The NED University of Engineering & Technology in Pakistan will host a Certificate & Award Ceremony to recognise and honour student researchers who have contributed to the Democracy Discourse Index (DDI) as part of their Spring 2026 course work.
The DDI is a pioneering human-validated AI initiative measuring the moral and informational health of democracy through public discourse. Developed by GCRD and Sensika Technologies, the DDI is registered on the Doha Solutions Platform for Social Development, launched in November 2025 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Governments of Qatar and France.
NED University is one of seven universities participating in the DDI’s founding global consortium. Under the leadership of Professor Wajiha Raza Rizvi, students coded and analysed 3,000 social media posts using structured discourse-analysis protocols measuring empathy, civility, trust, and civic agency. Their work contributes directly to the training and refinement of AI models designed to detect early signals of democratic stress and social fragmentation.
The event will be attended by senior academic and institutional leaders including Prof. Muhammad Tufail, Vice Chancellor of NED University; Prof. Noman Ahmed, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Urban Regions; Prof. Dr. Sajida Zaki, Chairperson of the Department of English Linguistics & Allied Studies; Prof. Mirza Mehmood Baig, Dean of Architecture & Sciences; and Dr. Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob, Executive Director of GCRD.
Format: In-person & Online
Date: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Time: 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM PKT
Venue: STEM Centre, NED University, Karachi, Pakistan
Video link: https://meet.google.com/mjm-xuvp-fjw