The Department of English at Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) marked a significant milestone with its International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence (AI): Bridging Language, Literature, and Learning in the Digital Age held on January 31, 2025. The event, hosted in FCCU’s state-of-the-art facilities, brought together luminaries, scholars, and students to explore the intersection of AI and literary and linguistic studies, redefining the future of education, research, and cross-cultural engagement including national and international keynote speakers.
The symposium, themed “Navigating the Nexus of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Rethinking Language, Literature, and Education in a Digital Era,” was a resounding success. It highlighted AI’s transformative impact on traditional paradigms, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to address opportunities and challenges. Esteemed keynote speakers, including Dr. Reham Hosny from University of Cambridge, UK, Dr. Manvender Kaur Sarjit Singh from the University Utara Malaysia and Prof. Dr. Ayaz Afsar (IIUI), Dr. Sonia Irum (IIUI), Dr. Zahid (UOL), Dr. Khalid Mahmood (IIUI) and Dr. Fatima Sayeda (FCCU), shared profound insights into how AI is reshaping English literature and linguistics studies. The discussions juxtaposed revitalized traditions like digitized archival systems with innovations such as multimodal textuality and algorithmic text generation.
In a complementary showcase of student creativity, the Students’ Digital Exhibit brought the event’s academic discussions to life. This exhibit featured groundbreaking projects by FCCU students, blending language, literature, and digital oral history, artistry to demonstrate the practical integration of AI-driven tools in literature and linguistics. The exhibit served as a vibrant testament to the department’s dedication to fostering innovative, hands-on learning experiences.
Prof. Dr. Fatima Syeda, Chairperson of the Department of English, expressed immense pride in the event’s outcomes. She emphasized that this dual initiative not only set a benchmark for academic excellence but also positioned FCCU as a pioneer in integrating AI within literature & linguistics in Pakistan. Dr. Syeda thanked the Dean’s Office for their generous financial support for this event.
The symposium’s convener, Mr. Adeel Khalid, described the event as a transformative moment for FCCU: “Our goal was to bridge traditional humanities with cutting-edge AI technologies, and the overwhelming response from attendees, both locally and internationally, confirms that we are on the right path.” He also thanked all the participants and attendees including the FCCU Rector Dr. Jonathan S. Addleton, Vice-Rector Dr. Douglas Trimble, and other guests from various institutions of Lahore.
The Dean of Humanities Dr. Altaf Ullah Khan praised this event’s relevance in examining how AI is reshaping traditional paradigms in all walks of fields and that it is important to redefine pedagogical approaches and contribute to the sustainable development of the humanities.
The success of the symposium and exhibit marks a landmark achievement for FCCU’s Department of English, reaffirming its commitment to innovation, academic excellence, and impactful education.
