Karachi, Dec. 2, 2011: A grand Convocation Ceremony was held on December 2, 2011 at the sprawling gardens of IBA main campus. Around 8oo people including jubilant students, proud parents, faculty, philanthropists and eminent personalities from the various spheres of life attended the auspicious occasion.

A total of 610 students were conferred degrees this year including 67% male and 33% female graduated under various Bachelors and Masters’ Programs including seven Executive MBA students. A unique feature of the convocation this year was the conferment of the first PhD. degree by IBA to Quratulain Nizamuddin who recently completed her PhD under the faculty of Computer Science.   

Addressing the participants, Dr Ishrat Husain, the Dean and Director IBA declared 2011 “A year of Progress and Execution” -- the best in his three-and-half year tenure at IBA that rooted successful culmination of a series of initiatives forming part of the multi prong IBA Strategy which was adopted in 2008 to achieve the ambition of becoming the top class business school in Asia and in the world. He enlightened the audience on the recently received accreditation by the highly regarded South Asia Quality Assurance System (SAQS), thereby earning the distinction of becoming one of the eight institutions to be accredited by the SAQs in South Asia. He elaborated that the curriculum of all IBA undergraduate and graduate programs stand fully revamped and restructured – whereby the well known BBA degree is now a terminal degree and BBA graduates will henceforth be entering the job market as Management Trainees. IBA FCS faculty has progressed by leaps and bounds including the most recent addition of an independent department of mathematical sciences. Dr. Ishrat delightfully informed that the recently introduced undergraduate program at IBA with dual major in economics and math is one of its own kinds in any Pakistani business school and will be launched soon. Furthermore there has been a phenomenal rise in the strength of the PhD faculty to an all time high of 17 persons. The community outreach, faculty development, physical infrastructure, quality assurance and ICT up gradation made considerable headway this year at IBA.

He acknowledged the support and contribution of IBA Board of Governors, Alumni, Corporate leaders, philanthropists, faculty, staff and students in the realization of his vision and sought for the continued support from the IBA community in its long journey of excellence.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar, who is currently serving as the Chairman of the Board of Governors at IBA and practices at the Sindh High Court, congratulated the graduating students on achieving a milestone in their academic lives. He urged them to prepare and assume their responsibilities in the professional world since now it’s their time to pay back by serving their society and the less privileged in the country. He praised the IBA faculty, staff and management for providing an island of quality education despite all hurdles particularly the efforts of the Dean and Director IBA, Dr Ishrat in mobilizing financial assistance and scholarships for the students coming from the less-privileged families.

He said, “I feel extremely happy to note the emphasis at IBA on documentation and quality standards. The receiving of accreditation of the Institute by the South Asian Quality Standards and the gradual expanding of international linkages are a testimony of the IBA’s efforts to improve its regional standing and expand its market base. Indeed IBA today proudly presents various infrastructures at both its campuses which are all physical manifestations of the remarkable progress made by the institution over the last four years in pursuit of its vision to make it to the top ten in Asia and in the world.”
 

Outstanding Performers of the IBA

• Shahzaib Hassan received the “Overall Best Student-Graduate Program” gold medal

• Hira Ejaz secured the “Overall Best Student- Undergraduate Program” gold medal.

• “Overall Marketing gold medal” was awarded to Misbah Ghani

• “Overall Finance gold medal” was conferred to Wajid Iqbal.

• Omer Bin Asad and Shafia Imtiaz won the gold medal for the “Best BS/MIS Project”

• Sadaf Ejaz bagged the Overall MIS Gold Medal

• Mahad Asim Hamza won High Achievers Gold Medal while

• Entrepreneurship Society was declared the “Best Student Society of the Year”.