ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad and the High Commission of Pakistan in Australia held a Virtual Science Summit on “Creating Synergies with Scientific Diaspora in Australia.”
The event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Institute of Health, National Science and Technology Park, Khwarizmi Science Society, and Special Technology Zones Authority of Pakistan.
The platform brought together nearly 100 participants from the Pakistani diaspora in Australia engaged in the field of Science and Technology as well as from the relevant institutions within Pakistan.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Australia highlighted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ efforts in connecting diverse stakeholders in the domain of Science, Technology and Innovation from all over the world. He added that the High Commission had been regularly facilitating the relevant actors in the technological and entrepreneurial ecosystems of Pakistan and Australia, in order to promote partnerships between techpreneurs and innovators of the two countries.
The High Commissioner appreciated the contribution of the diaspora towards the knowledge economy in Australia and underscored the key role played by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diaspora Outreach Research and Innovation Network in creating synergies for international partnerships.
The Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology emphasized the potential of the Pakistani diaspora in supporting and scaling the local hi-technology industry and enterprises along with the thriving start-up space in Pakistan.
The Federal Secretary lauded the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in mapping, showcasing, and linking innovation stakeholders for building institutional linkages.
Several Pakistan-origin scholars and professionals based in Australia made brief presentations regarding their ongoing work, highlighting potential areas of collaboration and outlining concrete recommendations for establishing institutionalised mechanisms.
In his closing remarks, the High Commissioner appreciated the keen interest of the Pakistani diaspora and thanked the representatives of Pakistani institutions for providing a holistic picture of the vast opportunities that are available in the country for collaboration and commercialization linkages.
The meeting was held under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Science Diplomacy Initiative which is aimed at connecting national science and technology stakeholders with international partners, with a special focus on leveraging science diplomacy to implement Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
