KARACHI: A total of 174 undergraduate and MSc students from 17 universities across Pakistan have been inducted into the annual BS/MSc Thesis Support Program at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi.
The recently launched initiative is designed to provide comprehensive support to young scholars during their thesis journey. The inaugural ceremony was held at the UNESCO Chair on Medicinal and Bioorganic Natural Product Chemistry, based at ICCBS.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS and UNESCO Chair Holder, congratulated the selected students and emphasized the program's aim to enhance the academic experience, foster research excellence, and lay the groundwork for advanced research initiatives. He noted that participants would have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and cutting-edge research infrastructure at ICCBS.
Terming youth as Pakistan’s “real wealth,” Prof. Shah underscored the crucial role of science and technology in national development. He stated that globally recognized institutions and researchers were shaped by robust academic environments, and expressed confidence in the immense potential of Pakistani students to transform the nation's future.
Prof. Dr. Syed Ghulam Musharraf highlighted that the program will enable students to work under the guidance of distinguished mentors and publish their research in leading scientific journals. The 6- to 12-month program spans a diverse range of disciplines including Organic, Analytical, Physical, Inorganic, and Applied Chemistry; Textile Chemistry; Biochemistry; Biotechnology; Physiology; Microbiology; Genetics; Pharmacology; and Artificial Intelligence in Health Sciences.
Dr. Reaz Ud Din, Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair, reflected on its growing role in fostering local and international collaborative research since its inception in 2019.
