Pakistan and Palestine launch forum to rebuild Gaza's education sector

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Palestine on Thursday launched the first-ever Rectors’ Forum to strengthen academic cooperation and rebuild Gaza’s war-ravaged higher education sector.

Titled “Higher Education and Scientific Research in Gaza: The Way Forward,” the event was held at the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad. It was hosted by COMSTECH, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the initiative marked “an important step” toward restoring Gaza’s education and research capacities.

“It is a privilege to join this forum, which reflects our shared commitment to education, knowledge, and scientific progress, the foundation for peace and prosperity in the State of Palestine,” Siddiqui said.

The minister praised OIC-COMSTECH’s role in advancing science and higher education across the Muslim world and announced support for the committee’s plan to offer 5,000 fellowships to Palestinian students, calling it “a remarkable initiative” that would help shape a new generation of scientists and leaders.

He also highlighted COMSTECH’s Basic Life Support and Trauma Management Course for Palestinian healthcare workers and its technical and skills training programmes, describing them as “tangible steps” to strengthen human capacity and save lives in Gaza.

“Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with Palestine,” Siddiqui said. “We offer not just words, but cooperation in research, innovation, and higher education.”

He expressed hope that the forum would lead to joint research projects, faculty exchanges, scholarships, and lasting academic partnerships between institutions in both countries.

In his opening remarks, COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary said the forum aimed to create a roadmap for rebuilding Gaza’s scientific and educational infrastructure.

“The systematic destruction of universities, research centres, and schools in Gaza has targeted not only buildings, but the intellectual foundations of an entire generation,” he said.

He added that COMSTECH and its partner institutions would work with Palestinian counterparts to restore academic life, rebuild universities, and revive research and innovation in Gaza.

A seven-member Palestinian delegation comprising university presidents, rectors, and senior academic officials is in Pakistan for a week-long visit facilitated by COMSTECH. The group will hold meetings at leading universities in Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Lahore to explore future collaborations.

The event was attended by ambassadors, vice chancellors, senior academics, and officials from both countries.