ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP): Türkiye and Pakistan have taken a major step towards strengthening cooperation in artificial intelligence, with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), University of the Punjab (PU) and Yildiz Technical University (YTU) signing a tripartite agreement to promote education, research and technology development in human-centred artificial intelligence (AI).
The agreement was signed during the visit of a Turkish higher education delegation to Pakistan, led by the President of Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK).YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, PU Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mahmood Saleem and TİKA Pakistan Country Coordinator Saliha Tuna signed the cooperation protocol.The agreement establishes a framework for the effective and sustainable use of the Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence Laboratory established by TİKA at the PU Faculty of Engineering. Equipped with advanced computing and server infrastructure, the laboratory is expected to be formally inaugurated in the coming weeks.Under the agreement, YTU will provide PU with academic resources, educational materials and teaching expertise in human-centred AI. The Turkish university will also support the training of PU faculty members, facilitate joint research projects and promote student and faculty exchange programmes.
Over the next five years, the partnership aims to produce more than 10 joint academic publications, develop at least five externally funded collaborative projects, support over 20 PhD and MPhil theses, train more than 100 students, researchers and faculty members, and encourage at least five innovation or startup initiatives.The laboratory’s remote-access infrastructure will allow researchers from different PU campuses and departments, as well as partner universities in Türkiye and Pakistan, to participate in joint research and educational activities.The initiative is expected to strengthen long-term academic ties between Türkiye and Pakistan, develop highly skilled human resources and support the creation of innovative AI solutions focused on societal needs.
