Collaboration is a way of enhancing ideas, increasing creativity and ethical conduct. It allows for the pooling of diverse expertise, resources, and perspectives, leading to more comprehensive analyses, innovative ideas and efficient problem solving. It fosters a supportive and enriching environment that enhances productivity and, ultimately, the likelihood of achieving research goals. Effective collaboration creates a synergistic effect to advance and accelerate research and plays a vital role in the success of a research project. Prof. Qureshi points out that OeAD has provided this opportunity to establish research collaborations with Austrian universities, especially for the former OeAD scholars who are now working in the academia in their home countries. Cooperation Development Research (Kooperation Entwicklungsforschung - KOEF) is an OeAD programme which provides financial support for establishing and strengthening of coordination and collaboration in research between the Universities/research institutes of Austria and Universities/research institutes in countries of the Global South. Pakistan is included in the list of countries of Global South. The aim of KOEF is to adopt strategies for analyzing and solving local challenges and achieving 17 SDGs (Sustainable Developmental Goals) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, such as poverty reduction, good health, quality education, peace, justice and strong institutions, clean water and sanitation, etc.
In order to strengthen the collaboration and coordination in research and training between the Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and the Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry (ACRC); Austrian Drug Screening Institute (ADSI), University of Innsbruck, Austria, Prof. Qureshi had received a KOEF research grant in 2020. The project aimed to explore the rich biodiversity of medicinal plants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and Innsbruck, Austria, with the overall objective of developing safe, effective and non-toxic phytocosmetic products. This proposal was initiated by the fact that the world is trying to reduce the use of synthetic products and to depend more on the products and ingredients coming from natural resources like plants, especially in medicine, food and cosmetics. More information about the results of the project can be found in the final report.
As an alumnus of the University of Innsbruck, Austria, Prof. Qureshi was interested in establishing a strong scientific coordination and collaboration with colleagues from Austrian institutes in his relevant field enabling him to contribute and to serve the humanity and his country in the best possible way. This project was of mutual interest and based on partnership between the organizations of Austria and Pakistan. Overall, the project was successful in terms of its objective and the expected results in establishing and strengthening the healthy partnership between the organizations from the developed country Austria and developing country Pakistan for science and technology. This project will further strengthen the mutual cooperation and linkage between the partner institutes for the sharing of experience, expertise, technology and dissemination of knowledge in the relevant field. It will impact the responsible consumption of natural resources and their preservation in the products for safe, healthy and beautiful society.
Such cooperation programs will strengthen quality research and educational programs through sharing of knowledge and experience, which will ultimately have a decent impact in the training of graduates of the partner countries. Moreover, establishing research aptitude and conducive environment for such type of activities will enhance the ranking of developing university like the University of Swabi, Pakistan. The graduates and scholars with such type of education and research skills are expected to be able to shoulder the socio-economic challenges of the country and the world; thus will serve the society and humanity in a better way making the society easy for life to breathe.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nasimullah Qureshi is a Pakistani muslim researcher and an academician currently serving as Professor and Chairman, Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. He had received his PhD degree from the University of Innsbruck, Austria and a postdoctoral fellowship from Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interests are Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Spectroscopy, Natural Product Chemistry, Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry.
Research publications: 66; Monographs and technical Reports: 10; Posters presented: 17; International Conferences attended: 26