The University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad, have signed a historic memorandum of understanding to promote collaboration in the areas of materials science and emerging technologies, a move aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s research capacity and international academic partnerships.
The agreement, signed in London, will support the launch of a Rs3.5 billion joint initiative under the URAAN Pakistan PSDP to establish an Institute of Advanced Materials Sciences – the first-ever collaboration of its kind between a Pakistani public sector university and Cambridge.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, present at the ceremony, described the partnership as a “historic step towards building the knowledge economy in Pakistan”. He said the collaboration would connect Pakistani universities with international accelerators, venture capital funds and technology partners, thereby strengthening academia-industry linkages and promoting research commercialization.
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The QAU-Cambridge partnership includes:
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$0.7 million for faculty and student exchanges, joint research programs and technology transfer pathways.
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Focus on clean energy materials, aerospace composites, health technologies, digital innovation and advanced manufacturing.
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Commitment to launch the first cohort of exchanges, industry-backed demonstrators and a structured patent pipeline within 100 days, marking a step towards an innovation-driven and globally competitive Pakistan.
Simultaneously, another MoU was signed between Cambridge Enterprise Ltd, UK, a subsidiary of Cambridge University, and Pakistan Institute for Development Economics (PIDE), Islamabad, aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
These partnerships reflect Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing research, innovation and technology commercialization while fostering international collaboration in cutting-edge scientific disciplines.
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Pakistan’s partnerships with institutions like the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Enterprise Ltd come at a critical time, as the country grapples with stagnation in research, innovation and high-value manufacturing.
Nadeem Javaid, vice-chancellor of PIDE, stressed that Pakistan risks being caught in the “middle-income trap”, where growth stagnates despite rising costs and ambitions exceeding capacity.
Initiatives such as joint research programs, faculty exchanges and technology transfer pathways aim to break this cycle by strengthening human capital, fostering innovation and connecting academia with industry, crucial steps to transform Pakistan’s knowledge economy and create a globally competitive and innovation-driven future.
