Pakistan Embassy Hosts Students and Professionals Networking Conference in Brussels

Brussels: The Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels on Wednesday hosted a Students and Professionals Networking Conference, bringing together representatives from the European Commission, Belgian institutions, and members of the Pakistani student and professional diaspora in Belgium.

The event aimed to highlight the achievements of Pakistani professionals and explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation in science, education, and innovation through science diplomacy and diaspora engagement.

Speakers included Dr. Lorna Schrefler, Team Leader for International Cooperation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD); Johanna Månsson-Delerce, Policy Officer at the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC); Sabine Capart, Counsellor at the Belgian Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs; and Renilde Knevels, Policy Advisor for Internationalization at the Flemish Higher Education Council.

Several Pakistani professionals from leading Belgian universities and enterprises shared their experiences and contributions, including Dr. Ali Sherazi (Sanofi/KU Leuven), Professor Dr. Ahmed Zaib Khan (ULB), Dr. Madiha Nazir (Caldris Bio), Dr. Muhammad Naeem (KU Leuven), and Hira Mehmood (BOSAQ).

In his keynote address, Ambassador Rahim Hayat Qureshi welcomed the participants and expressed gratitude to European and Belgian representatives for their continued support in education, research, and innovation. He also commended the significant contributions of the Pakistani diaspora across various fields.

The conference concluded with a question-and-answer session followed by a networking reception, offering participants an opportunity to discuss collaborative projects and future engagement.