Web Desk(National times)- A high-level delegation from the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) visited Pakistan from August 24 to 28 to review the country’s progress as an Associate Member of CERN, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday. During the visit, a team of five top experts from CERN met Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) chairman and toured various science and technology institutions. These included the National Centre for Physics (NCP), Heavy Mechanical Complex-3 (HMC-3), Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (INMOL), National Institute for Laser and Optronics (NILOP), among other advanced facilities. The purpose of these visits was to assess Pakistan’s progress in the field of science and technology, the press release stated. CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, is the world’s leading particle physics and nuclear research laboratory. Established in Geneva by European member states on the principle of ‘Science for Peace’, CERN has grown into a global center for scientific excellence, currently comprising 25 Member States and nine Associate Members, including Pakistan. Pakistan became an Associate Member of CERN on July 31 2015, and has since been actively contributing to CERN’s projects. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) serves as the lead agency coordinating the PAK-CERN collaboration. “Through its Associate Membership, Pakistan has gained significant benefits — advancing the frontiers of scientific knowledge, fostering technological development, and training a new generation of scientists and engineers,” the statement concluded.