop to build broad-based and sustainable solutions to the challenges of our present Food and Agricultural systems.

Make participants discover and appropriate a holistic vision of the world that is foundational to the SDGs and the other integrated and sustainable development programs. They will discover how Songhai was able to appropriate this vision through an innovative organizational structure and a value system to operationalize this vision to build a regenerative agriculture and agro-ecological development system.

2. AREAS OF INTERESTS

1. Biomimicry and Eco-literacy:

Understanding and aligning ourselves with the fundamental principles of the workings of our planet to sustainably unlock the power of our environmental capital to build a sustainable agro-food system.

2. A transition to a connected and sustainable agricultural and food system: Principles and Practices

Principles and Designs of integrated production system that organically creates and intensifies dynamic links and synergies between primary production units (Plant, Animal, Aquaculture, and other living things in the environment), between agriculture, industry, and services. And how this can build a sustainable and regenerative Eco-system that can reverse the present trend in Africa.

3. Practical Implementation and contextualization of a sustainable integrated Agricultural system:

Rebuilding the Soil and keeping it Regenerative as key to climate smart agriculture with innovative technologies revisiting Cop22

4. Soil management of the future:

• Effective Microorganisms as primary producers and in rebuilding the basic food system of our planet.
• Soil aggradation with organic fertilization practices- Bio-fertilizers production practices.

5. Water Resource Management: Food Grows where water flows on a healthy soil.

• How to mobilize, preserve and channel the immense water resources of our lands, for the Food and agricultural system of tomorrow?
• Practical irrigations systems
• Sizing in water resource management for effective all year-round agricultural production

6. Energy in Agriculture: The transition for the energy of tomorrow, clean energy

Intelligent platform for the production and management of renewable energies for sustainable growth with:

• Agri photo voltaic (Agri-PV): an innovative approach combining agricultural production and the production of renewable energy on the same surface for a rational use of land.
• The production and use of biogas.
• Wind energy.

About the Resource Persons

The resources persons will be from various fields related to climate smart agriculture, soil management, water resource management etc. The list of tentative speakers is attached.

Travel & Local Hospitality:

The organizers will arrange local hospitality for selected participants from OIC member states. The organizers will also provide air travel support to the selected participants. Selected participants from Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Chad will be eligible for air travel support for the training.

Registration Process:

Step 1: For Physical Participation please register at: Click Here

Step 2: For Virtual participation please register at: Click Here

Step 2: Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit a properly filled form along with your CV. Foreign participants must submit a scanned copy of passport.

Step 3: Selected candidates will be notified through email; hence, applicants are required to check their emails.

Selection Criteria for Songhai Training:

Songhai training aims to provide African communities with young men and women capable of:

• Adopt agriculture as a worthy profession
• Promote local resources available to create wealth
• Becoming leaders capable of creating entrepreneurial dynamics
• Develop attitudes and skills that put them into a culture of success
• Produce useful goods and services for the socio-economic well-being of their community
• Consider the environment as a “partner”, a heritage to be safeguarded
• Transform the comparative advantages of their environment into competitive advantages in an increasingly globalizing world
• Profile of applicants to be eligible for the training

Men and women who felt the need for their transformation, for their preparation to be in charge of their own destiny and contribute to the development of their basic community. The candidate for this training must have the following attitudes and skills

• Adherence to the vision of Songhai development based on the reconversion of mentalities for the revaluation of social work
• ambition for one’s own life and for the development of one’s community
• openness to the assimilation of new values and skills
• the manifestation of a desire for innovation and curiosity
• ability to live and thrive in a rural environment

1. Terms

Applicants must meet the following conditions and criteria:

• be a national of one of the COMSTECH/ICESCO member countries,
• be aged 18 to 35,
• have experiences in agricultural and para-agricultural activities,
• have a passion for living in a rural environment,
• be able to follow the training and ready to set up on your own account or to continue your activities at the end of the training, or to work in the logic of results-based management
• hold a diploma in agriculture and/or technical and general education (Biology, Microbiology, Economics, Project Management, Energy, Environment, Animal and Plant Health, etc.) or in Agribusiness
• good organizational skills and determination to achieve a goal
• female applications are very encouraged

Eligible Countries: Togo, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Chad

Venue:

Songhai Center

Porto-Novo

Republic of Benin

Technical Focal Person

Ambassador Shahid Kamal
Advisor Climate Change
OIC – COMSTECH

Workshop Coordinators

1. Mr. Muhammad Haris Akram

Program Manager, COMSTECH
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Email: haris@comstech.org

2. Mr. Luc

Songhai Center
Benin
Tel:+229 97017940
Email: houemaluc@gmail.com

Introduction:

Globally the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge enjoys a place of distinction, and the public expects to reap considerable benefit from the creative and innovative contributions of scientists. As science becomes increasingly tangled with major social, philosophical, economic, and political issues, scientists become more accountable to the larger society of which they are a part. Therefore, it is more important than ever that those individual scientists and their institutions periodically reassess the values, and professional practices that guide their research as well as their efforts to perform their research work with integrity.

Behind every medicine and intervention that people have ever taken, are thousands of patients who have volunteered to participate in clinical trials, which have led to many breakthroughs in disease prevention and treatment in the last few decades. Without the willingness of these individuals, many would have suffered. The value of clinical trials depends on the quality of information produced and the relevance of the data to address public health needs. Nevertheless, there are many less-developed countries that do not have well-prepared medical infrastructure and little or no experience in conducting trials. Moreover, there is considerable heterogeneity across countries and even within each country, when it comes to health care systems. This may result in some differences in many aspects starting from the review process itself to all the other steps of conducting trials such as data monitoring and patient safety.

To overcome these challenges, UEARS invited COMSTECH to engage the OIC researchers (as part of the audience) in training and development in the area of research integrity in clinical trials. Hence, a 2-day international workshop is being jointly organized by UEARS and COMSTECH to address the challenges of research integrity in clinical trials in low-middle income countries and propose the best suitable guidelines to improve the quality of research in this domain.

Workshop Objectives

• The meeting and its workshop will help devise solutions for the challenges faced in clinical trials by low-middle income country
• To impart knowledge and training about research integrity
• To create a network of professionals working in the field for continuous learning and exchanges

Expected outcomes:

• A draft of recommendations concerning research integrity in clinical trials will be documented
• Certification given to participants concerning research integrity training in clinical trials
• Distribution of statement to relevant institutions

Content of the course (Topics/Lectures to be covered):

Target Audience:

Students, scientists, researchers, experts, healthcare managers, government officials, think tanks, health NGO’s, policy makers from the domain of multicenter clinical trials research from across the world and global south countries.

Provisional List of Speakers

Registration Process

Step 1: Registration for Physical Participation: Click Here

Step 2: Registration for Virtual Participation: Click Here

Step 3: Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit a properly filled form.

Step 4: Selected candidates will be notified through email; hence, applicants are required to check their emails regularly.

Travel & Local Hospitality

For accommodation, organizers will recommend different nearby hotels to international participants to suit their needs and seniority. No travel grants will be provided to participants travelling for the workshop. Participants are expected to get their travel funding from their parent organizations/country of origin.

Scientific Coordinator and Technical Focal Person

Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Aleem

UEARS representative

Cairo, Egypt

Workshop Conveners:

1. Professor Dr. Khalid Saeed Khan, COMSTECH Distinguished Scholar
2. Professor Dr. Yacoub Khalaf, UEARS President

Workshop Coordinators

1. Muhammad Haris Akram, Program Manager, COMSTECH

Click here to download the flyer…

Tentative Program: Link

Event Flyer: Link

Date: 26^th -28^th Dec 2023 (Venue; COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad)

About the workshop:

The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the attention of the global community and rekindled the debate about our ability to prevent and manage outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. To control infectious diseases, human, animal, and environmental factors need to be considered together, based on the One Health perspective. Keeping in mind the immense importance of the subject, COMSTECH, in collaboration with Pasteur Institute of Iran has organized an International workshop with several internationally renowned speakers and conveners. This workshop will cover several important topics such as  Environmental investigation, Laboratory investigation, Data management in outbreaks, Outbreak control measures, Agency roles and responsibilities for outbreak management, case studies etc.

Workshop Outcomes:

After completing this course, trainees should be able to define the most important topics and apply the skills mentioned bellow:

•          Outbreaks and related concepts

•          The general framework of outbreak investigation

•          Evaluation and confirmation of the outbreak

•          Outbreak description

•          Types of studies in the outbreaks

•          Use of Microsoft excel in outbreak investigation

•          Environmental and clinical surveys and measurements

•          Collection, labelling, and transfer of samples

•          Preparing the report for the outbreaks

•          Critical thinking at different stages; before and during sampling, analysis, reporting, writing, and providing feedback

•          Ethical and cultural issues during the outbreak investigations

•          Risk communications

•          Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic

Onsite Speakers:

Dr. Kayhan Azadmanesh, Ph.D.

Professor of Medical Biotechnology at the Department of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran

Dr. Arash Arashkia, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medical Biotechnology at the Department of Virology, Pasteur Institute of Iran

Dr. Fahimeh Bagheri Amiri, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Pasteur Institute of Iran

Dr. Sana Eybpoosh, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran

Dr. Mahdi Rouhani, Ph.D.

Head of Bacteriology Department of Pasteur Institute of Iran.

Dr Atia tul Wahab, Ph.D.

Professor, National Institute of Virology, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi.

Dr Saba Farooq, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, National Institute of Virology, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi.

Who Should Attend?

Healthcare professionals engaged in disease surveillance and control at peripheral levels, including general practitioners, as well as individuals holding a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in relevant fields.

You may attend the course in the city of your residence (ISB or KHI).

Important!

The course will include both a pre-test and a post-test. Three outstanding participants will be selected based on their active engagement in workshop activities and their performance in the post-test and will be duly recognized with a certificate or letter of appreciation.

Registration Form: Click Here

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

Date:- 26-27 January 2024

COMSTECH (Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation) is organizing a two-days meeting of  SESAME Users in OIC member states from 26-27 January 2024 in Islamabad. SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East), a 3^rd Generation 2.5 GeV SR facility was established in Jordan through financial support from UNESCO and Member States. In the first phase, there will be eight beamlines, these beamlines are as follow

1. BM02 – IR (Infrared) Spectromicroscopy
2. BM08 – XAFS/XRF (X-ray Absorption Fine Structure/X-ray Fluorescence) Spectroscopy 
3. ID09 – MS/XPD (Materials Science/X-ray Powder Diffraction)
4. ID10 – BEATS (BEAmline for Tomography at SESAME)
5. ID11L – HESEB (HElmholtz-SEsame Beamline)
6. ID11R – TXPES (Turkish soft X-ray PhotoElectron Spectroscopy)
7. MX (Macromolecular Crystallography) being designed
8. SAXS/WAXS (Small Angle and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering) being designed

The users, with diverse cultural, political, and religious backgrounds, interact on scientific issues and through this build cross-border scientific collaboration, dialogue and understanding.

Aims and Objectives of the Meeting:

SESAME and COMSTECH are jointly supporting scientists from OIC Member States to conduct experiments at SESAME. In this endeavour, the main objectives of hosting the SESAME Users Meeting-2024 in Islamabad are as follows:

• To provide a platform for education on the scientific and technical advancements in the domain of synchrotrons beamlines and their applications.
• To share and evaluate the utilization of SESAME beamlines by users for research applications in the domain of materials science, engineering, medicine, healthcare, cultural heritage and the environment, as well as fundamental physics and chemistry.
• To discuss opportunities for collaborative utilization of the SESAME beamlines for a variety of research applications by OIC scientists and researchers.
• To develop a strategy/programme for the potential use of SESAME beamlines in future for the benefit of OIC researchers.

Speakers:

• Prof. Samar Hasnain, University of Liverpool, UK
• Dr. Andy Fitch, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
• Dr. Andrea Lausi, Science Director, SESAME, Jordan
• Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General COMSTECH
• Prof. Dr. Aslam Baig, Professor Emeritus, Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan
• Prof. Dr. Moaz-ur-Rahman, Professor, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
• Prof. Dr. Javed Akhtar, PINSTECH, Pakistan

Venue:

COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan

Registration Deadline:

• 15 December 2023
• Registration Link: Click Here
• open to researchers/scientists of OIC Member states

Organizers:

• Prof. Dr. Samar Hasnain, UK
• Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Pakistan

Coordinators:

• Dr. Sammer Yousuf (dr.sammer.yousuf@gmail.com )
• Ms. Khazima Muazim (khazima@comstech.org)

Flyer: Link

Date: Thursday, 7^th December 2023
Time: 08:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time
(9am Chicago, USA time)
Online participation only.

Speaker/Convener
Prof. Dr. Bulent Aydogan

Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology
Director of Medical Physics
Director of Small Animal Radiation Research
University of Chicago

Speakers Profile:

Currently, Dr. Aydogan hold the position of Director of Medical Physics, responsible for overseeing a dynamic team of 6 academic professionals and 40 clinical experts.

He has a comprehensive foundation in medical physics, enriched by specialized training and proficiency in various domains such as research, education, leadership, and clinical excellence, particularly in the realm of radiotherapy. He is also the inaugural Director of Small Animal Radiation Program and the Center for Clinical Oximetry at UChicago. His primary areas of expertise and passion lie within translational clinical radiation oncology, spanning vital facets such as image-guided therapy, theragnostic nanomedicine, and both anatomical and functional imaging modalities for gauging therapy response and individualized medical approaches. Notably, He has garnered international recognition as an authority in linac-based TMI technique, a breakthrough he conceptualized and successfully integrated into clinical practice. His notable accomplishments includes seven Phase I and Phase II clinical studies focused on AML and MM, showcasing the clinical viability and tangible benefits of my approach. HIs commitment extends to the global community, where he has been contributing to the dissemination of this groundbreaking technology by providing training and guidance to esteemed institutions worldwide. His active engagement in the realm of nanotechnology has led to the development of innovative platforms with theragnostic applications. This is exemplified by his pioneering work involving a targeted nanogold contrast agent for both cancer diagnosis and therapy, a milestone that culminated in the award of a full patent in 2016. Most recently, a collaborative endeavor in conjunction with Northwestern and Case Western has yielded a significant achievement—an NIH R01 grant. This aims to improve prostate cancer therapy through heightened precision and targeting of tumors using PSMA and Gd (MRI). This undertaking is vital to facilitate advanced image-guided preclinical radiation therapy capabilities required to improve cancer outcome.

Abstract

With the recent developments in technology and radiobiology, radiation therapy has evolved into a primary treatment method for many cancer patients with certain disease sites. However, in current radiotherapy (RT) practices, we are still treating each patient within a specific tumor type and stage with a common dose, ignoring the wide per-patient and per-tumor-sub-volume dose-response variations and missing the opportunity to dynamically modify the dose distribution based on tumor response. Radiation therapy (RT) efficacy is jeopardized by this lack of patient-specific treatment strategy. More and more studies have shown the value of personalized cancer treatments. Vendors and research institutes are working on new treatment technologies with achieving personalized radiation therapy as one of the goals. Nonetheless, successful examples are rare. In this presentation, we will discuss three promising examples of such developments in my lab, namely, biology guided total marrow irradiation, oxygen-guided RT, and a theragnostic nanoplatform for prostate cancer.

Who Should Attend?

Early stage researchers, students, relevant personnel from the research Laboratories and industries.

Registration Form: Link

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

Flyer: Link

Date: Wednesday, 8^th November 2023
Time: 05:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time
(7am Philadelphia, USA time)
Online participation only.

Speaker/Convener

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Mir
Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA
Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine,
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA

Abstract of the webinar:

During early development, gene expression patterns progressively emerge as cell fates are determined and the embryo takes form. The regulation of patterning occurs across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. These scales range from the molecular scale dynamics of regulatory proteins binding to genomic loci to activate or repress expression, to the organization of chromatin and distribution of proteins within nuclei at sub-micron to micron scales, to the emergence of domains of gene expression at the scales of hundreds of microns to millimeters.  I will discuss the application of high-resolution light-sheet microscopy, single molecule tracking, and new analysis approaches to functionally bridge data acquired across this wide range of spatial and temporal scales. I will present data on how transient assemblies of transcriptional regulators shape the nucleoplasm and regulate gene expression during embryogenesis. I will discuss how combining imaging data with systematic mutagenesis of key transcription factors allows us to dissect how protein-protein interactions influences the ability of transcription factors to efficiently find and bind their genomic targets and regulate transcriptional activity. Finally, I will discuss the broad applicability of our findings to transcription regulation both during development and in disease.

Speakers Profile:

Prof. Dr. Mir received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2013 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign working with Prof. Gabriel Popescu. During his graduate work he invented new microscopes that provide high resolution quantitative phase images of living cells. He applied these new microscopes to a variety of problems in medicine and the basic life sciences, ranging from clinical pathology of blood samples, to single cell growth, and neural development.  For his postdoctoral work Dr. Mir joined the labs of Xavier Darzacq and Robert Tjian at the University of California, Berkeley where he studied gene regulation in Drosophila embryos using a combination of advanced microscopy methods (especially single molecule imaging), biochemistry, and genomics. Dr. Mir built a customized Lattice-Light Sheet microscope to capture the first data on transcription factor dynamics within the nuclei of a living animal embryo. Dr. Mir started his lab at UPenn and CHOP in January 2021. His lab focuses on developing and using advanced fluorescence microscopy methods and analysis tools to study gene regulation and nuclear organization during early embryonic development and in disease. Dr. Mir received the National Institutes of Health Directors new innovator award in 2021 and was selected as an inaugural Freeman Hrabowski Scholar by the Howard Huges Medical Institute in 2023.

Who Should Attend?

Early stage researchers, students, relevant personnel from the research Laboratories and industries.

Registration Form: Click here

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

COMSTECH International Seminar

“Advances in Neglected Tropical Diseases”

Date and Time: Monday,4^th December 2023, 10:00 am to 02:00 pm Pakistan Time
Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, G-5/2, Islamabad.

Event Flyer: attached here,

Introduction:

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of 20 tropical infections that are common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They are caused by a variety of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms (helminths). These diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the vector population. However due to climate change and global warming, there has been a spread of NTD’s to the temperate regions. One of these NTDs, Leishmaniasis, is caused by obligate intracellular protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Globally leishmaniasis is among the top 10 neglected tropical diseases, with more than 12 million people infected.

In this seminar, a team of internationally renowned speakers will discuss diagnostics of NTDs, and structure-based and AI supported drug discovery targeting the Leishmaniasis causing parasites.

Brief profile of the speakers: attached here,

Program of the event; attached here,

Participation:

Physical participation is only open for residents of Islamabad, Pakistan.

Virtual participation is open to all interested individuals of OIC member states and others.

Registration Link: Click here to Register.   

Registration outcome will be shared through email, therefore, please give your valid email address.

Participants will receive E-certificates.

Contact persons,

Ms Khazima Muazim; Program Manager
khazima@comstech.org

Ms Maham Yamin, Program Officer
mahamyamin@gmail.com
Tel: (+92 51) 9220681-3
Fax: (+92 51) 9211115

For Developing Countries

Isfahan-Iran

27-29 November 2023

Organized by:
Isfahan Regional Centre for Technology incubator and Science Park Development
(IRIS under the auspices of UNESCO)
and
UNESCO Tehran Office (UTO)
In Collaboration with:
Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT) ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF)
Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH)

Flyer Attached here,
Application Form-Download

Background and Introduction

The Knowledge Economy has been described as production and provision of services based on knowledge-intensive activities. These contribute to an accelerated pace of technical and scientific advances. One of the key components of a knowledge economy is nurturing startups and reliance on intellectual capabilities, human capital, research and development.

Economic growth is dependent on the ability of an economy to develop and commercialize innovative products and services and developing new technologies.

The SMEs and startups have helped developing new technologies and bringing up innovative ideas in recent years. These companies are shaped successfully when they are formed in a supportive entity like a science park. Science parks play an important role in development of technology and developing knowledge-based economies and are able to stimulate economic growth of the countries. They play a significant role in developing a knowledge-based economy by accommodating high-tech firms and providing an environment that fosters creativity and innovation by startups.

ISTT is the founder of technology parks in Iran that helped the economic development of region by nurturing startups and SMEs and creating employment opportunities for thousands of university graduates. ISTT has helped economic development of Isfahan Province through its technology incubators and science and technology parks.

Given the level of commercialization of research and the importance of strengthening the capacity of RTI in developing countries, Isfahan Regional Centre for Technology incubator and Science Park Development, under the auspices of UNESCO (IRIS) and UNESCO Tehran Office (UTO) with the cooperation of ISTT, ECO Science Foundation and COMSTECH will jointly conduct a workshop in Isfahan aimed at building the capacity of the public organizations, science parks authorities, university experts and professionals managing the science parks and incubators to further develop their knowledge about establishment and management of such entities and supporting the k-based companies in their  countries. It helps research institutions,  independent researchers and professionals, university graduates and authorities to commercialize the results of research.

The training aims at developing capacity of players in the innovation space and to increase commercialization of research findings. Further, the training will bring together the public sector as well as the private sector thus facilitating knowledge transfer between public and private sectors at the national level.

Objectives

1.  Conducting   capacity   building   to   innovators   and   researchers   on   how   to commercialize their research finding.

2.  Sharing knowledge and experience on the development and management of STPs and TBIs in developing countries and solve the challenges of their startups.

3.  Providing technical assistance and information on various elements in a STP

including  admission  of  companies,  services,  assessment,  and  graduation  of companies.

Expected outcome

Introduction to growth and economic development through startups support and the elements referring to establishing incubators and STPs, admission of companies, pre- incubation, incubation, Science Park, support services, mentorship, and financial affairs.

The participants will also be actively involved in learning the different elements and role players in the innovation ecosystem, and the role of Technology Business Incubators and Science Parks as one of the elements in this ecosystem. Upon the completion of the training program and the country presentations, the participants will be awarded a certificate issued by IRIS and UNESCO Office

Activities and Format

A three day-event (two day training workshop and one day field visit) will be held in

Isfahan, in the form of:

•   Presentations and lectures

•   Knowledge and Experience sharing

•   Group Discussion and Question and Answer

•   Participants Country Reports

•   Field Visits to Relevant Sites

•   Evaluation and feedbacks

Presentations and lectures in the form of ppt files followed by Q&A. 9:00a.m. – 17:00 p.m. (each day)

Language of the event

The working language of the event is English.

Participants

Participants from developing countries, ECO member countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkiye, Uzbekistan), Iraq, Mongolia, Armenia, China, Malaysia, Oman, Morocco, Nigeria, Georgia and Indonesia are expected to participate in this programme. The combination of participants from different countries will allow for exchange of knowledge and experiences and prepares the ground for networking and collaboration.

The training will target the below institutions:

•   Universities

•     Government  ministries  and  departments  involved  in  research  activities, commercialization, technology and innovation development,

•   Private sector funding research activities,

•   The innovation hubs,

•   Science Parks and areas of innovation

The selected participants will be provided 4 nights free accommodation and meals during the workshop in Isfahan.

The Criteria for Participants

Participants are expected to have:

•     Experience or be involved in the development and/or management of STPs in their home countries.

•   Keen in STP topics, management, administration, etc.

•   Ability to present a country report on their S&T status.

•   Good command of English

•   Good health

The selected participants need to present a country report during the workshop.

Partners and Organizers

Isfahan Regional Centre for Technology incubator and Science Park Development

(IRIS), under the auspices of UNESCO

•   UNESCO Tehran Office (UTO)

•   Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT)

•   ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF)

•   Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH)

Applications

Applicants are urged to send their applications to their respected organizations

(IRIS, ECOSF, UTO, COMSTECH)

Applicants can also apply using application form attached and submit the completed form to info@unesco-iris.com
Application Form-Download

Closing Date of Applications

All the applications should be submitted by the organizations or applicants to IRIS at above mentioned email NOT LATER than 27 October 2023.

Secretariat & Enquiries

Tel: +98 31 33860619
Fax: +98 31 33862355
Email: info@unesco-iris.com
Website: http://www.unesco-iris.com