Tag: (LUMS)

Lahore, March 28, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Chairman, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Mr. Tauseef H. Farooqi was invited to visit LUMS on Friday, March 18, 2022. He was joined by representatives from seven NEPRA licensee organisations, which have done tremendous work towards social initiatives, particularly within the areas of renewable energy.

The aim of the meeting at LUMS was to discuss avenues of collaboration with the University. The organisations which visited included K-Electric, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Engro Energy, China Power Hub Generation Company (CPHGC), Karot Power and Kot Addu Power Company (KAPCO).

Mr. Farooqi and the other visitors were welcomed by the University’s senior leadership. These included LUMS Provost, Dr. Tariq Jadoon, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Bilal Ahsan Malik and Director of Advancement, Ms. Nuzhat Kamran. Alumni and students also participated in the session.

During the welcome address by Dr. Jadoon, he praised the CSR initiatives undertaken by Mr. Farooqi in the areas of education, health, environment, and others. He congratulated Mr. Farooqi on setting up the CSR department at NEPRA in 2020 with a focus on Sustainable Development Goals. He also shared how LUMS faculty experiment with innovative instructional and learning techniques and seek to create impact through cross-disciplinary research in the areas, water informatics, energy, linguistics, and economics among several others.

This was followed by a presentation by Ms. Kamran elaborating how over the last three decades, the University has evolved into Pakistan’s leading institution with immeasurable impact on business and society. “This has been achieved through our donors, who have supported the University’s mission of providing world-class education to students, enabled ground-breaking research, and helped LUMS become a premier learner-centred institution,” she added.

She also highlighted the University’s commitment to inclusive education through its signature National Outreach Programme (NOP). Providing an overview of the NOP’s transformative experience for scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds, she shared the multiplier effect of this initiative as they come full circle to give back to their communities.

Dr. Malik elaborated on the support services provided to NOP scholars during their time at LUMS with regards to academic advisement. “LUMS spends considerable resources in actively finding talented students in order to give them a fair chance and a level playing field. NOP students are supported in three key areas: helping them settle in at LUMS, providing them with resources to succeed during their time at the University, and preparing them for their future careers,” he shared.

Speaking at the event, NOP alumni, Ms. Adeela Sarfraz, Class of 2009 and Mr. Hafiz Ali Naeem, Class of 2016 and CSS topper, shared their inspiring journeys at LUMS and how they went on to achieve success in their respective fields. They credited the University for providing them the foundation for their achievements. Mr. Farooqi, a graduate of LUMS MBA Class of 1996, praised the University’s NOP scholarship as “transformative” that impacts the lives of students, their families as well as their communities. He also spoke about his own journey as a student at LUMS and discussed the various CSR initiatives undertaken by NEPRA, most prominent of which is the ‘Power with Prosperity’ programme. The event served to be a starting point where licensees were really excited to collaborate with LUMS.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, March 26, 2022 (PPI-OT):On March 18, 2022, HEC’s Higher Education Development Program (HEDP) hosted the second university-wide consortium meeting at NUST, Islamabad. Vice Chancellors and representatives from 11 universities convened to further define the road map for PakistanEdX. This national online learning platform will host high-quality asynchronous online courses as part of a new undergraduate core curriculum in the country. Representing LUMS at the meeting were Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Suleman Shahid, Director, LUMS Learning Institute, and Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Associate Professor.

Lt. General Bukhari, Rector, NUST, welcomed the group and said, “This initiative is crucial for the long-term growth of higher education in Pakistan and beyond.” Ms. Maryam Riaz, Project Coordinator, HEDP, shared, “Each university is doing wonderful work in their own domain. Through this consortium, we are joining hands and bringing this work together. We want to build a model that fits the requirement of our students and is designed in the context of higher education in Pakistan.”

The session featured discussions around quality assurance and sustainability models for the platform. “In Pakistan, we have millions of students who don’t have access to quality education. This collaboration will make quality courses available to students at every university in the country. This is an opportunity to think about the minimum quality standards that these courses should meet, and we shouldn’t compromise on them,” said Dr. Ahmad.

The proposed quality framework consists of six domains: Instructional Design, Content Quality, Learner Experience, Assessment and Evaluation, Publishing and Authoring, and Technology, Accessibility and Usability. “This initiative is a huge opportunity for far-flung areas, but also for major cities. It is a win-win for everyone,” shared Dr. Tariq.

The need to consider the level and requirements of the learner while designing these courses was also discussed. Vice Chancellors and senior leaders from Aga Khan University, Allama Iqbal Open University, BUITEMS, COMSATS, Hazara University, Lahore College Women University, University of Baltistan and Virtual University were also present at the meeting. The consortium will continue to convene regularly in the coming months to fine-tune the quality assurance model, discuss best practices and determine course offerings.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, March 25, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Rausing Executive Development Centre (REDC) at LUMS recently hosted a focused programme on ‘Leading and Cultivating a Culture of Innovation’ for employees of Interloop Limited, under its custom initiatives. The programme aimed to explore the importance of innovation throughout the organisation and work to create an organisation-wide commitment towards it, as well as challenges and opportunities in this context.

The objective of the programme is also to enable participants to gain an understanding of creative processes and idea generation; and understand how to build an innovation culture in an organisation. It explores models of innovation systems, strategies, and processes, with real world application.

Designed as a highly engaging 3-day intervention based at REDC’s residential facility, the programme was directed by Dr. Muhammad Adeel Zaffar, and Dr. Zain ul Abdin Khawaja joined in teaching. They made use of case studies, simulations, and team activities to ensure active participation and engaging discussions for a better exchange of ideas.

“The programme was well designed, taught and delivered. The inclusion of case studies was the key aspect. The activities were also very interesting,” shared Omer Jawad, Senior Manager S and M, Interloop.

Muhammad Shahzad, Senior General Manager P and S, Interloop, also expressed his satisfaction with the programme and said, “It offered an excellent environment, reading material and teaching faculty. It makes you think innovatively.”
To reinforce the concepts and bring in practical knowledge from experienced professionals, Shahid Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of Service Sales Corporation (Pvt.) limited and Rector, LUMS, was invited to speak to the participants.

Mr. Hussain shared interesting insights and views on how to deal with anticipated future challenges, build influential leadership, and develop the capacity to deal with set-backs on the way towards becoming a future ready organisation.

“It was eye opening for us and will change the way we think, and cultivate a culture of innovation down the line. It was a very engaging and wonderful experience,” added Samoona Hasnain, Senior Manager S and M, Interloop.

Farooq Rauf, Deputy Manager, Interloop, shared, “It was a quality learning experience. Everyone participated in discussions which encouraged confidence-building. We learned in a positive manner. Such programmes should be arranged periodically and should also be planned at plant sites.”

Offering a range of group activities meant to introduce challenges arising on the path towards innovation, as well as dealing with internal team dynamics with a structured approach towards problem solving, the programme encouraged participants to learn to value each individual on their team and to manage group dynamics while addressing the issues at hand.

REDC is working towards building resilient and future-ready organisations and looks forward to assist organisations which are working to enhance the knowledge and learning of their employees.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, March 24, 2022 (PPI-OT):An exhibition of creative projects completed during the art history course titled ‘18th-19th Century French Art: Neoclassicism to Post-Impressionism’) by Dr. Nadhra Khan, Associate Professor, Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (MGSHSS), and Director, Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature, is on display in the Academic Block corridor (first floor) from March 21 to 28, 2022.

The creative projects showcase students’ reflections of the aesthetic, socio-political or religious ideas embedded in artworks presented to them in the course and serves to exhibit art’s capacity to negotiate temporal and spatial distances. These expressions also serve to present a strong cultural link with the eighteenth and nineteenth century French society and several socio-political moments of our history and some contemporary practices.

The exhibition, curated by course Teaching Assistant, Zil-e-Huma and students, Taymur Jibran, Adil Shafique Khan and Nyle Murad, was opened by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Clais, curator of the Asian collection and European porcelains at the Department of Art Objects at the Louvre, Paris. Dr. Clais was accompanied by Mr. Dylan Gerald, Attaché for Cultural Affairs and Mr. Mounir Slimani, Counsellor for Cooperation, French Embassy, and Islamabad.

These creative projects were aimed to expresses the students’ takeaway from this course where they were asked to pick out artworks that inspired them and to reinterpret them to convey a message from their present social, cultural or political perspectives.

The projects covered significant art movements from the Baroque period to Neoclassicism and Impressionism, including inspirations from monumental French figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte who was painted by several French Masters including Jacque-Louis David, Jean-Augusta-Dominique Ingres, Eugene Delacroix and many others.

They show several parallels drawn with their own cultural contexts reinterpreting the intention behind the original works and making it relevant to their own time. Examples of such pieces include altered compositions of artworks such as Caspar David Fredrich’s Wanderer above the Sea of Fog turned into ‘Wanderer above Lahore’ with a few political symbols that offer easy clues to understand the intentions of the student.

While one project compared Napolean Crossing the Alps by David following the footsteps of Charlemagne and Hannibal, Adil and Nyle showed Napoleon urging people to get vaccinated during the pandemic. Another project reimagines the gaze with which harem women in the Orient were viewed.

It used Ingres’s Odalisque and overturning the artist’s intentions of showing a nude woman coyly looking at the viewers, inscribes different parts of her limbs with words like ‘himmat and meḥnat’ (perseverance and hard work) and pastes images of Pakistani female activists known for their role in fighting for a change in society.

The exhibition also includes projects to cater to the education of young Pakistani children who are rarely exposed to art history during their preliminary years of education. It displayed games and educational tools on French Art, designed after Monopoly (where you collect artworks) and jigsaw puzzles, to introduce interactive ways of learning.

The exhibition gave the students a wonderful chance to discuss their works with guests and get feedback. This interactive engagement was followed by an inspirational talk by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Clais in the Faculty Lounge. Dr. Clais shared slides of his work-in-progress – an exhibition at the Louvre on Napoleon Bonaparte. He explained the process of curating an exhibition and gave details of the challenges and highlights of this grand project.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, March 22, 2022 (PPI-OT):Abu Dawood conducted a virtual recruitment drive on March 6, 2022 for LUMS students, especially the undergraduate and graduate class of 2022. The session, attended by over 30 students, commenced with Fatima Baber, Assistant Manager Talent Acquisition and HRBP at Abu Dawood sharing the company history and its existence in Middle East and Pakistan. She said that the company has 36 distributors in the country and 450+ sub-distribution centres. Proctor and Gamble, Ferrero Rocher, and Rupali Foods are the leading business partners of the company in Pakistan.

Ms. Baber also shared the company’s vision of serving clients with a rigorous implementation plan and focus on delivering excellent products and services. Diversity, open and candid communication, respecting ideas and relationships, and empowerment are some of the company’s guiding principles.

Komal Azhar, Assistant Manager Recruitment, shared details of ‘ADP Edge Programme 2022’ with the students by providing details of the programme such as real-time projects, rotation in different departments, and mentorship. Abu Dawood is targeting undergraduate senior year students for their Associate Trainee Programme and final year graduate students for their Management Trainee Programme. An Internship Programme for 3rd undergraduate and 1st year graduate students was also announced.

Ms. Azhar discussed the recruitment process in detail. She spoke about application submission, which is followed by an online test, a focus group, and final interviews. The company also conducted a quiz and announced prizes for the winning candidates. The event concluded with an interactive Q and A session.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

Lahore, March 17, 2022 (PPI-OT): An all-women Safe Space conversation was co-organised by Ms. Angbeen Mirza, Director Office of Accessibility and Inclusion and Ms. Aymen Abdullah, Head of Talent Management, Human Resources, for the female staff members at LUMS on March 9, 2022. The purpose of the session was to have an open conversation on what challenges women face in their workspaces.

 

The Safe Space conversation, conducted at the Executive Dining Hall at LUMS, was designed to encourage female staff colleagues to share their experiences regarding matters of gender discrimination as well as inclusivity, both within the workplace and generally. The session provided an environment for the female staff members to discuss their experiences at LUMS, share the challenges they encounter, and subsequently offer suggestions on what could be done at an individual and organizational level to improve current gender relations and interactions.

 

This session was held in the spirit of International Women’s Day with the theme of opening up in safe spaces, which led to many women sharing their experiences of discrimination and bias throughout their life. This discussion also included an activity called “Gender Light Bulb,” wherein all the attendees were asked to share memories of events that made them realise they were being treated differently because of their gender.

 

The participants remained engaged throughout the activity. Female staff members were also very happy to be a part of the Safe Space conversation and requested for an increase in the frequency of such events. Towards the end, tea and refreshments were served to all the participants. Both the offices hope that this will be the start of a sustainable collaboration to push for more diversity and inclusion at LUMS.

 

For more information, contact:

Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)

D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792

Lahore, Pakistan

Tel: +92-42-35608000

Fax: +92-42-35725048

Website: www.lums.edu.pk