Embassy of Pakistan, Brussels Hosts “Pakistani Students and Professionals Networking Conference” Brussels, 15th October 2025

The Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels 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 across Belgium.

The event aimed to celebrate the achievements of Pakistani professionals and to explore avenues for closer cooperation in science, education, and innovation through science diplomacy and diaspora engagement.

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

The event also featured a community showcase where Pakistani professionals from leading Belgian universities and enterprises shared their experiences and contributions. Speakers included Dr. Ali Sherazi (Sanofi/KU Leuven), Professor Dr. Ahmed Zaib Khan (ULB), Dr. Madiha Nazir (Caldris Bio), Dr. Muhammad Naeem (KU Leuven), and Ms. Hira Mehmood (BOSAQ).

In his keynote address, Ambassador Rahim Hayat Qureshi welcomed the participants and thanked the European and Belgian representatives for their continued engagement with Pakistan in the fields of education, research, and innovation. The Ambassador commended the contributions of the Pakistani diaspora across domains.