A delegation fr om Kazakhstan visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to establish partnerships with the country’s leading medical universities. The visit was initiated by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Pakistan.
As part of the working group, Rector of Astana Medical University Anar Turmukhambetova held meetings with the leadership of several universities. The parties discussed prospects for the development of joint educational and research projects.
The first visit was to the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), a public university located in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province. NUMS is one of the largest providers of medical services in Pakistan due to its extensive network. It encompasses 45 military hospitals, 12 specialized institutes, 10 medical colleges, 4 dental colleges, 6 nursing colleges, and 3 allied health science institutes.
During the meeting, an agreement was reached on the joint training of military physicians at the newly established Faculty of Military Medicine at Astana Medical University.
Also in Rawalpindi, the delegation visited another public institution – Rawalpindi Medical University. Discussions with the university administration focused on student and faculty exchange opportunities.
Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (STMU), a private nonprofit university established in 2012 in Islamabad, was another key institution visited by the Kazakh delegation. STMU is closely affiliated with Shifa International Hospitals Ltd., a multidisciplinary healthcare institution founded in 1993. The hospital provides university students with access to clinical practice and research opportunities. Discussions were held on clinical internship programs for international students and joint educational programs in “Medicine” and “Nursing Science”.
Opportunities for collaborative research and training of scientific personnel were discussed with the University of the Punjab – the largest university in Pakistan, ranked 250th in the QS World University Rankings. The university proposed the creation of a joint scientific platform to study the impact of climate change on human health.
With the Rector of King Edward Medical University, discussions centered on joint research initiatives and the potential for submitting grant proposals under the framework of SCO country cooperation.
A meeting with the administration of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) was also of significant importance. UHS is an internationally recognized, student-centered research university with a mission to improve healthcare delivery. It regulates and coordinates the activities of medical educational, training, and research institutions across Punjab. The university annually administers the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) for entry into MBBS and BDS degree programs in both public and private medical and dental colleges of Punjab. The two sides explored collaborative activities, including student and faculty exchange.
According to the visit agenda, the Kazakh delegation visited Maroof International Hospital in Islamabad, wh ere discussions were held on the possibility of opening a Kazakhstan–Pakistan College of Nursing Education.
A key moment of the visit was the meeting with the Minister of Education of Punjab Province, during which the proposal to open a branch campus of Astana Medical University in Lahore for the training of physicians was discussed.
This visit significantly enhanced future partnerships between universities and opened new avenues for cooperation. A great deal of joint work lies ahead, but the first step toward sustainable development has already been taken.
