HEC Appoints NUST Rector as National Chair on AI and Robotics
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has appointed Dr. Muhammad Zahid Latif, the Rector of the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), as the National Chair on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. This initiative is positioned as a significant step towards strengthening Pakistan’s capabilities in emerging technologies, with operations based at the NUST Islamabad campus.
Dr. Latif will lead a panel of experts tasked with providing policy direction, governance, and strategic oversight for AI and robotics development in the country. The panel’s mandate includes evaluating the existing ecosystem, particularly focusing on HEC-supported institutions such as the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) and the National Centre of Robotics and Automation (NCRA).
The expert group will identify structural gaps and operational challenges within these centers and propose solutions to address systemic inefficiencies that could impede sustainable growth in Pakistan’s tech sector. The initiative will also benchmark national standards against international best practices to create a cohesive framework for coordinated development across academic, governmental, and industrial stakeholders.
Under Dr. Latif’s leadership, the National Chair aims to recommend transformative strategies that would help Pakistan transition into a knowledge economy driven by intelligent systems, automation, and innovation. Dr. Latif emphasized the importance of collaboration among academia, industry leaders, government bodies, and innovators to realize this vision effectively.
This appointment recognizes NUST’s significant research contributions and is expected to provide strategic coherence in addressing challenges related to AI and robotics. By fostering synergy among all relevant entities, the National Chair seeks to strengthen Pakistan’s position in the global technological landscape.