SCOTTS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA - In a landmark event, the partnership between the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi and Stanford University’s Life Design Lab was unveiled by Director, Alumni Communications and Corporate Relations (ACRC) IBA, Ms Malahat Awan, and Assistant Professor, School of Business Studies (SBS), IBA, Dr Azam Ali, setting the stage for a transformative shift in Pakistan’s educational landscape. Through the application of design thinking, this collaboration aims to tackle Pakistan’s educational challenges by focusing on sustainable, context- driven solutions, fostering long-term growth and innovation.
The event featured an insightful panel discussion led by the Chief Minister of Sindh and Patron IBA Karachi, Syed Murad Ali Shah, who was joined by the Executive Director, IBA Karachi, Dr S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director, Stanford Life Design Lab, Mr Bill Burnett and Co-Founder of Designing Your Spiritual Life, Stanford Life Design Lab, Mr Junaid Aziz. Their conversation explored the significance of this collaboration and how it brings globally renowned expertise to Pakistan while remaining deeply attuned to local realities. A key take away from the panel discussion, emphasised by the chief minister, was the crucial role of IBA alumnus who now serves as a senior faculty member at Stanford’s Life Design Lab, Mr Aziz’s firsthand knowledge of both IBA’s context and Stanford’s cuttingedge methodologies, acts as a pivotal link between the two institutions. The chief minister highlighted that this unique connection ensures that the collaboration is not just an academic exchange but a meaningful, locally relevant effort to address Pakistan’s educational challenges. IBA alumni’s dual understanding of Pakistan’s specific needs and Stanford’s innovative approaches was repeatedly underscored as a cornerstone of the partnership’s success.
Throughout the dialogue, the chief minister stressed that this is not about implementing pre-packaged solutions but about Stanford’s faculty immersing themselves in Pakistan’s challenges to co-create solutions alongside IBA. He emphasised that the presence of Stanford’s experts at IBA’s Karachi campus is vital to developing solutions that resonate with the local environment, driving home the importance of solving Pakistan’s problems within its own borders.
Echoing these sentiments, Mr Burnett explained that he sees this collaboration as a reciprocal learning experience. Not only will Stanford contribute its expertise, but it will also draw inspiration from Pakistan’s unique challenges. The transfer of knowledge, and this collaboration will enable IBA to serve as a hub for innovation, supporting the next generation of Pakistani leaders by equipping them with the tools to tackle complex societal issues through human-centred design. Mr Burnett stated, “IBA is more than an academic leader; it is a catalyst for societal transformation, with the power to shape the future of Pakistan. Together, we must embrace this responsibility and strive for excellence.”
Dr Zaidi noted that this collaboration stands out because it is rooted in context and designed for long-term impact. By embedding this new pedagogy into the educational framework at IBA, the centre will provide a space for nurturing innovation, testing ideas, and developing solutions that are both practical and sustainable.
As the panel concluded, the chief minister reaffirmed that this partnership, driven by the leadership of IBA alumnus now at Stanford, is a testament to the power of local insight paired with global expertise as this is a key factor ensuring the collaboration remains relevant and grounded, enabling the creation of solutions that will drive Pakistan’s educational and societal progress for years to come. This partnership represents a bold step forward for IBA and Pakistan, as it bridges the gap between local challenges and world-class innovation, marking the start of a new era in Pakistan’s educational journey.
Earlier in the day, the chief minister, accompanied by Dr Zaidi, and Dean IBA-SBS, Dr Abdullah Z Sheikh, and Senior Professor, Dr Ali made a pivotal return to his alma mater, visiting Stanford’s Life Design Lab. During their visit, they engaged in a focused discussion with Mr Burnett and Mr Aziz to strategise the critical mechanics of knowledge transfer between Silicon Valley and Karachi. The conversation centered on how the Life Design Lab will directly train and upskill IBA faculty in this cutting-edge approach to education, ensuring that the benefits of this collaboration flow swiftly and effectively to both faculty and students. The dialogue highlighted concrete plans to fast-track the integration of this innovative teaching process through faculty workshops, curriculum enhancements, and hands-on involvement from Stanford experts. The overarching goal is to ensure that IBA students start experiencing the transformative impact of this partnership immediately, equipping them with world-class skills that will position them as future leaders and innovators in Pakistan and beyond.
During this visit, the chief minister was also invited to explore avenues of collaboration by Director, ViRx@Stanford, Stanford Biosecurity and Pandemic Preparedness Initiative, BioLab, Dr Jeffrey S Glenn. The meeting included Dr Aijaz Ahmed MD and covered the topic of readiness for future pandemics and building a global alliance to quickly ready and develop vaccines to save lives. The team discussed Sindh government’s numerous measures to quickly control the COVID crisis and how it was able to save countless lives. The lab expressed its interest in working with regional research facilities and the chief minister expressed his support for making collaborations and cross-geographical projects possible.