The critical impact of higher education on the socio-economic development of the OIC member States and in equipping the youth in these countries to address the challenges of the 21st century can be hardly overemphasized. Excellence in knowledge, research and innovation is imperative for the Muslim world to reclaim its rightful place in the international arena.

Advancing the acquisition and popularization of knowledge is one of the key objectives of the OIC Charter, which commits the OIC Member States to the objective of enhancing and developing science and technology and encouraging research and cooperation among Member States in these fields.

With a view to taking practical steps towards strengthening the bonds of Islamic solidarity and achieving its renaissance, the OIC General Secretariat has developed its dedicated webpage of Scholarships Programme located on the OIC website, which serves as a platform displays the educational and training opportunities in different OIC countries and other countries. This website is user-friendly so that it could meet the aspirations of prospective applicants and facilitate access to the available scholarships.

The General Secretariat’s interest in developing this website comes from its keenness on providing educational opportunities for youth in OIC countries and helping them to face challenges resulting from the lack of education and lack of required skills. The OIC General Secretariat would be only a point of dissemination of information and applicants will apply directly to the university or through any other channel or mechanism as proposed by the country/university.

A growing number of Member States and non-Member States are offering scholarships, through the OIC Scholarships Programme, at the undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, levels. These scholarships are being offered in different fields such as; physical Sciences, Engineering, ICT, Medicine, Pharmacy, and languages. Admission criteria, application and selection procedures, security and immigration requirements are notified alongwith individual scholarship offers by the Member States.