Sindh Madressatul Islam University (Pakistan)

The Sindh Madressatul Islam University has been operating since 1885. It was founded as a high school, and elevated to the status of a college in 1943. Given its growth and impact, SMIU was once again promoted in 2002, this time gaining the recognition as a full-fledged university.

SMIU faculty and students are involved in many social activities. The university constantly endeavors toward inculcating in each student a sense of social commitment and professional excellence. These are some of those activities:

• Students from the department of education organize visits to Gills Shelter House, a home for elderly people. The program aims to instill in students the importance of civil society’s role in caring for parents and elders.
• The university also promotes civic engagement through the appreciation of Sindh’s history. The region is the seat of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, and the university and its students share information and research through seminars and workshops on the local history, culture, and language.
• Open student seminars keep SMIU close to its surrounding community. In the last year, they’ve organized seminars on environmental issues, health awareness, media ethics, women’s issues and education, and access to education. In addition, students regularly host celebrations in collaborations for “World Days” such as “Pink Ribbon Day” against breast cancer and others dedicated to diabetes, hepatitis, and cleanliness.
• SMIU students are involved in a number of campaign and outreach programs. For example, the Drug Awareness Campaign visits schools to provide information on the effects and consequences of drug use. Other outreach programs target populations such as special needs children, female artisan entrepreneurs, the deaf or hard of hearing, and people dealing with difficult diseases.