A landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was officially signed on April 16, 2025, in the Office of the Vice Chancellor at the University of Sindh (UoS), Jamshoro. This significant collaboration between the University of Sindh and the Abdul Majid Bhurgri Institute of Language Engineering (AMBILE), Hyderabad, marks a significant moment in the joint efforts to elevate the Sindhi language through modern technologies, especially in the field of Computational Linguistics and Artificial Intelligence.
The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for academic and developmental cooperation, emphasizing the exchange of academic opportunities through collaborative projects, joint research, and co-authored publications. Both institutions have agreed to jointly supervise postgraduate students and organize conferences, cultural exchange programs, and consultancy services. The collaboration will also include inter-institutional training, online teaching, webinars, and the initiation of joint undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Moreover, the agreement aims to foster student internships, start-up training, community service projects, and the development of new academic courses and continuing education programs. To ensure sustainability and visibility, the partnership will also promote industrial sponsorships, awards, and the establishment of industry-linked centers, along with a focus on consultancy services.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbati, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sindh, underscored the importance of bridging academia with product-based institutions like AMBILE. He praised the Institute’s tangible contributions under the Department of Culture, Government of Sindh and emphasized that such collaborations would enrich students’ capacities by involving them in client-oriented, real-world projects aimed at the development of the Sindhi language in advanced domains like AI.
Mr. Amar Fayaz Buriro, Director of AMBILE, presented an insightful overview to the deans and chairpersons of various allied departments. He emphasized the Institute’s long-standing vision to embed the Sindhi language within futuristic technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Highlighting key achievements, he mentioned the development of the Offline Sindhi OCR now integrated into Google’s core products, the AI-powered Bhittaipedia platform which translates Shah Jo Risalo into over 130 major world languages, as well as the creation of multilingual Sindhi fonts, Sindhi WordNet, and chatbot development projects.
A significant point of discussion was the growing need for Sindhi-language data to develop Large Language Models (LLMs). In this context, Prof. Dr. Khoumbati shared that the University has already begun uploading Sindhi-language research theses in digital text format to support such initiatives.
The MoU was formally signed by Prof. Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbati and Mr. Amar Fayaz Buriro. Traditional gifts were exchanged as tokens of appreciation and to commemorate this important collaboration.
The ceremony was graced by esteemed academic leaders, including Prof. Dr. Muhammad Khan Sangi, Dean Faculty of Arts; Prof. Dr. Lacchman Das, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Technology; Prof. Dr. Javed Chandio, Dean Faculty of Commerce & Business Administration; Prof. Dr. Abdul Waseem Shaikh, Director IMCS; Prof. Dr. Noor Muhammad Shah, Chairman Department of Sindhi; Prof. Dr. Mushtaque Ali Jariko, Registrar; Dr. Kamran Dahiri, Director ITSC; Dr. Farhat Naureen, Director ORIC; and Mr. Sajid Memon, Advisor P&D. Each of them provided valuable input on collaborative avenues and affirmed the commitment of their respective departments including Sindhi, English, Computer Science, and Information Technology, to engage in joint initiatives with AMBILE.
To operationalize the MoU, two follow-up meetings were scheduled for April 17, 2025, with the Departments of Information Technology and Sindhi. Mr. Narenjan from the M.H. Panhwar Institute of Sindh Studies will also be invited to assessment of requirements for development of the Sindhi OCR system, particularly its integration with an online library for converting image-based PDFs into searchable Sindhi text.
The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks from Prof. Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbati, expressing optimism for a transformative journey ahead in language technology and academic innovation.
