IBA Karachi organized a panel discussion on 'IBA and The Future of Business Education in Pakistan’

February 21, 2023: School of Business Studies (SBS), Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi organized a panel discussion on ‘IBA and The Future of Business Studies’, featuring prominent business personalities. The event was attended by students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Panelists included Dr. Syed Irfan Hyder, Vice Chancellor, Ziauddin University; Dr. Ehsan Ul Haque, Professor Emeritus, Suleman Dawood School of Business, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS); Hafsa Shamsie, Managing Director, Roche Pakistan; and Salman Ahmad, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, Pakistan. The session was moderated by Dr. Saima Husain, Assistant Professor and Director, QEC, IBA.

Endorsing IBA’s crucial role in the business world, Dr. Husain initiated the session and invited Dr. Abdullah Zafar Sheikh, Professor and Dean School of Business Studies (SBS) to share his thoughts on the topic. Dr. Sheikh highlighted the IBA legacy of 70 years of producing great minds and entrepreneurs and said, “Business Schools have big challenges, and there might be an infusion of technology and business”.

Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director, IBA, stated that the IBA started the trend of business studies and education in Pakistan. He said that we now receive complaints from organizations about IBA students not opting for jobs as students are now building startups and becoming entrepreneurs establishing a positive direction for the institute.

The panelists collectively agreed on the changing trends of business, education, and prosperity and presented relevant examples and solutions.

Ms. Shamsie opined that entrepreneurship is a new trend for all, regardless of whether the setup is small or big. Focusing on self-growth and development, she emphasized on the pertinent skills of agility and learning, communication skills and presentation.

Dr. Hyder compared the present scenario by comparing the old graduates’ employment hunting in big organizations with today’s teenagers earning handsome amounts from their startups. He also said that we the faculty have to adapt ourselves to the changing minds of generations and make our teaching modules more relevant.

Mr. Ahmad mentioned three thoughts for prosperity in Pakistan; technical skills, a clear idea of what a career means, and a kosher framework for business operations. “Businesses create opportunities simultaneously for all” conveyed Mr. Ahmad and enunciated the principle of the free market and the value of four years of education in reaping information in a free market.

Dr. Haque highlighted the value of soft skills and an individual’s personal presentation.

All the panelists contributed enthusiastically to the Q&A session. The session was concluded by Dr. Sheikh, who also distributed the mementos among the panelists.