Twenty-three Pakistani students who represented the country at the 2026 International Science Olympiads (ISOs) were honoured at a ceremony organised by the STEM Careers Programme. The programme is a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), and it selects and trains students for the annual international competitions. Higher Education Commission Chairman Professor Dr Niaz Ahmad Akhtar attended the ceremony as chief guest, congratulated the students on their achievements, and distributed cash prizes and certificates among them. The event brought together the young participants and the people who supported their preparation, and it recognised results achieved across several science subjects during this year’s competitions.
The students won one Silver Medal, six Bronze Medals, five Honourable Mentions, one Certificate of Merit, and one Certificate of Recognition across Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hassan Atif Cheema secured the Silver Medal at the International Biology Olympiad. Earlier in July, Pakistan had also won three Bronze Medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad held in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Pakistan also took part officially in the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) for the first time, which added a new field to the list of subjects in which the country is represented at the international level, alongside the four traditional science subjects.
During the ceremony, the chairman acknowledged the contributions of parents, teachers, and mentors from PIEAS, COMSATS Lahore, the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College (NIBGE-C), and the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi. These institutions play a part in training the students before they travel abroad, and the acknowledgement showed that the results depend on the combined effort of families, schools, and academic institutions. He also reaffirmed the commitment of the HEC and the government to nurture scientific talent and to support the next generation of scientists, researchers, and innovators, so that students who do well at the Olympiads can continue to pursue careers in science and technology.
Students who join the Olympiad teams are selected through a nationwide process under the STEM Careers Programme, which includes screening, residential training camps, and final selection of small teams for each subject. According to figures shared in July, more than 365 Pakistani students have represented the country at the International Science Olympiads since the programme began, winning 144 international medals. The 2026 results add to that record, and the cash prizes and certificates handed out at the ceremony are meant to recognise the effort that students put into preparing for some of the most demanding school level science competitions in the world, where participants from many countries solve difficult theoretical and practical problems.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
