French government to award scholarships to Pakistani scholars

Ambassador of France in Pakistan Marc Barety has said that Pakistan and France will further improve relations by exploring more areas of collaboration and cooperation in fields of research and education. "The French government will award scholarships to Pakistani scholars. Scientists of both the countries will work together on the research fronts."
He expressed these views on Friday while having a meeting with Director International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi (UoK) Professor Dr M Iqbal Choudhary and Professor Dr Atta-ur Rahman, Patron-in-Chief ICCBS, the former federal minister for science and technology, and ex chairman higher education commission.
The meeting was held at HEJ, Research Institute of Chemistry, UoK, in which Deputy Director of Asian Affairs of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sonia Barbry, Consul general in Karachi, Didier Talpain, André de Bussy, Counselor for Development and Cultural Cooperation, Gilles Pascal, Director Alliance Francaise, and other officials of the International Center were also present.
The French ambassador said that Pak-France program has been emerged for the promotion of science and technology in Pakistan. The initiative focuses to further strengthen the bilateral relations in the field of science and technology between both the countries, he added.
The ambassador along with the French delegation paid visit to different research facilities provided at the International Center. He appreciated the efforts made by Professor Atta-ur Rahman and Professor Iqbal Choudhary to get the International Center on the way of development.
It was decided in the meeting that French government will award 10 scholarships for development of the faculty at Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi (UoK).
It was also decided in the meeting that both countries will pursue an exchange program of experts, while Alliance Francaise will support the French language program initiated by ICCBS.
In the meeting, Professor Iqbal Choudhary offered the French government to send their students to ICCBS for their research training in natural product chemistry, as ICCBS has already trained hundreds of German students in the same area. He said that ICCBS and French research institutions have strong mutual research tradition.
Professor Atta-ur Rahman said that both countries should expand further academic association in days to come. He appreciated the French government efforts to award scholarships for Pakistani scholars, and said that French scientist should come to ICCBS to have joint research work with Pakistani scientists.
He also discussed the possibility of setting up French technical university in Pakistan.