Indus University (Pakistan)
Indus University is a private sector university located at an accessible place in the city of Karachi and adjacent to a well-known cricket ground, National Stadium, Karachi. Initially, it was established as the Indus Institute of Higher Education (IIHE) in 2004 by Pakistan National Building Material Display Foundation with an aim to strengthen and improve our country’s role of providing quality education and services which not only enhance student’s caliber as individuals but will improve the scenario of education as a whole. Later on, the Indus University was awarded the charter in April 2012 by Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
In addition, Indus University is playing a significant role in increasing the literacy rate as well as empowering the youth of Pakistan. We firmly believe in the mantra of “Learn well to live well” and in order to achieve the stated objective, five disciplines namely; Business Administration & Commerce, Engineering, Information Science & Technology, Fashion Textile & Interior Design and Social Sciences are running under the university’s portfolio. We have also taken some meaningful measures to ensure Quality Assurance in higher education and in this regard, Quality Enhancement Cell has been established since July 2010 under the supervision of Quality Assurance Agency –QAA of Higher Education Commission, Pakistan.
Below are some examples of civic engagement activities at Indus University.
Merit & Need based Scholarships: As Benjamin Franklin quoted “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” and Indus University has always laid great emphasis on imparting education to the masses. The literate and civilized society is our utmost dream and to fulfill the stated objective, Indus University has been actively involved in various activities and events. In addition, the University offers two kinds of scholarships i.e. merit and need based scholarships. The criteria employs for former category is that three outstanding students from each department who acquire GPA 3.7 and above are awarded the financial assistance on continuous basis and those who lie in the later category are encouraged to pursue their studies despite the monetary obstacles. Thus, the management has always paid heed to enhance students’ learning by incorporating best practices within the university premises. Nevertheless, keeping in view the directives of Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, Indus University also celebrated the Fundraising Week in the first week of March 2013 to forge funds for the Students Endowment Fund. The respective students’ societies of the University gathered on a single platform to raise money for their needy friends. Moreover, the stakeholders of Indus University including senior management, faculty, students and administration staff left no stone unturned to promote this noble cause. Last but not the least; an appeal was generated via university’s website and donation boxes were placed in every nook and cranny of the university.
Helping Hand provided to Thalassaemic Patients: As we all know Thalassaemia is a blood disorder that is hereditary in nature. It is the most common disorder in the world that is hereditary and characterized by a single gene defect. Thalassaemia was first discovered in individuals who inhabit South Asia and the Mediterranean region. The word Thalassaemia means sea, a translation from Greek. The syndrome of Cooley anemia, a severe Thalaessemia was first described in 1925, to be caused by the complete absence of the production of beta-globin (Giardina & Hilgartner, 1992). To provide the best care to the students of Indus University and the community a Thalassaemia check up camp was set up at Indus University. The students were checked for their hemoglobin tendencies to be thalassaemic by the doctors and be able to donate blood for the patients. It is the responsibility of an Institute to serve its stakeholders in every way possible; this disorder has caused many silent deaths as they go undetected. We at Indus University set up a camp for the donation of blood to the thalassaemic patients at NICVD, and Mid Citi Hospital. The donation of blood for the thalassaemic patients by Indus University students helped the students build their civic sense, value towards life, importance of being a caring citizen, understanding the reality of a healthy life. Indus University has a notion of learn well to live well; we incorporate this motto in most of our corporate social events. Indus University is always coming forward to serve the community and showing its responsibility towards the nation to bring a positive change.
Serving Humanity at the doorstep to make Pakistan a better place to live: Charity begins at home, that’s what Indus University did to support the deserving orphans of the Edhi foundation in Korangi Karachi on 14th August 2012 by donating goods and Rs. 50, 000 for the orphans at the Edhi Center. Our Vice Chancellor M. Ahmed Amin took the initiative to get out for the children of Pakistan on 14th of August and celebrate the happiness with them. The Edhi foundation headed by a great humanitarian who says; “my religion is to serve humanitarianism; which is the basis of every religion in the world.” He has persisted upon his mission of humanitarianism for the past 56 years, and is therefore popular among followers of all the existing religious sects in Pakistan. The Foundation’s activities include a 24 hour emergency service across the country through 335 Edhi Centers with the fleet of 1800 Ambulances which provide free shrouding and burial of unclaimed dead bodies, shelter for the destitute, orphans and handicapped persons, free hospitals and dispensaries, rehabilitation of drug addicts, free wheel chairs, crutches and other services for the handicapped, family planning counseling and maternity services, national and international relief efforts for the victims of natural calamities. Indus University keeps in mind the scenario of masses in Pakistan, and its socio economic issues and to serve its purpose of being a responsible university. Indus University has always taken part and contributed during hardships. Indus University and its students are taught to be ethical, conscious and support the community by serving them. As we believe in “Learn well to Live well” and it is our duty to make others lives better in every possible way.