President ECOSF and Director UNESCO-Pakistan meet to discuss mutual areas of Cooperation & Collaboration

Go Back

President ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF) Prof. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro and Director UNESCO Pakistan Ms. Vibeke Jensen met at UNESCO office, today to discuss mutual cooperation and collaboration in the fields of science and education in Pakistan.

Ms. Jensen warmly welcomed Prof. Dr. Manzoor Soomro in UNESCO office.

Prof. Soomro on his part welcomed Ms. Jensen upon her appointment as Country Director/Representative UNESCO in Pakistan. He then briefly introduced to her the ECOSF and its aims & objectives, and activities so far. Both the leaders discussed the areas of mutual Interest especially under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for scientific cooperation signed between Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and UNESCO in 1995. Dr. Soomro also shared a copy of the signed MoU.

Prof. Soomro especially talked to Director UNESCO about the collaborations of ECOSF with ISTIC-UNESCO Kuala Lumpur- Malaysia and La main a la pate Foundation, France for implementation of Inquiry Based School Education (IBSE) in the ECO Region. He also informed her about the collaboration of ECOSF with Italian institution active in mountainous regions of Pakistan and Nepal- the EvK2CNR Foundation- a not for profit association. ECOSF and EvK2CNR signed MoU earlier this year for collaboration in Mountain Protected Areas including the Biosphere Researves.

The two agreed in principle for future cooperation in the fields of scientific research, education & development and other UNESCO institutions and programmes.

The two leaders also discussed the possibility of working on Transboundary Biosphere Research between Pakistan and the bordering ECO Member States as well as any other cross border scientific, educational and cultural activity. Prof. Soomro emphasized on the promotion of UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) with some Transboundary Biosphere Reserves. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) promotes conservation research through its various activities including Young Scientists Awards. Priority is for projects carried out in the world's biosphere reserves in support of research on ecosystems, natural resources, and biodiversity.

They also discussed the objectives of the upcoming International Conference "Developing the Roadmap on Engineering Qualification Standardization" - Preparing Future Engineers for Sustainable Development on January 10, 2014 in Islamabad which is being jointly organized by UNESCO in collaboration with ECOSF and Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan. Three participants from other ECO member countries; viz., Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are also joining the meeting.

Prof. Soomro explained that the meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss and identify the gaps in engineering qualifications standardization and develop a roadmap towards qualified and internationally recognized engineers in the country as well in the region.