ISLAMABAD

Dr Javaid R Laghari, Chairman Higher Education Commission HEC and Coordinator General COMSTECH said OIC countries seek cooperation and collaboration in science, technology and innovation with the European Union for socio economic development and growth.

It was stated by him while speaking as an invited keynote speaker at the plenary session of the conference on EU Science: Global Challenges, Global Collaboration” which was chaired by the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny who is also the President of the European Union. The conference concluded at Brussels.

Dr Laghari said OIC countries possess 70% of the earth’s energy resources and 40% of the natural resources, yet 40% of the population lives below the poverty level and 70% of the women are illiterate.

He said the reason is that most countries have not invested enough in higher education, science and technology which is essential for rapid industrialization through research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Developing countries need to do research and build up capacities in food security, health, climate change and energy, among other areas as the population is expected to double in the next forty years.

He said there is need to do transformatory research which can change and improve the quality of life. An example is cancer research through which cure has now been found for this deadly disease. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has now made collaboration much easier, and knowledge is now easily available and freely accessible through massive open online purses (MOOCs).

He said research in Pakistan has significantly impacted agriculture and livestock, where new strains of plants and new breeds of animals are beginning to change lives of farmers and rural areas.