Biography:

Prof. Dr. Sohail Asghar is a distinguished academic leader with over 20 years of experience spanning teaching, research, academic leadership, and institutional development. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Monash University, Australia (QS World Rank: 42). In his current role as Dean FIST and In-charge Campus at COMSATS University Islamabad, Professor Asghar leads a workforce of over 700 employees and manages a budget exceeding Rs. 3.2 billion. Under his leadership, the university has seen significant growth through institutional development, strategic expansion of academic programs, and the digitization of core administrative processes.

He has driven revenue growth by launching innovative, industry-aligned academic programs, increasing student enrollment, and securing external funding and corporate sponsorships. Through strategic industry partnerships, Dr. Asghar has spearheaded major infrastructure upgrades without adding financial burden to the university.

His leadership emphasizes internal resource optimization over outsourcing, resulting in improved efficiency and enhanced student services—particularly through a revitalized Student Affairs division. He has also implemented robust communication channels to ensure effective policy execution and stakeholder alignment across the institution.

In addition to his extensive administrative responsibilities, Dr. Asghar remains deeply engaged in research as the Principal Investigator at the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), where he leads national-level initiatives focused on AI-driven innovation and applied research. He has secured Rs. 97.57 million in funding for his project under NCAI, reflecting his strong capability in winning competitive national research grants and delivering large-scale, impact-driven outcomes.

He is also actively involved in academic mentorship, currently supervising numerous PhD scholars in advanced areas of computer science and machine learning. As General Chair of FIT 2024, he continues to uphold and expand COMSATS University’s 19-year legacy of organizing its flagship international IT conference, further reinforcing the institution’s reputation for academic excellence and research leadership.

Before joining COMSATS University Islamabad, Dr. Asghar served as Director of the University Institute of Information Technology (UIIT) at Arid Agriculture University, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the institute's academic and administrative framework.

Earlier in his career, during his tenure at KSOFT—a subsidiary of Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL)—Dr. Asghar demonstrated strong, multidimensional leadership capabilities. In an executive-level role, he not only managed cross-functional teams but also provided strategic direction by formulating IT strategies and leading corporate training programs for both government and private sector organizations. This experience laid a strong foundation in software development, project management, and institutional capacity building, which he has since carried into his academic leadership roles.

Dr. Asghar brings significant international experience, having spent over eight years in Australia and the United Kingdom in academic and research roles. During this time, he held a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship at Monash University, where he contributed to advanced research in computer science and collaborated with leading international scholars. His academic excellence was recognized early on when he secured competitive international funding of AUD 40 million during his PhD studies.

Dr. Sohail Asghar has a distinguished track record in institutional restructuring, faculty development, governance, and policy formulation, demonstrating his commitment to transforming higher education. With over 2,000 citations and more than 200 national and international academic recognitions, including HEC travel grants and productivity awards, he has made substantial contributions to academia. Dr. Asghar is a pioneer in the design and implementation of outcome-based education (OBE) in computer science at COMSATS University Islamabad, significantly advancing academic standards and curriculum development.

A prominent figure in Pakistan’s artificial intelligence landscape, his influence continues to grow internationally through groundbreaking research, collaborative projects, and leadership roles in prestigious AI conferences and forums.