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IPDS Centre of Study

Center for SCO Studies

Research and policy dialogue on cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) — geopolitics, economic integration, security and cultural exchange among member states.

Centre Programming →About the Centre
About the Centre

Advancing Cooperation Within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

The Center for SCO Studies is dedicated to analyzing and promoting cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The center serves as a research and policy platform to study geopolitical, economic, security, and cultural collaborations among SCO member states. Our mission is to develop research, practical engagement, and dialogue to strengthen regional integration, trade, and economic connectivity under the SCO framework.

The Center for SCO Studies operates as a knowledge hub for research, training, and diplomatic engagement, with a regional focus on SCO countries.

Parent Institute
Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS)
Focus
SCO regional cooperation, security and economic integration
Related Research
SCO Observatory · SCO Commitments Tracker
Location
Islamabad, Pakistan
What We Do

Research Focus Areas

Diplomatic & Economic Trends

Conducting research on diplomatic and economic trends within the SCO.

Regional Economic Integration

Promoting regional economic integration and trade partnerships.

Counterterrorism & Conflict Resolution

Analysing SCO’s role in counterterrorism, peace, and conflict resolution.

Cultural & Educational Exchange

Strengthening cultural and educational exchanges among SCO member states.

Policy Dialogue & Capacity Building

Organizing policy dialogues, conferences, and capacity-building programs.

Centre Output

Publications

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation post Qingdao Summit: Opportunities and Challenges for Pakistan

IPDS Publication · 28 Dec 2018

Post-Qingdao Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit: Opportunities and Challenges for Pakistan

IPDS Publication · 2018

Latest Coverage

Research & Insights

SCO Commitments Tracker →

A research tool tracking what the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation promised, and how far each promise actually travelled.

SCO Observatory →

Twenty-five years of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in one searchable reference: every summit, member state, institution, office holder and partner.

Kazakhstan’s SCO Chairmanship: Navigating Complex Challenges of Regional Cooperation

Kazakhstan’s SCO Chairmanship: Navigating Complex Challenges of Regional Cooperation

Originally published on The Diplomatic Insight, IPDS’s sister publication. IPDS is pleased to showcase this piece by Dr. Farhat Asif, President, IPDS. Over the past...

Sep 5, 2026

Pakistan’s Eurasian Opportunity

Pakistan’s Eurasian Opportunity

Pakistan has assumed the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation at a moment when Eurasia requires political imagination backed by practical delivery. The responsibility handed...

Sep 2, 2026

SCO at 25—As an Election Observer

SCO at 25—As an Election Observer

Today 23 August 2026, citizens across Kazakhstan are electing the first Kurultai under the country’s new Constitution. This is far more than a change in...

Aug 25, 2026

View All Insights →
Centre Programming

Events

A decade of roundtables, seminars and webinars on SCO membership, regional security and post-summit analysis.

EventDate
Roundtable: The Expansion of the SCO — Challenges and Options for Pakistan13 Dec 2014
Launching Ceremony of Pakistan-SCO Friendship Forum06 Mar 2015
Roundtable: SCO Membership and Regional Peace, Security and Development30 Jul 2015
Three-Month Diploma in SCO Studies (IPDS & NUML)18 Mar – 28 May 2017
IPDS & PSCOFF Seminar: Pakistan Permanent Membership of SCO — Opportunities and ChallengesAug 2017
Roundtable: SCO Membership and Regional Peace, Security and Development (2018)31 Jul 2018
Seminar on SCO after Qingdao Summit 2018 (IPDS & PSCOFF)07 Sep 2018
Roundtable: Post-Bishkek SCO Summit 2019 — Lessons Learnt and Way Forward24 Jun 2019
Webinar: SCO Foreign Minister’s Summit — Outcomes and What Next19 Sep 2020
Webinar: SCO Foreign Minister’s Summit — Outcomes and What Next (follow-up)17 Oct 2020
Webinar: Post-Moscow SCO Summit 2020 — Outcomes and Way Forward10 Nov 2020
Post-Tianjin SCO Summit webinar, co-hosted with the Pakistan SCO Friendship Forum
Webinar: “Post-Tianjin SCO Summit — Achievements and Prospects for Multipolar Regional Cooperation,” co-hosted with the Pakistan SCO Friendship Forum.
Institutional Ties

MoUs & Partnerships

MoU / PartnershipDate
IPDS & SCO Center for Public Diplomacy, Uzbekistan — Agreement of Cooperation05 Feb 2021
IPDS & Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO (GNFCC)03 Jun 2021
Capacity Building

Programs

Certificate Course on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

National University of Modern Languages (NUML) · 16 Jul 2018

Work With the Centre

For research collaboration, media enquiries, or to propose a contribution to the Centre's work, get in touch with the IPDS research desk.

Contact the Centre → Write for IPDS →
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