MARDAN: Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) and China’s Northwest A&F University (NWAFU), Yangling, on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen joint research initiatives and academic training under the China Scholarship Council’s (CSC) “Special Programme for Talent Cultivation in Rural Revitalisation”.
The agreement was signed during a visit by a Chinese delegation to AWKUM and provides a framework for developing a joint implementation plan for research and academic training.
Under the agreement, AWKUM will host up to 11 students from NWAFU annually for three years, along with two visiting scholars each year, bringing the total number of visiting scholars to six over the agreement’s duration. Each scholar will be hosted for a period of up to 11 months to undertake academic and research activities in the field of rural revitalisation.
The participating students will be jointly supervised by faculty members from both universities, with a dedicated joint advisory committee established for each student. The China Scholarship Council will cover their airfare and living allowances.
The agreement will remain effective until Dec 31, 2029, providing a structured framework for sustained academic and research collaboration between the two institutions.
AWKUM Vice Chancellor Prof Jamil Ahmad, Director of the Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) Dr Tariq Mehmood, Prof Asad Ali, Dr Ziaul Islam and other university officials attended the signing ceremony.
Welcoming the visiting delegation, the university officials delivered a presentation highlighting AWKUM’s academic profile, research capabilities and expanding academic partnerships with Chinese institutions.
The Chinese delegation expressed keen interest in strengthening academic engagement with AWKUM and exploring further avenues of cooperation.
Both sides expressed confidence that the agreement would pave the way for new opportunities in research, academic exchange and institutional collaboration as Pakistan and China mark 75 years of diplomatic friendship.
At the conclusion of the visit, the guests were presented with commemorative shields and traditional Pakhtun shawls and caps as a gesture of goodwill and hospitality.
Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2026
