November 23, 2018: CODE PAKISTAN held a consultation with the students and faculty of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi, on countering on-campus violent extremism in Pakistan. The consultations focused on drug abuse in campuses and role of campus administration and impact of social media and online content on youth.
The students of IBA shared that the institute was one of the oldest business schools in the world. Established in 1955, they shared, it was the oldest business school outside the United States. They shared that IBA had not only produced politicians, businessmen, managers, and entrepreneurs but also leaders of their fields. The students of IBA shared that besides academics, there was a great deal of emphasis on character building at the institute.
The students of IBA shared that there were 19 student welfare societies on their campus, which were working under the supervision and guidance of faculty. They further shared that the societies were actively involved in organizing various cultural, social, and literary activities. They added that the student societies of IBA were actively involved in tree plantation drivers. They further added that the student societies were helping handicapped orphan children for their education.
The students of IBA shared that alongside the on-campus mosque, there were also specially designated places of worship for non-Muslims on the campus of IBA. This, they were of the view, was a good example of the efforts of IBA for the promotion of peace, tolerance, and inclusivity on the campus, as well as religious harmony. The students of IBA argued that their student body was active in promoting positivity and diversity.
The students of IBA shared that entrepreneurship was actively encouraged at IBA. Stating its example, they shared that they had established a restaurant business center run by the students at the student incubation center of IBA. They said that such encouragement of entrepreneurial activities was quite helpful in boosting their confidence in taking an entrepreneurial path in their practical lives.