An MoU signing ceremony between the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) and the Institute of Space Technology (IST) for the promotion of space science and technology was held at the Ministry of Science and Technology on Tuesday.
The MoU was signed by PSF Chairman Professor Dr. Shahid Mahmood Baig and IST Vice Chancellor Major General (R) Rehan Abdul Baqi and was witnessed by Federal Minister Agha Hassan Baloch.
Under the program, PSF plans to organize a teenager Space Maker Camp for young Pakistani students, for which a leading Chinese organization, the China Youth Science Centre (CYSC), has provided ten space maker kits to PSF. The PSF handed over these kits to IST today and they would jointly undertake the space maker camp.
The students will be trained to make space balloons with these kits which would reach up to 30 kilometers in space.
The objective of this MoU is to define the general framework of scientific and technological cooperation between the parties. In addition, it is aimed at getting benefits from each other’s expertise through mutual collaboration and interaction in joint scientific activities. The MoU will also cover the areas of joint management, organizing, and preparation for participation in international olympiads, moots, galas, and competitions.
While giving his remarks regarding the space maker camp, Federal Minister Agha Hassan Baloch said that this was the first program of its nature and it would bear positive results by uplifting the teenage students’ scientific skills and harnessing their talent in the right direction. He said that for the promotion of scientific aptitude in the students, fifty STEM schools equipped with the latest labs were being developed across the country and in January the training sessions for STEM teachers would be started.
He also directed PSF to send scientific caravans to hold scientific exhibitions in the govt schools of backward and remote areas of the country to develop scientific awareness in the students. The minister reiterated his resolve to enhance practical scientific research in the country according to the needs of the 21st century.
