GIK inks agreement to collaborate in artificial intelligence

SWABI: The Ghulam Ishaq Khan (GIK) Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology has signed an agreement with Huawei Technologies Pakistan Ltd to collaborate in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

A press release issued here on Thursday said under the agreement, a four-year BS degree in AI, being introduced by GIK from fall 2020, will be partnered by Huawei. The programme is the first academia-enterprise partnership of its kind in the country. Under the partnership, GIK and Huawei have jointly developed the curriculum for BS AI. The particular emphasis is on practical skills, for students to gain a global outlook and ample job opportunities. The partnership will also facilitate the learning, research and development of the faculty. The ceremony was attended by Farid Rahman, President, GIK/SOPREST Board of Governors, Shakil Durrani, Executive Director, SOPREST, Engr Jehangir Bashar, Rector GIK, Prof. Dr Jameel-Un Nabi, Pro-Rector (Academics), Sardar Aminullah Khan, Pro-Rector (Administration and Finance), Dr Ahmar Rashid, Dean, Faculty of Computer Sciences and Engineering, Dr Ghulam Abbas, Director, Huawei ICT Academy, Mark Meng, CEO Huawei Pakistan, and SpaceLee, Vice-president Huawei Middle East. The online event was broadcast live on the social media channels of both Huawei Pakistan and GIK, reaching more than 20,000 viewers across both the platforms. Speaking on the occasion, Farid Rehman welcomed the participants and said that the partnership provides the next generation a higher-level collaboration. He hoped that would strengthen the mutual cooperation in the field of AI between the two organizations, ultimately leading to economic development in the real sector and other important fields of the economy. Reciprocating the sentiment, Mark Meng said Huawei would “share the best AI knowledge with GIK” and that “students will have the opportunity to be linked to the industry. Huawei and GIK have joined hands to make this initiative run successfully.” Shakil Durrani also commended the efforts of GIK and Huawei, which will go a long way in the creation of high tech human resource in Pakistan.

Through this agreement, both the organizations aim to benefit from each other strength and share their expertise in the field of a modern discipline of AI. SpaceLee, said that “AI can be used to improve all major industries, bringing forth the new future. The GIK is a pioneer to be partnered with Huawei on such industry-academia cooperation for AI.” Jehangir Bashar said “Huawei has always been one of the top ICT companies in world and GIK is recognized internationally, it would be a good fit, and thus we have the GIK BS in AI-Partnered by Huawei.” Prof Jameel informed the participants that applications for admissions to BS in AI – Partnered by Huawei Fall-2020 intake could be submitted online.