School of Business Studies organized SBS IBA Alumni Connect at Marriott Hotel Karachi

October 13, 2023: The School of Business Studies (SBS) at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) orchestrated a remarkable gathering of Alumni at the Marriott Hotel Karachi. This event, titled 'SBS IBA - Alumni Connect', brought together a thriving community of over 120 esteemed alumni and respected faculty members for a night of reflection, camaraderie, and inspiration.

The event welcomed a diverse group of accomplished leaders and change makers, bridging the gap between recent graduates and accomplished alumni who have made their mark in the professional world. Besides alums, a good number of SBS faculty and staff members graced the gathering, reaffirming the profound connections that define the SBS community.

The evening commenced with a moment of solemnity, marked by a recitation of the Holy Quran followed by an introductory video in which the Dean of SBS, Dr. Abdullah Z. Shaikh, provided an overview of the School of Business Studies (SBS).

Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, the Executive Director of IBA, extended a warm and heartfelt welcome. Dr. Zaidi highlighted the fact that IBA had recently been restructured into three schools. He underlined the rich legacy of IBA in delivering exceptional education and acknowledged the School of Business Studies as the flagship among all three schools.

Dr. Abdullah Zafar Sheikh, Dean of SBS, introduced the School of Business Studies to the alumni and emphasized that by virtue of graduating with a business degree from IBA, the alumni in the audience were now the alumni of the School of Business Studies (SBS). Further, Dr. Sheikh unveiled the vision of SBS and educated the audience about the AACSB accreditation, which SBS is pursuing. Dr. Sheikh underscored the importance for SBS to establish its own brand as a leading business school in Pakistan, which is also very crucial from AACSB's perspective. Dr. Sheikh repeatedly underlined that IBA has 70 years of legacy as a premier business university of Pakistan. IBA is known, up and down the country, as a top educational institute for business education, and it is, therefore, now the mission of SBS to live up to and carry forward this unmatched legacy of IBA by retaining the top position as a premier business school of Pakistan. Dr. Sheikh familiarized alumni with the structure, engagements, centers, and departments within the School of Business Studies and acquainted the alumni with the respective heads of these departments. A pivotal goal of the event was to set the foundation for an alumni engagement program for SBS. Dr. Sheikh laid out a framework by which SBS aims to engage its alumni by forming a number of committees, such as the Academic Linkages Committee, Industry Linkages Committee, Brand Ambassadors Committee, Mentoring Committee, Curriculum Committee, and SBS Alumni Advisory Council, etc. Dr. Sheikh also announced that Dr. Irum Saba will be heading the Alumni Affairs function in SBS. Dr. Sheikh encouraged Alumni to come forward and participate in these important committees, to which alumni responded quite overwhelmingly. The enthusiasm and eagerness of the alumni community to participate in this initiative was evident, signifying their strong desire to give back to their cherished alma mater.

Dr. Irum Saba, Associate Professor and Program Director of MS-IBF, engaged alumni in a dialogue, encouraging them to provide feedback on the curriculum and consider becoming mentors for current SBS students. This exchange aimed to foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within the SBS community.

Distinguished alumni shared their testimonials and narrated their journeys of success and achievements. Their narratives served as a wellspring of inspiration, offering a glimpse into the profound impact of SBS education.

As the evening concluded, it was clear that this gathering was not a one-time event but a significant step towards building a close-knit network and celebrating the successes of the growing alumni community. The SBS is poised to continue hosting similar events in the future, nurturing its ever-expanding network and preparing its graduates to excel in the dynamic business world.