HEC Pakistan Delegation Attends AI-Focused Programme in China

Strengthening People-to-People Ties Through Academic Exchange

P.c. China Pakistan Economic Corridor

HEC Pakistan Delegation Attends AI-Focused Programme in China


Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU), China, is currently hosting the “Advanced Training Programme for Senior Academics and Administrators from Pakistani Higher Education Institutions”, part of initiatives under the CPEC Consortium of Universities.

The opening ceremony was attended by TFSU President Ms. Li Yingying, Vice President Mr. Zhu Pengxiao, Deputy Secretary-General of China Association of Higher Education Ms. Gao Xiaojie, Director of International Exchange Tianjin Municipal Education Commission, Ambassador of Pakistan to China Mr. Khalil Hashmi, and HEC Pakistan’s Director General (Global Engagement Division) Ms. Aayesha Ikram. Faculty members from across Pakistan are participating in this two-week programme.

P.c. China Pakistan Economic Corridor

President TFSU, Ms. Li Yingying, highlighted the importance of collaboration between HEC Pakistan and the China Association of Higher Education, praising their efforts in strengthening the programme. She described the training as a vital example of educational cooperation under CPEC, designed to promote knowledge-sharing, academic development, and cultural exchange between the two nations. She added that the programme aligns with the era of artificial intelligence, offering opportunities to deepen China-Pakistan cooperation in AI education and foster mutual learning in the AI era.

HEC Pakistan’s Ms. Aayesha Ikram expressed gratitude to the hosts for facilitating the delegation’s participation. She emphasised China’s special place in Pakistan’s hearts and noted that the delegation aimed to learn from China’s advances in education, technology, and innovation while experiencing its rich culture and hospitality. Ms. Ikram highlighted the long-standing academic collaboration, noting that HEC’s Overseas Scholarship Programme has supported over 300 PhD scholars and numerous postdoctoral researchers in China. She also mentioned initiatives like the CPEC Consortium of Universities and the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences at Quaid-i-Azam University as evidence of a strong bilateral academic partnership.

Ms. Gao Xiaojie underlined the “Iron Brother” friendship between China and Pakistan, stressing the programme’s role in expanding higher education cooperation. Since its establishment in 2017, the CPEC Consortium has grown from 18 to 130 member institutions, focusing on research, capacity-building, and talent development in AI, engineering, cultural modernization, and regional studies. The programme is designed to prepare academics for the intelligent era, promoting collaboration in AI, smart manufacturing, agriculture, IT, medicine, and social development.

The session also featured addresses by other notable figures, along with a video message from Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, who reaffirmed the strategic partnership between Pakistan and China, particularly in higher education. The CPEC Consortium of Universities continues to serve as a collaborative platform under CPEC to strengthen academic ties and research cooperation between the two countries.