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  • Tuesday, April 30, 2024

  • CUI

  • International Office

UK Higher Education Leaders Visit COMSATS University

Higher Education Leaders from UK along British Council officials visited COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) on Tuesday (April 23, 2024). The visit was aimed at building sustainable person-to-person and institution-to-institution contacts and collaborations with the British universities.

The delegation was on a visit to Pakistan from April 21 to 27 under the Pak-UK Education Gateway – a partnership project between HEC and the British Council. Delegates from the University of Glasgow, University of Salford, Cardiff University, University of London, Queen Mary University of London, Staffordshire University, University of Exeter, INTO University and Bangor University were part of the visit. Senior officials from the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, Department for Education and Office for Students and the British Council also accompanied the delegates.

Prof. Dr. Sajid Qamar, Rector of CUI welcomed the delegates on behalf of COMSATS University and shared the historic exchanges with UK that had contributed to the development of CUI as one of the leading institutions of learning in Pakistan.  In his welcome address, Rector Prof. Dr. Sajid Qamar said, “CUI has had a longstanding affiliation with the universities in UK. It is really heartening to have UK Higher Education Leaders here to explore and potentially discover more opportunities and avenues where our faculty and students can be engaged with UK universities”. He thanked the Scottish Higher Education Trade Envoy for their cooperation in providing scholarships to female students of CUI.

Dr. Hammad Omer, T.I., Head International Office informed the delegates on CUI’s past engagements with the United Kingdom. He revealed that former Prime Minister of the UK, The Rt Hon Lord Cameron visited CUI in April 2011. Around 20 collaborative agreements have been signed with UK universities. Since its inception, over 190 delegates from UK higher education institutions have visited CUI, with over 110 CUI officials reciprocating visits to various research and development organizations and universities in the UK. One hundred fifty (150) UK Alumni are currently serving as faculty members, officers, and staff across all CUI campuses, further cementing the enduring bonds between our nations.

A memorandum of understanding on research cooperation between the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and COMSATS University was signed at the occasion. During the visit, the delegates interacted with the faculty and students. A certificate distribution ceremony for Scottish scholarship recipients for female students of CUI was also arranged by the university. Prof. Moyra Boland, Dean for Global Engagement – Central and South Asia on behalf of the Scottish Higher Education Trade Envoy and the UK delegation, said, “We are delighted to be here and very much looking forward to what we can achieve together. How we can conclude mutually beneficial partnerships together between the UK and Pakistan”.

Ms. Sarah Parvez, Head of Education, British Council Pakistan revealed that the British Council is planning to launch the second phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway project in May 2024 as per the latest directive of the Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan. The project will develop collaboration between the UK universities and Pakistani universities. This will help create opportunities for students, faculty and for joint research.



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  • Monday, April 29, 2024

  • CUI

  • International Office

University of Manchester Revisits COMSATS University

Islamabad, April 24, 2024: Following up on their previous visit on September 19, 2023, Mr. Christopher Gibson, International Officer of the University of Manchester (UoM), United Kingdom, once again graced the CUI Islamabad campus with his presence on April 24, 2024. Accompanying him this time were Dr. Panagiotis Sousounis, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the School of Social Sciences, UoM, and Mr. Arsalan A. Shaikh, Country Manager of Aspire Educational Consulting, Karachi. The primary aim of this visit was again to delve into potential collaboration opportunities between UoM and CUI.

The delegation engaged in discussions with Dr. Hammad Omer, T.I., Head International Office, and Mr. Ali Tawab Baloch, Senior Manager of the International Office. Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed, Tenured Associate Professor and the Head of the Economics Department at CUI Islamabad Campus, also participated in the meeting.

Dr. Omer highlighted ongoing efforts in fostering bilateral higher education relations between the UK and Pakistan, mentioning a current visit by a prominent British delegation. While the delegation aims to explore collaborative prospects, Mr. Chris clarified that UoM is not part of this initiative, focusing instead on exchange programs, student outreach, and internationalization efforts for study abroad programs. He emphasized UoM's reluctance towards joint degree programs with other universities worldwide.

Dr. Omer discussed initiatives aimed at fostering direct interactions between faculty members and enhancing exposure for PhD students. To facilitate these connections, both institutions agreed to compile a list of faculty members along with their areas of expertise, starting with the Departments of Economics and Electrical and Computer Engineering. Mr. Baloch highlighted available funding opportunities at HEC for PhD research projects.

Discussions also broached the topic of fee discounts for CUI students studying at the University of Manchester, particularly focusing on Master's and PhD tuition fee reductions. However, it was clarified that UoM does not offer such provisions, with only the Global Future Scholarships available.

Furthermore, the hosts organized a lecture by Dr. Sousounis titled, "The Market for Risky Jobs" at the Videoconference Room in the Junaid Zaidi Library, which was attended by faculty and students from the Department of Economics of CUI Islamabad Campus. The delegation also took a tour of the Islamabad campus, including a visit to the Junaid Zaidi Library.

The meeting concluded on an optimistic note, with both institutions envisioning a mutually beneficial collaboration that would enrich academic opportunities and global perspectives.



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  • Friday, March 8, 2024

  • CUI

  • International Office

Chinese, Malaysian and NCP Delegation Explores Collaborative Research Opportunities at COMSATS University Islamabad

A three-member delegation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, University Technology Malaysia, and the National Centre for Physics, Islamabad, visited CUI on March 5, 2024 at Islamabad Campus. The visitors included Professor Jie Yang, Professor, Director at the Institute of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China; Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad 'Athif Faudzi, Director at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIRO), Faculty of Engineering, University Technology Malaysia; and Dr. Hassan Shahzad, Head of Collaborations, National Centre for Physics, Islamabad.

Officials from CUI, including Prof. Dr. Shahzad A. Malik, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Professor Sohail Asghar, In-charge of the Islamabad Campus; and Dr. Hammad Omer, T.I., Head of the International Office, participated in the meeting to explore avenues for scientific and research collaboration in mutual research areas.

The session commenced with an informative presentation by the Head International Office, providing insights into CUI's rich academic heritage, research prowess, and global collaborations. Following this, the Medical Image Processing Research Group (MIPRG) within the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at CUI Islamabad Campus was highlighted. The group's commendable achievements, spanning research areas such as Parallel MRI, AI in MR Image Reconstruction, and ASIC, were duly acknowledged, along with its collaborations with prestigious institutions and significant contributions to medical imaging research.

Subsequently, the visitors shared insights into their respective institutions' endeavours in medical imaging and artificial intelligence. Professor Jie Yang emphasized the robust research infrastructure and collaborations with leading hospitals at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad 'Athif Faudzi elaborated on collaborative opportunities in healthcare and robotics at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Moreover, Dr. Hassan Shahzad shed light on ongoing efforts to establish a Shanghai University Innovation Centre at Islamabad, highlighting the potential for fruitful collaborations.

Additionally, the In-charge CUI Islamabad Campus presented a briefing on the National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) in Pakistan. Discussions revolved around scholarship opportunities for CUI faculty members and students pursuing PhDs at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Positive responses were received from Professor Yang regarding the availability of scholarships offered by the Chinese Government. Plans were made to streamline the collaboration process between CUI and the Institute of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition. Furthermore, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering expressed interest in establishing a robotics program and lab within the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at CUI. Proposals were made for faculty exchange programs between CUI and University Technology Malaysia to facilitate collaboration.

Professor Yang extended Post-Doc opportunities to CUI faculty members, enhancing collaborative prospects. Professor Asghar expressed gratitude for the offer, further cementing the burgeoning partnership. He urged the Head of the International Office to pursue collaboration opportunities and MoUs with NCP, CAIRO and the Institute of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Emphasis was placed on collaborative activities over MoUs to expedite the process and ensure effective partnerships.

The meeting concluded with a visit to the HAIER-CUI International Smart Education Experience Centre for a detailed presentation about NCAI and at the Junaid Zaidi Library, symbolizing the beginning of a promising partnership. Group photographs were taken to commemorate the occasion.



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  • Monday, March 4, 2024

  • CUI

  • International Office

CUI Meets Hungarian Embassy to Foster Collaboration

Islamabad, Pakistan - March 1st, 2024: Officials from COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) met with representatives of the Hungarian Embassy today to discuss potential collaborations in academia, research, and cultural exchange.

The meeting, held at the Hungarian embassy was aimed to build on the existing connection established during the concluding event of the B-International project in November 2023.

CUI officials, led by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abid and Dr. Hammad Omer showcased CUI’s internationalization efforts, including research collaborations and patents. Dr. Istvan Grafjodi, the Hungarian Embassy's Commercial Counsellor, acknowledged their efforts but emphasized the importance of identifying specific areas of collaboration with commercial benefits and practical impact. He suggested focusing on three specific areas like transport, healthcare, or IT, and conducting thorough research on potential Hungarian partners.

CUI representatives expressed their appreciation for the guidance and offered to continue the dialogue. They also shared project ideas and literature related to possible future collaboration, which were reviewed in depth by Dr. Grafjodi.

The meeting concluded positively, paving the way for further exploration of collaborative opportunities.


  • Tuesday, February 27, 2024

  • CUI

  • International Office

HECAP Call for Short-term Visits (July to December) Apply by 15 March
Description: 
The ICTP High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (HECAP) Section offers every year a number of grants for short-term visits. The purpose of the visits is to perform theoretical studies in HECAP's areas of expertise and in close interaction with the Section's resident staff and visiting scientists.
Short-term visits may be for a maximum period of 3 months.
Scientists working in and nationals of developing countries are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to requests for visits outside the summer period.
A short research plan for the expected visit at ICTP should also be added and at least one letter of recommendation is required for junior scientists, postdocs and graduate students. The letter is to be sent separately by the referee after submission of the application.
Application deadline: 15 March 2024 for visits to take place from July to December 2024.

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