The syndicate of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) on Tuesday approved a centre for artificial intelligence (AI), robotic surgery and digital healthcare, along with an international medical college and a College of Pharmacy.
The decisions were made unanimously at a syndicate meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq. Senator Fawzia Arshad, MNA Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Executive Director Prof Dr Ziaul Haq, Quaid-i-Azam University Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, SZABMU Registrar Prof Dr Syed Tanseer Asghar and other members attended.
The syndicate approved the Centre for AI, Robotics, Health Intelligence and Policy Innovation (CARHIPI) as the university’s first centre of excellence for AI-enabled robotic surgery and digital disease management. The centre will focus on robotic-assisted surgery, AI applications in medicine, digital diagnostics and precision healthcare. It will also offer research opportunities, advanced training and international partnerships.
The proposal was presented by Prof Dr Syed Tanseer Asghar, who is also a surgeon. The centre is expected to serve as a hub for advanced surgical training and medical research.
The syndicate also gave conceptual approval for an international medical college in Islamabad. The college will primarily cater to overseas Pakistanis, children of expatriates, foreign nationals and international students. Prof Khaliq said the initiative would help position SZABMU as a regional hub for medical education and strengthen its international academic links.
The university also received approval to establish a College of Pharmacy, which will offer Pharm-D and postgraduate research programmes.
The syndicate was further informed that several PhD and specialised programmes had been approved in surgery, medicine, cardiology, pharmacy, physiology, public health, molecular biology and operative prosthodontics.
