Tuesday, 7th October 2025

In a significant stride toward strengthening national collaborations, the Riphah Institute of Public Policy (RIPP), a constituent unit of Riphah International University, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) — a leading national think tank operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan.

The MoU was signed by Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General, ISSI, and Professor Dr. Anis Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Riphah International University, in a ceremony held at the ISSI headquarters. The event was also attended by Professor Dr. Rashid Aftab, Director RIPP, and Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director Centre for Strategic Perspective (CSP) at ISSI, among other distinguished guests.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood commended the remarkable academic progress of Riphah University under the visionary leadership of Professor Dr. Anis Ahmad. He emphasized that both institutions share a common vision on domestic, regional, and international issues, creating vast opportunities for collaboration in research, policy formulation, and human resource development.

He highlighted the importance of aligning academic practices with policy-making processes, ensuring informed and holistic approaches to address contemporary challenges. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood also underscored the need to engage Pakistan’s youth meaningfully in national and global discourse, particularly in areas such as public policy, climate change, water security, regional dynamics, Hindutva ideology, global Islamophobia, and non-traditional security challenges.

In his remarks, Professor Dr. Anis Ahmad appreciated ISSI’s contributions to Pakistan’s strategic thought and policy research. He reaffirmed that the collaboration will focus on joint research projects, policy dialogues, training programs, and publications aimed at national and international development. Dr. Anis Ahmad further stressed the importance of ‘decolonizing academic thought and practices’ and adopting strategic, long-term policy approaches for sustainable national growth.

This MoU reflects Riphah’s ongoing commitment to fostering partnerships with key national institutions and bridging the gap between academia and policy practice. Through this collaboration, RIPP and ISSI aim to promote academic exchange, policy innovation, and youth engagement to support informed national decision-making and capacity building.