The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the University of Management and Technology (UMT) signed a memorandum of understanding to promote academic and research collaboration in cybersecurity. NCCIA Punjab Director Muhammad Ali Waseem described the partnership as aimed at strengthening cybersecurity education, innovation, and digital defence in Pakistan. Under the agreement, both institutions will jointly pursue research and development projects, seek national and international research grants, and conduct knowledge-sharing workshops and seminars. NCCIA representatives will also join UMT’s advisory board and, under the Tech 2.0 Initiative, provide mentorship for student projects covering blockchain, cloud computing, and malware analysis.