COMSTECH — Science & Technology
OIC agencies & committees · The OIC standing committee for science
COMSTECH is the OIC standing committee charged with building scientific and technological capacity across the member states, chaired by the President of Pakistan.
At a glance
| Full name | Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation |
|---|---|
| Established | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Chair | the President of Pakistan |
One of the OIC's three sectoral standing committees, each headed by a serving head of state, COMSTECH was established in 1981 and is based in Islamabad with the President of Pakistan as its permanent chair. Its mandate is to strengthen science, technology and innovation in the Muslim-majority world — a bloc that, despite its size, has historically lagged in research output and spending.
The committee funds fellowships, research grants and equipment, runs training and exchange programmes, and convenes scientists across member states in fields from medicine and water to renewable energy. It has sought to build networks among universities and research centres and to promote the commercialisation of research.
COMSTECH works alongside the OIC's economic committee, COMCEC, and its research centre, SESRIC, as part of the organisation's effort to coordinate development across the sectors that shape a modern economy.
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Curated reference on Islamic belief and thought. On matters where traditions differ, positions are attributed rather than adjudicated; verify points of doctrine with qualified scholars.