IBA: Celebrating 60 years

Over the years, IBA has carved a niche in the Education sector imparting quality education in a rigorous model of expecting nothing but the best from its students. The gruelling workload and active lifestyle of IBA's students have become synonymous with quality and its' students have established a name for themselves as being hard working, out-of-the box thinkers with qualities such as a proactive attitude and social networking and management skills.
However, this reputation has come about in a natural process being guided by IBA's faculty and its administration over the past 60 Years. IBA is celebrating 60 Years of its existence by celebrating its accomplishments in a voice that is rocking the city. Music, sports, forums and exhibitions are just some of the ways IBA wants to communicate its successes with its alumni, which include Pakistan's Honourable President Mr MamnoonHussain and ex-Prime Minister Mr Shaukat Aziz, and also with the business and socialites of Karachi.
IBA - 60 Years Young and the Fun is just starting!
To mark off IBA's 60 Year Celebrations and also celebrate IBA's ranking as the No 1 Business School in Pakistan, IBA hosted an Alumni Dinner which was marked by an extravagant performance by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The event was attended by hundreds of Alumni who had come home to witness the radical change that had come over IBA with its revamped buildings and student centers. The event was hosted by prominent IBA Alumni.
The following week was a festive affair as students were front and center hosting their clubs and societies highlighting the fun that IBA offers its students in the manner of Curricular and Extra curricular activities. The Sports Week marked the Second Major event of the 60 Years Celebration.
On September 12' 2015, IBA has conducted a high profile event, which brings together 3 Foreign Specialists from 3 different political eras to share their experience at a forum which will become staple at IBA. The Foreign Ministers' Forum held at IBA City Campus saw overwhelming response with over 600 registrations in a weekend when guests could register. Students, diplomats, corporate professionals and members from all spheres of Karachi's community were present to participate in the event hosted and moderated by IBA's Dean & Director Dr Ishrat Husain. The Chief Guests included Mr Sartaj Aziz (Present Adviser to the Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs), Ms Hina Rabbani Khar (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Mr Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri. The event was the beginning of an ongoing series of Forums which will highlight Politics, Economics, Education and Civic matters.
IBA has evolved from being a purely business school by identifying the key needs of the country and offering programs which will help our future generations identify careers which will help the city, country and the world by showcasing what Pakistani students have to offer. Dr Ishrat Husain can be credited for enhancing IBA's vision by introducing new programs and curriculum to IBA. By growing the infrastructure to include a State-of-the-art Alumni Student Center (which hosts indoor badminton courts, gym, the Kawasjee Writing Center) and a Floodlit Cricket Stadium along with introducing specialised programs such as Bachelors in Finance and Accounting, Bachelors in Social Sciences, Bachelors in Economics and Mathematics and PhD programs in Economics, Mathematics and Computer Sciences.
IBA has not simply settled for promoting its business acumen but wants to contribute to the art societies of the city as well. On Sunday October 4th 2015, IBA will be conducting "Sadequain in Koochaye Khayyam". An evening of poetry and appreciation of world renowned artist and poet Sadequain. This event mark Sadequain's first exhibition after a decade! The event will include notable personalities Talat Hussain who will recite Sadequain's Rubaiye and will have an exhibition of never-before-seen artworks by Sadequain. The event will take place at IBA's new Aman Tower, a behemoth situated in the heart of Karachi's Saddar area (Off M.A. Jinnah Road). The tower is a testament of IBA's endurance and focus on quality rising 13 stories high offering amenities like a balconied Cafeteria, Classrooms, Auditoriums, residential units and a 2 story library.
To round up the main course of events celebrating IBA's accomplishment, Sibtain Naqvi will inaugurate his book covering the history of IBA! Sibtain Naqvi, author, art critic and researcher, has strung together IBA's history into a tale of success and perseverance which has seen IBA begin from its humble roots as a project created by the USAID to assist Pakistan in creating professional business executives, to becoming a degree awarding university in 1994, to finally becoming the go-to-brand for quality education, consulting and seminars!
Dr Ishrat - Pride of Pakistan and IBA:
Dr Ishrat Husain, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, has during his era at IBA instilled a since of pride, honor and values which are reflected in students and which continues to grow. His emphasis on having students contribute to society and give something back to the people formed the Social Internship Program that all students must partake in to graduate. Students participate in Social Internships by teaching under-privileged children in the city or offering their services to NGOs and NPOs to help them benefit from their creative mindset and hard work. Dr Ishrat re-energised the National Talent Hunt Program (NTHP) which seeks students from underprivileged areas all over Pakistan and offers them free test preparation, training and guidance to appear in IBA's highly competitive Admissions Test offering them a fighting chance against students who come from privileged backgrounds.
Dr Ishrat possesses the vision to bring IBA to the forefront of the academic arena, by emphasising the cohesion between programs to create successful entrepreneurial students. His efforts have seen the IBA faculty boasts a roster of PhD's unlike any university in Pakistan (with approximately 100 PhD faculty on IBA's Full Time list). These include local as well as foreign qualified PhDs who have brought years of practical and research experience to their students. The infrastructure is top-notch mirroring any Western university with lush grounds, ample student activity centers, state-of-the-art classrooms and education enhancement centers such as auditoriums and libraries. IBA is geared to succeed for the coming years and under Dr Ishrat's leadership has a blueprint for becoming the Top ranked university in Asia and the World.
IBA Students - The heart of IBA:
IBA is nothing without its students however! Students such as Ayesha Zafar, a BBA student who has recently qualified into Pakistan's National Women's Cricket Team breaking stereotypes left, right and center or the team of Imran Hemani, Safeer Hussain and Nabeel Zahid Rajput who represented IBA and Pakistan at the Robo Cup Iran Open 2014 Tournament and brought home the Gold. These students graduate into the pride of IBA - its strong network of Alumni. Alumni are situated all over the world holding positions of power in multinational organisations creating an image of Pakistan and its students that overcome all negative stereotypes being created in popular media of Pakistan and its people.