ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF), in partnership with UNESCO and Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), will hold a webinar on science and scientific researchers on November 24, 2026. The session is the third in the Webinar Series on Science, Ethics and Innovation, which is being held under the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, running from 2024 to 2033. It is scheduled for 10:00 AM Pakistan Standard Time and will take place online on Microsoft Teams, so participants from different countries can join without travelling. The theme for this edition is advancing science diplomacy and South-South cooperation, and the event lists UNESCO Office in Pakistan as the lead organisation, with COMSATS and ECOSF as partners. Anyone interested in attending can register online, and further details about the series are available through the event page.
One of the main aims of the webinar is to raise awareness of UNESCO’s Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers, which was adopted in 2017 and sets out how governments and institutions should treat the people who carry out scientific work. The discussions are expected to promote dialogue on scientific freedom, research integrity and the kind of working environment that allows researchers to do their jobs well. These topics have gained more attention as research becomes more international and as universities, laboratories and funding bodies look for shared principles that can guide fair and responsible practice. By placing the Recommendation at the centre of the conversation, the organisers hope to give participants a clear reference point for their own institutions and national policies.
The programme brings together a group of speakers from several countries and organisations. Dr Fuad Pashayev, Representative of UNESCO in Pakistan, and Prof Seyed Komail Tayebi, President of ECO Science Foundation, will be among the speakers. They will be joined by Prof Zeinab Osman, Professor of Biocomposites at National Center for Research (NCR) in Sudan, and Dr Mohamed-Slim Alouini, UNESCO Chair on Education to Connect the Unconnected at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Mr Muzamil Edema, a researcher at Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in Turkey, and Dr Max Paoli, Programme Coordinator at The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) in Italy, complete the line up. Their different backgrounds in policy, education, research and scientific cooperation should give attendees a wide view of the questions facing researchers in developing and emerging economies.
The webinar also aims to build institutional partnerships and encourage cooperation among countries of the Global South, where researchers often face similar challenges such as limited funding, uneven access to equipment and fewer chances to collaborate across borders. Science diplomacy, which uses scientific exchange to improve understanding between nations, is expected to feature prominently in the exchanges. For students, academics, policymakers and research administrators, the session offers a chance to hear from international experts, ask questions and consider how their own work can contribute to the goals of the decade. The organisers have invited the public to be part of the conversation by registering through the link provided.
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