Tag: Habib University

Karachi, November 22, 2022 (PPI-OT):Artistic activism has always been central for bringing social transformation, and makes us emotionally connected to those marginalized. Habib University as an institution of higher learning believes that to enhance the learning capacity of students, exposure to pluralism and diversity of ideas is the need of time, and art, theatre and music remains central to such a learning approach.

On November 17, 2022, Habib University organized a session, Dance Meets Media Design – Aadhi Gawahi with world renowned artist Nighat Chaudhry, and Muneera Batool, a Theatre Director and Media Designer specializing in most-modern theatre modalities, and Assistant Professor, Communication and Design Program at Habib University.

The session organized by the Communication and Design Program, based on the video screening of Rehana Taufiq’s poem, Aadhi Gawahi, was aimed at bringing to attention the sufferings, struggles and resilience of women, and the social movements which emerged as the result of authoritative laws responsible for systemic ostracization of women.

While highlighting the crucial role of art in mainstreaming social issues, Nighat Chaudhry said, “The role of art is to make you uncomfortable and question the existing norms. To be awake and not to be in slumber.” She further said, “We all need to take responsibility and be part of collective consciousness. Do not give up as life is all about overcoming challenges.”

“Habib University as an institution of higher learning believes that to enhance the learning capacity of students, exposure to pluralism and diversity of ideas is the need of time.”

Talking about the essence of art and music as the language that communicates spirit and emotion, Ms. Chaudhry said, “If I must communicate anything through storytelling, I do not use direct materials. I believe in strengthening the abstraction as it opens more interpretation.”

According to Ms. Chaudhry, the use of storytelling is the simplest yet the most powerful tool to move masses with emotions and consciousness through imagination and dramatic visuals.

Muneera Batool, being a Media Designer, reiterated the fact that how human centered Design Thinking can deepen social impact. At Habib University, Design Thinking is an important pillar in educational curricula which focuses on human interventions in products to bring sustainability and ease in commoners’ life.

The session was felt differently by the audience, when each move in lyrical performance by the artists depicted the socio-cultural and judicial constraints in our system that women have to go through when seeking equal rights.

When answering one of the questions regarding what could be the possible way forward of bringing reforms in our system, Ms. Chaudhry stated, “We all are activists and have the courage to seek accountability. Raise your voice, do not let it die, keep shining and keep bringing positive change in society.”

The session was concluded with inspiring words by Ms. Chaudhry, “Many things go through criticism but does that stop you from going forward? Change has always been a gradual process and you have it all over the world.”

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk

Karachi, November 15, 2022 (PPI-OT):Every student who joins Habib University (HU) is automatically enrolled in our flagship initiative, the Career Curation Program (CCP). This first-of-its-kind program has been designed by the University in collaboration with Industry and is geared towards bright young minds looking to craft a thoughtful career journey.

Under this program, all students start working on the skills, experiences and attitude needed for career readiness right from the start, i.e., their very first semester at HU. In the mandatory wing of the program, CCP Core, they attend multiple workshops and engagement sessions where they learn about the best practices and norms in the industry, so they can develop fundamental technical and soft skills needed for job readiness.

This program also has a more competitive exclusive wing, CCP Industry, whereby selected students get the opportunity to engage more closely with the industry leadership through a more structured three-year journey in which they go through three phases which ensure:

Building fundamental skills through industry engagement activities such as workshops, seminars, industry visits, and training in a simulated environment.

Developing technical and soft skills through industry mentorship.

Implementing a multidisciplinary approach while working directly with employers on industry projects.
The Program not only gives students the opportunity to gain industry knowledge, it also allows them to utilize skills such as research, design-thinking, problem-solving, and innovation learned during their time at Habib.

The results are already being appreciated by students. From the Computer Science program, Syeda Areesha Najam and Shalina Amir Ali, Class of 2023, who worked on an industry project with HBL agree, “We used the skills learned in the courses undertaken at Habib University and developed a desktop application. It connected the database to an interactive interface enabling the organization to generate meaningful insights within seconds which was previously done manually and consumed time.”

Areesha and Shalina are not the only ones who are full of praise for the Program and how Habib is preparing them for professional life. According to Muhammad Ali Siddiqui, an Electrical Engineering major, Class of 2024, “The Career Curation Program enabled me to work on the projects that were mapped to me according to my skill set.

The training we went through at Habib University helped me adjust to a professional working environment. The aspects of innovation and creativity we learned at Habib really enabled me to excel at work.”

For Syed Isaad Hasan Jafri, a Social Development and Policy major, Class of 2023, CCP is allowing students to explore different options, beyond their major. “Habib University’s Career Curation Program helped me gain the confidence that I can think about graphic designing, video animation, and even marketing.” He further added, “Through [the] Career Curation Program, I realized that a student from Social Development and Policy major can pursue these fields too.”

As a further step, the Program cultivates strong partnerships with industry leaders to create a meaningful industry-integrated experience for students. Commenting on his experience of working with Habib students, Farhan Ahmed, Head of Corporate Affairs, HBL, was all praise saying, “The persistence, the kind of professional attitude that the students have was quite commendable. Any organization would really find these students to be a valuable addition to their human resource assets.”

This summer, our CCP participants engaged extensively with our pioneer CCP partner, HBL, through the Summer Career Academy and Summer Industry Projects. Ongoing collaborations with IAL Saatchi and Saatchi, Designist and Qist Bazaar also proved quite meaningful in terms of learning and exposure.

With the expected launch of the next CCP cycle in December 2022, organizations from across Pakistan have the opportunity to partner with Habib University, setting an unprecedented example of industry-academia partnership redefining the higher education landscape.

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk

Karachi, November 12, 2022 (PPI-OT):Habib University’s Entrepreneurship Society and Young Leaders Club invited Muhammad Furqan Karim, Co-Founder and COO of YPay Financial Services (Pvt. Ltd.) and Habib University’s Computer Science Alumnus from the Class of 2020, for an event titled, learn and Earn with YPAY. Habib University’s community got some very comprehensive insights into Pakistan’s investment landscape, the scope and consequences of digitization and the way forward to such adaptability.

In his opening remarks, Muhammad Furqan talked about his journey from majoring into Computer Science program at Habib University to entering the market of finance and starting his own firm called YPay Financial Services (Pvt. Ltd.), a fin-tech startup. Y Pay provides asset management services, especially to the young students, through a simplified investment and savings platform. The main aim of YPay is to achieve a financially stable Pakistan by creating easy investment opportunities for everyone.

While talking about the trends of digitization in Pakistan, Muhammad Furqan said, “The lack of knowledge about entrepreneurship and investments can be seen rampant in Pakistan, and even if there’s any, little implementation is seen.” He added: “Pakistan’s (economic) market was not ready to adapt digitization during the Covid-19 times. Purchasing power is lost due to the inflation in the country.” Muhammad Furqan also reiterated the importance of capital saving for the country’s economy, and argued: “Globally, countries’ macroeconomic conditions can be measured through GDP and employment rate, and the saving ratio which determines how people are contributing to the country’s economy by saving capital. But unfortunately, Pakistan stands lowest when it comes to saving ratio from its citizens.”

During the Q/A session, Muhammad Furqan highlighted one aspect of investment security and argued, “Pakistan Stock Exchange has always been a volatile instrument. There are major chances that the first-time investors can lose their money.” He encouraged young entrepreneurs, investors and savers at Habib University to invest in mutual funds because it offers instant diversification due to investment in a collection of companies and has a lower risk for first-time investors. He added, “Mutual funds are run by fund managers who choose your investments and buy or sell securities based on the fund’s goals. Thus, Mutual fund investors share in the fund’s profits and losses.”

Team YPay Financial Services (Pvt. Ltd.) while receiving the token of appreciation from Mr. Shamez Mukhi, Director of Student Life at Habib University. At the end of the session, Rihha Rehmatullah, a Social Development and Policy student from the Class of 2024, invited Mr. Shamez Mukhi, Director of Student Life, to present the token of appreciation to Team YPay Financial Services (Pvt. Ltd.).

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk

Karachi, November 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):On the 3rd of November 2022, His Excellency Kim Haksung, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, and other Korean diplomats joined us at Habib University for a student-led session, “Hallyu to the World:

The Incredible Rise of South Korea’s Cultural Economy”. The focus of the session was on North Korea’s geopolitics and South Korea’s pop culture wave (Hallyu), two aspects of Korea that continue to intrigue the public, especially the youth. The session was moderated by Tooba Bilal, a Social Development and Policy student from the Class of 2023.

The session began by observing a minute of silence in memory of the young lives lost in the tragic Seoul Halloween Crowd Crush on the 29th of October, which killed almost 150 people, mostly teenagers. Following the welcome note, H.E. Kim Haksung delivered a keynote address with a brief historical overview of South Korea’s rise towards becoming an Asian Tiger and one of the world’s largest economies.

He highlighted the significance of soft power diplomacy by briefly discussing Korean entertainment, the influence and impact of Hallyu, and how the rise of South Korea’s cultural economy has translated into international ties between South Korea and the world. In addition to this, His Excellency shared his hopes for prosperous and improved bilateral relations between Pakistan and South Korea.

As the moderator of the session, Tooba Bilal posed several questions to His Excellency which expanded to regional security, the Korean wave, Korean culture and traditions, and future opportunities for students. His Excellency, drawing on his experiences and expertise elaborately answered each question.

On the questions regarding relations between North Korea and South Korea, H.E. maintained that the priority of the Republic of Korea lies in maintaining peaceful relations with North Korea and delaying and eliminating the threat of war, and instead focus on building and maintaining a peaceful and prosperous relations between the two countries and others.

In his service as a diplomat, H.E stood witness to the way the Korean wave, depicting the cultural popularity of Korean entertainment has transformed and driven the youth’s interest in South Korea as a whole, and that its contribution towards promoting Korean culture stands unparalleled.

With his anecdotes and approachable tone, His Excellency kept the session engaging and relevant to the audience. Since most students were interested in the prospects of pursuing higher education in Korea, H.E. assured the students that Korea is the best place to pursue their Ph.D. Citing universities like Seoul National University, H.E. beamed with pride over the quality of education and the exciting prospects that Korean universities have to offer for international students.

Following this question, Tooba Bilal inquired about the prospect of a collaboration between Habib University and competitive Korean Universities over facilitating student or faculty exchange and the possibility of introducing Asian or Korean studies as a course at Habib University. The question was met with a positive answer, and his H.E. remained enthusiastic towards a possibility of such a collaboration.

The session ended on the positive note of a possible collaboration between Habib University and the embassy of the Republic of Korea. His Excellency Kim Haksung, in his concluding remarks hoped that through events such as these, the embassy would continue to work towards establishing a mutually beneficial broad-based bilateral relationship between Pakistan and South Korea.

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk

Karachi, November 01, 2022 (PPI-OT):Sports have always been crucial for developing your physical strength and assisting you in overcoming obstacles that life throws your way. In a country like Pakistan, where people remain oblivious to the importance of sports, Habib University continues to be an institution that develops the future innovators and leaders who are also ardent sports enthusiasts. To inspire students and honour notable heroes of Pakistan, Habib University organized an event honouring boxing trained Naila Kiani, Pakistan’s first female mountaineer who scaled three peaks higher than 8,000 meters including K2 in partnership with BARD Foundation. Mr. Shamez Mukhi, the Director of student life at Habib University facilitated the discussion.

“I wanted to show the beauty of Pakistan to the rest of the world,” said Naila Kiani as she narrated her daunting yet inspiring journey as a mountaineer in Pakistan.

While talking about the challenges she faced when she decided to embark on her way to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world, Kiani said, “I had to spend a considerable amount of time on training myself for mountain climbing, and had to look after my little daughter as well,” referring towards the dual role that she had to dedicate herself to while also navigating the ups and downs of parenthood.

“I went through some really tough times, but without these hardships, I would never have the strength to climb the highest peak of Pakistan,”

She further described how being a woman, a mother, and someone from a humble background didn’t stop her from pursuing the aim of climbing the three highest peaks, and that, too, within a year. “You too can do anything you want to if I, a girl from Rawalpindi, can climb the highest peaks of Pakistan, something I once believed to be impossible. You simply need to tap into your inner strength.”

In reference to Ali Sadpara’s demise, the only Pakistani mountaineer to have scaled eight of the world’s fourteen highest peaks, Ms. Kiani stated, “My guide passed away barely three weeks before my expedition, and this was the moment when I was told by multiple individuals to critically consider my decision to summit K2.” “There always exists the fear of death,” she continued, “since we see individuals die before our eyes throughout our days of mountain climbing.”

“A person who has come from an ordinary background and doing extraordinary things, is totally remarkable.”

But Naila’s courage remained undeterred. “I went through some really tough times, but without these hardships, I would never have the strength to climb the highest peak of Pakistan,” stated Ms. Kiani while she showcased the determination of a person who has overcome all the obstacles that life could throw her way.

President BARD Foundation, Mr. Abdul Razzak Dawood while talking about the absolute commitment that Naila Kiani showed stated, “A person who has come from an ordinary background and doing extraordinary things, is totally remarkable.”

The session concluded with closing remarks by the Habib’s President, Mr. Wasif A. Rizvi. Drawing the similarities between Naila’s and Habib’s journey, Mr. Rizvi said, “The challenge that we gave ourselves was how can we establish the world class yet the most generous higher education institution?” And Habib University proudly stands as the most generous institution in Pakistan with the best academic experience which remains unprecedented.

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk

Karachi, October 20, 2022 (PPI-OT):On October 16, 2022, the fall 2023 admissions drive was launched providing an opportunity to talented and ambitious students to become part of the 10th batch of students to be inducted into the University. In addition to accepting applications from all international boards such as CAIE, IB and the American system, the University is also poised to launch this year’s cycle – in the third week of October – of inducting the brightest students from the local examination boards.

This intake is done under the banner of the Talent Outreach, Promotion and Support Program (TOPS), which caters exclusively to those students from boards such as the Federal Board, Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi and Aga Khan University Examination Board. Students qualifying are awarded a 4-year fully funded scholarship to study at Habib University.

The admissions drive, which lasts for well in to the New Year, comprises campus tours, outreach visits, and a number of other events and activities and is open to students from all backgrounds.

Perspective students will have the opportunity to take admission in one of six unique degree programs from the University’s two schools:

School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS)

BA (Honors) Comparative Humanities

BA (Honors) Communication and Design

BSc (Honors) Social Development and Policy

Dhanani School of Science and Engineering (DSSE)

BS Computer Engineering

BS Computer Science

BS Electrical Engineering

Students will go through a simple yet thorough admissions process, which includes an admission, test and an interview, before the lucky ones will be brought on board to start a unique intellectual journey. During the course of their time at Habib University, along with taking courses for their major, students will gain a breadth of knowledge through the Habib Liberal Core; a set of 10 courses that students must take to from the arts and humanities in order to fulfil their graduation requirements.

A number of student-centric services, such as peer-tutoring at the Ehsaas Center and writing help at the Writing Center will be available to these students to help them adjust to the demands of a rigorous academic experience.

In addition to studies, students will have the opportunity to take part in a vibrant student life, which revolves around the 30 plus student-led clubs that are active on campus.

Throughout the 4-year journey, students’ success will be ensured through programs such as the Graduate School Curation Program and the Career Curation Program.

As a diverse and inclusive institution, the University will continue to offer the most generous scholarships to all those who qualify. Additionally, the HU TOPS scholarship program in Pakistan will continue to provide the opportunity to students from local examination boards to avail a world-class education.

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2027.

Apply Now: https://eapplication.habib.edu.pk

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk