Message from the Vice Chancellor

Dear Faculty, Staff, Alumni, and Supporters,

Assalam-o-Alaikum.

It is with great excitement and a profound sense of honour that I invite you to explore the remarkable achievements and significant milestones of the LUMS community over the past year. LUMS continues to excel as a vibrant hub where ideas flourish and future leaders are nurtured. It remains one of the most reputed Pakistani universities in terms of academic and employer reputation, the quality of its faculty and research and the success of student placements. This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to developing a community of highly qualified and deeply invested faculty members and preparing students for successful and impactful careers. LUMS consistently achieves some of the best job placement rates among universities, underscoring the calibre of our graduates.

Additionally, I am delighted to announce that the university has an excellent track record of graduate placement, with thirty percent of its graduates being placed students in highly reputed international programmes over the years and many being awarded competitive international scholarships. For example, one-third of the Rhodes scholars during this century have been LUMS students, and the university boasts the largest Fulbright alumni community in Pakistan.

Graduate programme placements have continued to remain strong this year with students being placed at top international schools such as Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Berkeley, Cambridge and Oxford among others. Our students also did extremely well in terms of participating in globally competitive scholarship programmes. Half of the Rhodes Scholarship finalists from Pakistan belonged to LUMS. Haider Sultan, a BSc 2024 Accounting and Finance student made history as Pakistan's first Silver Scholar at Yale University, joining the highly selective MBA program with a Dean’s Scholarship. He is one of only 10 individuals worldwide selected as Silver Scholars for 2024, ranking among the top 5% of applicants admitted to this competitive programme.

Beyond academics, our students continue to demonstrate remarkable prowess in extracurricular activities and sports, showcasing their versatility and commitment to holistic development. I am immensely proud of their contributions and remain committed to supporting their journey towards becoming the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow. Our LUMUN delegation made us proud by winning the Best Small Delegation Award at the Harvard National Model United Nations for the second consecutive year, with Sabeen Hamood earning the Best Delegate award. Amani Jannat, a BSc Economics 2025 student, became the first female sports climber to represent Pakistan at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China. In the field of electrical engineering, PhD scholar Huzaifa Rauf has achieved notable distinctions, including the prestigious Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) Award from the University of Maryland. These achievements underscore the incredible talent and determination of our students, reflecting the values and spirit of excellence that LUMS stands for.

This remarkable progress would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of over 265 distinguished faculty members at LUMS, hailing from top schools around the world. They have helped LUMS emerge as a hub of high-quality research, with a third of our research papers published in top international peer-reviewed journals and many book manuscripts featured by the most respected international university presses. Our faculty members are presenting impactful research at leading conferences, securing competitive fellowships and research grants and prestigious awards, making significant impact through their research in academia and national development.

Over the past year, our faculty members have achieved remarkable accolades that underscore the depth and impact of their scholarly work. Drs. Ihsan Ayub Qazi, Agha Ali Raza, and Ayesha Ali received the prestigious Foundational Integrity Research Award from Meta for their pioneering efforts in combating misinformation among populations with low digital literacy. Dr. Zartash Uzmi’s contributions to enhancing internet efficiency in Pakistan were recognized with the Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF Asia) award at the Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, while Dr. Faheem Hassan Akhtar has made history as the first South Asian to be honoured with the North American Membrane Society's Young Membrane Scientist Award for his groundbreaking work in separation science. It was an immensely proud moment for us all when Dr. Naveed Arshad earned the esteemed 2024 Pride of Performance award for innovations in big data, cloud computing, and sustainable energy solutions,

In the realm of historical scholarship, Dr. Waqar Zaidi received the Turriano ICOHTEC Prize for his influential book on technological internationalism, while Dr. Ali Usman Qasmi was awarded the book award by the American Institute of Pakistan Studies for his profound exploration of citizenship and national belonging in Pakistan.

The American Political Science Association has recognized faculty from the Economics department with the Luebbert Best Article Honorable Mention for our contribution to comparative politics, which was published in Science, one of the leading international journals of scientific inquiry. Dr. Ghazal Zulfiqar Mir’s leadership in management research was acknowledged with her election as co-editor-in-chief of Organization, while Dr. Shakeel Jajja was honoured with the prestigious Fulbright postdoctoral fellowship for a joint appointment at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

Research at LUMS has also focused on addressing key national concerns in fields such as green transport and environmental sustainability, public health, gender equality, citizenship, countering misinformation, transforming education, governance, supply chains and family businesses in a digital age and sustainable energy transformations. By asking fundamental questions about gender and equality, exploring ways to improve healthcare outcomes, and investigating the complexities of national identity and citizenship, our faculty is driving meaningful societal change. Additionally, they are strong advocates for sustainable practices, including energy-efficient building designs, and have been instrumental in formulating key national policies.

LUMS continues to demonstrate significant impact due to the strength of its schools and programs. The Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB) at LUMS holds the distinction of being Pakistan's first business school accredited by AACSB International. The Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (MGSHSS) retains its position as the country’s premier liberal arts program, with recent expansions including a new major in comparative literature and creative arts. The Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) continues to lead by offering innovative interdisciplinary science and engineering programmes in Pakistan, with a growing emphasis on population health sciences and data science applications. The Syed Ahmad Hassan School of Law remains at the forefront by pioneering a law degree that integrates the rigor of an LLB with a strong foundation in the liberal arts. The Syed Ahsan Ali and Syed Maratib Ali School of Education (SOE) has established impactful collaborations with a diverse array of educational institutions and organizations, where student research is leveraged for real-world change.

At LUMS, community engagement is a cornerstone of our philosophy. Our faculty, staff, and students actively tackle real-world challenges, fostering a deeper understanding of societal issues and promoting active citizenship. Take the example of our flagship initiative, the Street Law Program, which empowers our students to engage with local communities in Lahore. Each week, they deliver lessons in secondary schools, translating legal theory into practical knowledge, and instilling values of inclusiveness, tolerance, and democratic decision-making. The Math Circles continue to inspire a love for mathematics in school children across Pakistan. It extends beyond traditional classroom settings, offering engaging problem-solving and mathematical modeling activities that deepen students' problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.

Moreover, LUMS is spearheading transformative educational initiatives that bring hope and opportunities to students in conflict-affected regions. In collaboration with An-Najah University, we are empowering Gazan students to reclaim their education amidst daunting challenges. Through the co-founding of the Academic Solidarity with Palestine (ASWP) initiative, a LUMS faculty member has mobilized a global network of volunteer professors dedicated to providing diverse, high-quality courses that significantly enhance the educational prospects of Gazan students. The Computer Science Department has played a pivotal role in overcoming substantial logistical hurdles, ensuring the seamless delivery of online courses despite limited internet access and security concerns in Gaza. These initiatives are not merely acts of humanitarian aid but a testament to our commitment to academic excellence and global solidarity. I am immensely proud to share that, apart from Palestinian universities, LUMS stands as the foremost university globally in the number of volunteer professors contributing to the education of Gaza’s students.

Through these transformative initiatives, LUMS not only aims to transform the immediate community but also prepares students to contribute globally as they transition into our esteemed alumni network. With 26 international alumni chapters and 8 national chapters, our alumni are present in over 50 countries, with notable growth in regions such as Australia, the UK, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia. Our alumni continue to make significant contributions in their respective fields worldwide, making their alma mater proud. The success of our alumni in corporate jobs is well known, but their growing impact in not-for-profits and a diverse set of fields, such as the civil service and law, politics, film and the creative arts and academia and education among others, is less appreciated. What is most impressive is the role played by LUMS’ women alumni in breaking the glass ceiling, with an employment rate that is three times the national average for female graduates. These leaders continue to break stereotypes and tackle complex challenges of a globalized world head-on.

As we reflect on the incredible achievements and milestones of the past year, it is evident that these successes have been made possible by your unwavering support and commitment. Whether through teaching, research, mentorship, or support, your contributions have helped shape LUMS into a leading institution of knowledge and progress, and I am deeply grateful to you for being steadfast friends of LUMS. As we look to the future, I invite each of you to remain actively engaged with LUMS and to contribute your unique skills and insights as we embark on new challenges and opportunities. Together, we can continue to push boundaries, inspire the next generation of leaders, and make a lasting impact in Pakistan and globally.

Dr. Ali Cheema
Vice Chancellor, LUMS