IBA 50 Years of Excellence. (2005-7)

Business education is one of the most effective means that a society possesses for encountering future challenges. Being one of the leading business schools of this part of the world, the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi is committed to provide a solid foundation to prepare students to meet this challenge.

The IBA was established in 1955 as US ASID financed project. Initially the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania, provided the technical support; later, the University of Southern California got the contract to set up various facilities at the Institute and several prominent American professors were assigned to the IBA. At the time of establishement IBA was actually IBPA - the Institute Public and Business Administration. The public administration was spun off into NIPA in 1962. IBA initially offered programs only for day scholars. In 1957, an Evening Program was started to cater to the needs of the numerous working executives and managers who were interested in furthering their careers through part-time business studies. In 1982, a three-year BBA (Honors) Program was introduced and three years ago the IBA became the fist Institution of Pakistan to offer a 4-years BBA program. IBA's four-year BBA program is a broad based program where students not only study business but are also required to take courses in subjects like literature, philosophy, logic, history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, international relations etc. as in most of the top ranked schools in US. The IBA continued as a Department of University of Karachi till it was granted the status of a Degree Awarding Institute by Sindh Assembly in 1994.

The main pillars of IBA are its strong values and clear focus on its mission. All our actions are guided by our core values of merit, integrity, creativity, discipline and tolerance. The IBA strives continuously to improve in all constituents of its system, culture, people and infrastructure, to turn bright and diligent students with leadership potential into outstanding business leaders to Pakistan and around the world.

The IBA wishes to remain focused on being a business school, always relevant to the needs of the times. That is why IBA programs are designed to provide world-class professional managers and entrepreneurs for the business and industry in Pakistan.

IBA's un-matched BCS program prepares students not only in computer science-related subjects but also gives them significant knowledge about various functional subjects in business areas and thus prepares graduates well for modern business organizations.

Recently IBA introduced specialization in Human Resources Management in marketing & Finance. IBA also launched Ph.D. program in August 2004, to acquire highly qualified faculty. IBA's true constraint at this time is availability of additional qualified faculty in sufficient numbers.

In 2003 IBA established a Centre for Executive Education, which aims to provide a nucleus for activities designed to enhance organizational effectiveness through training of professionals in various disciplines. It offers courses and workshops that cater to the needs of junior, middle level and senior executives. It also conducts client-specific training programs.

The recurrent theme of the 50 years of IBA's existence is that business education should be relevant and looking to the future. The IBA provide an enabling environment, conducive to scholarship and research. The faculty, staff, students and embers of the industry work together to achieve learning goals. Students acquire knowledge and skills through constructive and distinctive processes that encourage them to develop understanding of business concepts and issues, think independently and to make rational choices. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, to become active participants and leaders, and to apply their knowledge in real-world context.

A salient feature of IBA's educational program is its emphasis on the application of knowledge acquired by the students, for this reason conventional lecture method is supplemented by group discussions, problem-solving, case study, role playing, simulation and conference methods so that students develop a positive attitude toward the realities of the business world and are prepared to face them.

The IBA has separate research wing, which is contributing significantly not only for IBA research programs but also conducting research on behalf of other public and private organizations. IBA research wing is also publishing its journal and industry reports regularly.

Year after year IBA sends out graduates, each of them is certain of good job and a successful career. Presently more than 6500 IBA graduates are contributing to the success of the organizations all around the world, including Mr. Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Date of Issue (April 30, 2005)