Tag: Habib University

Karachi, September 07, 2022 (PPI-OT):“It is very inspiring to witness first-hand, a truly world-class Liberal Arts institution in Pakistan that is addressing the intellectual gap in our society. Institutions like Habib University in that respect are the need of the hour.” said Sultana Siddiqui, who was hosted by Habib University on 1st September, 2022. No less than a media personality herself, Ms. Siddiqui is the founding name behind the successful HUM TV network.

In an interactive session titled “Charting a Journey of Success”, Sultana Apa, as she is popularly referred to, engaged with the HU community, speaking about her career trajectory, life struggles and achieving success in her field.” She was led by Mr. Wasif Rizvi, President, and Habib University for a campus tour and later was accompanied by Zain Saeed, Assistant Professor and Program Director, Communication and Design, Habib University, she was given a tour of Habib University’s Film Studio.

While taking impressions from the staff as to what is Habib University all about and sharing thought-provoking ideas about how important education is for an individual, in this day and age, she showed deeper understanding of what Liberal Arts and their progenies like Literature and Film making. She was inspired by the film projects of the young students and profound they had done.

In this same context, she viewed the fact that young students can most definitely add more values to the fact they are capable of thinking and gearing up for a better future. As a great opportunity was being provided by Habib University.

At the Tariq Rafi Hall, at Habib University, she was introduced to the crowded room filled with students wherein by Ashahad Jokhio, President, and Habib University Student Government. The talk titled, ‘Charting a Journey of Success,’ she stated about her own career growth.

From leading a reigning role at PTV, taking challenges on and proving them as major opportunities, she never allowed them to succumb to the outside interference, rather her work ethics stayed strong. So much so that opening up a production house called Moomal Productions she launched her career on a better footing.

But the accolade from the outside work, was a major setback for her at her work station where men felt threatened, and tried to rebuff her progress and growth. She took up the challenge. She made sure, she performed better via hard-work and professionalism. She acknowledges herself, truly humbly and says, “When you are really talented and good at what you do, you eventually shine.”

Most certainly her own story was truly inspiring and she was the one who really inspired the young crowd at Habib University. Amna Jafarani, Vice President, Habib University Student Government gave a Vote of Thanks, in Siddiqui’s honour and a Memento was given by Mr. Wasif Rizvi, President, Habib University.

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

Karachi, September 02, 2022 (PPI-OT):During my recent visit to Karachi, I was delighted to visit the Habib University campus. The experience of engaging with the faculty and staff was beyond my expectations. Habib University is emerging as an Island of learning, critical thinking, and societal engagement amid the declining standards of higher education in Pakistan.

For the past eight years, I am located within the liberal arts culture in the United States, and I had always wondered as to why such a model could not be created for students in Pakistan.

The late Eqbal Ahmad had articulated the vision of setting up Khaldunia University – a dream that could not be materialized due to bureaucratic hurdles and the inability of the Pakistani state to think beyond the propaganda model of education. Habib University is attempting to fill in this huge void and hopefully will set new directions for learning and instruction in the country.

It was a pleasure to meet with Dr. Muhammad Haris, Dean School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and Dr. Aamir Hasan, Interim Vice President and Dean of Faculty. It was also a pleasure to engage with Dr. Noman Naqvi, Associate Professor of Humanities and learn from their expertise and reflections on education. I also had the privilege of meeting Mr. Wasif A. Rizvi, the President of Habib University, who was forthcoming and candid about many issues.

Building institutions of higher learning is a slow, painful process that entails intellectual clarity, outstanding faculty, and resources. I hope that Habib will stay the course and evolve into a model university. Pakistan needs a generation of qualified graduates – researchers, administrators, and professionals – and we are already late. This is why Habib University is such an important project.

This story is written by Raza Rumi, Director of Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College, Lecturer at Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell University and Editor of The Friday Times, Naya Daur Media.

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

Karachi, August 27, 2022 (PPI-OT):On August 19, 2022, Habib University welcomed the Class of 2026 and their proud parents into our growing community. The Welcome Evening Ceremony, held in the H.M. Habib Auditorium after a break of two years, marked the culmination of the New Student Orientation (NSO) that acclimatized incoming students to Habib and its ethos, preparing them to embrace challenges and have a meaningful journey ahead.

In his inspirational speech, titled, ‘Reorientation to Reality’, President Wasif A. Rizvi pointed out that the world was at the edge of a precipice and required conscious and conscientious leaders who could prevent or delay the global meltdown. He went on to say that by joining Habib University, the Class of 2026, had outperformed 97% of the people across the world. A university education, the President said, was no longer limited to professional pursuits, but had acquired a more profound and deeper meaning. In this scenario, the aim of Habib was to enable students to navigate through difficult times and prepare them for the complex challenges of this world.

Elaborating on the mission of the University, derived from a saying of Imam Ali (A.S.), he explained that the value of an individual was in their ‘Yohsin’; what they did beautifully and well, with their heart and respect for others and an intention to serve. He pointed out that these principles will guide the students’ four-year journey as, “You will build skills to solve really difficult problems that my generation and some generations before me have created. So, our expectation is that you will have the creativity, inspiration, and competence to solve these enormous challenges and crucially you will be the citizens of this reality.”

As per tradition, two separate yet equally important sessions followed the President’s speech. The first titled, ‘Parents as Partners’, held in the H.M. Habib Auditorium, involved parents and a panel comprising faculty. During the session, the faculty explained that the transition from high school to university would be difficult, and advised parents to be supportive and allow the students to diversify their learning.

At the same time, a very different sort of session was taking place in Tariq Rafi Hall, as President Rizvi engaged with the Class of 2026 in an intriguing Q and A session. He advised students to pursue that which makes them reflect on themselves and shared the importance of a Liberal Arts and Sciences University in Pakistan as one which “gives a person greater meaning of reality”. Responding to a question, the President said that given the opportunity he would join Habib University, “in a heartbeat”, adding that he had visited over 150 universities around the world but had, “Not seen anything similar to Habib University.”

At the conclusion of the Welcome Evening, one of the parents appreciated the tradition saying, “I have never seen such a welcoming tradition where we are enlightened to the extent that every one of us will take home a piece of knowledge to contemplate. We are sure that our kids are in good hands!”

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

Karachi, August 27, 2022 (PPI-OT):Habib University’s Muhammad Mursalin Larik, Electrical Engineering, Class of 2020 and Muhammad Ali, Social Development and Policy, Class of 2022, have joined a distinguished group of Habib graduates who have successfully qualified for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) program.

Mursalin, who has been accepted in the Green Networking and Cloud Computing Program, developed his interest in information and communication technologies during his time at Habib where he was exposed to a variety of subjects. He soon realized that the future would be dominated by information and communication technologies, which will become the defining factors for both economic growth and environmental concerns. Mursalin will now be building on his knowledge at universities in three different countries: University of Lorraine in Nancy, France; Leeds Breckett University in Leeds, UK; Lulea University in Lulea; Sweden.

Muhammad Ali, on the other hand, has been accepted into the History in the Public Sphere, a multifaceted and highly competitive program offered by Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD). The program will allow him to gain hands-on knowledge through this transnational experience, involving study tours to different countries, understanding of multiculturalism, and driving professional growth.

This rigorous program is jointly offered by the Department of History, Central European University, Austria; the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies; the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, New University Lisbon; and University of Florence.

Through this life changing opportunity, Muhammad Ali aspires to contribute to historiography, and understand the contemporary dichotomies through the historical lens which will lead him to successfully pursue his career in this field. Muhammad Mursalin and Muhammad Ali, are part of the growing number of Habib students who are taking forward Habib’s vision of redefining intellectual fabric of Pakistan. We are proud of them all and wish both Muhammad Mursalin Larik and Muhammad Ali best of luck for their future endeavours.

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

Karachi, August 24, 2022 (PPI-OT):From Time World Conference to Prestigious Academic Institutions in Paris

Habib University has been at the forefront of providing its faculty access to opportunities to strengthen their pedagogical and research skills globally. As a result, the faculty is able to build well-connected global networks that bring forth prospects to showcase their significant contributions and expand collaborations for the University.

Dr. Anzar Khaliq, Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning and Research at Habib University, was recently invited through his global research network, to the Time World Conference as a guest speaker at Sorbonne University, Paris, from 29th June to 1st July 2022.

The Conference took place at Campus Jussieu, at the science building of Sorbonne University, featuring notable scholars in Natural and Social Sciences and top artists in the region. There were 99 talks and 4 round tables scheduled over the 3 days of the Conference.

The Conference theme, “Construction”, was subdivided into the following categories: The Construction of the Living, Perceived Construction, Construction in Art, and Measured Construction where Dr. Khaliq spoke on the topic, “Can We Construct Life Experiences without Living Them?”

Dr. Khaliq said, “At Habib, we focus on using a multidisciplinary lens to look at various problems. We are very conscious of creating experiences through the lens of the user. The talk focused on why this approach is crucial in building a sustainable and inclusive world.”

As a founding Director of the playground (Centre of Transdisciplinarity, Design and Innovation) at Habib University, Dr. Khaliq’s topic depicted his transdisciplinary work and the value of human-centred design in addressing some of the most important challenges of our time.

The talk also featured Habib University’s special focus on implementing a human-centric approach to learning. This approach challenges the limitations imposed on pedagogical experiences both through spaces, and disciplinary boundaries, and reimagines teaching by adopting cutting-edge practices that facilitate students to understand problems through a holistic lens, helping them create solutions that are impactful, lasting and planet centred.

Dr. Khaliq was also invited to the Paris Institute of Political Studies, which is considered one of the most prestigious semi-private universities in France and shares many commonalities with Habib University in terms of its mission and goals. During the visit, several collaborations were discussed with Dr. Etienne Cazin, Director of the Centre for Studies of Asia – Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. It is expected that these discussions would lead to faculty and students exchange across both institutions.

At Campus France, Paris, Dr. Khaliq was hosted to showcase the work of international students who chose France for their higher studies and he was interviewed by a local team regarding his professional experiences, especially in the field of higher education.

Expressing his appreciation for the generous opportunities provided by Habib University, Dr. Khaliq said, “Habib provides avenues for its faculty to research and build an international network that opens doors to such invitations. These opportunities are really helpful for our faculty to expand their professional knowledge and network.” He further shared that during the visit to Paris, some key connections were made. It is likely that some of the conversations will end up in institutional partnerships that will greatly benefit our students and faculty.

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

Karachi, August 11, 2022 (PPI-OT):In recognition of their outstanding contributions to scholarly activities, teaching, and commitment to the strategic mission and vision of Habib University, following faculty members have been appointed to leadership roles. Dr. Humaira Qureshi, Program Director Integrated Sciences and Mathematics (iSciM), will now have the additional responsibilities as the Assistant Dean of Dhanani School of Science and Engineering.

She will be the first female Assistant Dean of Dhanani School of Science and Engineering. Dr. Qureshi talks about her vision for this new role, “I hope to enhance access to more women to take up science and engineering. I find myself very fortunate to be surrounded by amazing co-workers who encourage each other to perform better and I hope to strengthen this culture so we can ensure that our students turn out to be sincere, competent, and socially responsible individuals.”

Having a key academic leadership role, she is keen to ensure excellent learning outcomes for the students through robust academic planning and innovation. Dr. Ahmad Usman appointed as Program Director for the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) program. He will play a critical role for the innovation in engineering and science education programs and ensure that the Habib University continues to contribute towards having a profound impact on society.

Dr. Usman says, “My vision is to establish Habib University’s undergraduate Electrical and Computer Engineering program as a national asset, which immerses top talent in a contextual liberal arts learning environment, allows them to explore their passion for engineering, and develop them into socially and globally responsible leaders.”

Mr. Mohammad Moeini-Feizabadi has been appointed as Director Academics for the Graduate School Curation Program (GSCP). Mr. Moeini-Feizabadi is determined to promote the culture of inquiry on campus and among students, in close collaboration with our very competent and committed faculty body.

He further says, “As an academic, who has taught and researched in three different countries; I deeply value teamwork, diversity and endless conversation in search of truth. My quest will continue for deep philosophical foundations and commitment to solid scientific methodology. I look forward to making difference through this leadership position.”

Dr. Aamir Hasan, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, while announcing these new appointments, thanked Dr. Basit Memon for his contributions as the Assistant Dean of Dhanani School of Science and Engineering as well as for leading the ECE program.

He went on to congratulate the new leaders, “I have worked with these wonderful colleagues and they have all my respect and admiration and I urge all offices at Habib to extend their support and well wishes to these leaders.”

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