On 31st December 2020, Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum Chaudhry, Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia (UTG), The Gambia, visited COMSATS Secretariat with a view to discuss prospects of collaboration with COMSATS’ Network being the newly inducted Centre of Excellence. During his visit, Prof. Anjum held a meeting with Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, Executive Director COMSATS. Also present during the meeting were Dr. Manzoor Tamimi from Computer Science Department of COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Pakistan, as well as senior officials of COMSATS Secretariat.

During the meeting, Prof. Anjum stated that UTG has recently established a department of computer sciences and aspires upgrading the same with patronage of CUI and other relevant COMSATS Centres of Excellence (CoEs). He also looked forward to faculty exchange in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics between UTG and other CoEs. Further, Prof. Anjum expressed keen interest in the scholarship opportunities available from COMSATS’ platform and informed that about ten faculty members of UTG have applied for scholarships at CUI.

In connection with Prof. Anjum’s requests, Dr. Tamimi assured full support of CUI for the upgradation of computer science department at CUI as well as initiating the MS and PhD programmes therein. It was agreed that CUI would facilitate UTG in the development of course curriculum, training of faculty and laboratory engineers/technicians, and chalking-out a roadmap for the department while COMSATS Secretariat would facilitate collaboration between UTG and relevant Centres of Excellence to this end.

On the occasion, Dr. Zaidi pledged support to UTG, inter alia, for exchange of faculty and students, joint workshops and conferences, summer internships, collaborative research & development activities, and joint publication of scientific papers. Further, taking note of his request, Dr. Zaidi assured Prof. Anjum of COMSATS’ full support for replication of Telehealth Programme in The Gambia.

The meeting ended with the accord that proposed collaboration would be formalized through signing of Memorandum of Understanding/ Intent of Cooperation in due course.