The LUMS Annual Dinner, held on Friday, December 13, 2019 at Marriot Hotel, Karachi, brought together the University’s esteemed donors and senior leadership for an engaging evening. Hosted by the Office of Advancement, guests were given an overview of the groundbreaking work being done by students and faculty at LUMS as well as the future direction for the University.
The senior management from leading corporations in Karachi attended the event. These included CEOs from Shell Pakistan, Shafi Group, Mitsubishi Corporation, Dawood Foundation, Dawood Hercules Corporation, Faysal Bank, Hascol Petroleum Limited, Shan Foods and Signify Pakistan.
The evening began with a short presentation about LUMS, followed by a video that highlighted the University’s philosophy of a ‘No-borders Education.’ This framework encourages students to pursue knowledge across different disciplines and ensures that Schools, departments and research centres at LUMS work together interdependently. In addition, LUMS remains committed to imparting top quality education to bright and talented students regardless of their financial means.
A panel discussion addressing innovative ways of solving local and global challenges was a highlight of the evening. Dr. Naveed Arshad, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) and Director of the LUMS Energy Institute, and Dr. Abubakr Muhammad, Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering at SBASSE and Director of the Centre for Water Informatics and Technology, participated in the conversation along with Dr. Sara Qureshi, CEO Aero Engine Craft. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Associate Professor of Biology at SBASSE.
Dr. Arshad and Dr. Muhammad talked about the many challenges that plague the country and the globe in terms of water management and the energy sector and the need for efficient solutions for our future generations. Dr. Qureshi shed light on the pioneering work she and her team are doing in developing a contrail-free aero engine that can reduce aviation-induced global warming. The panel also engaged the audience in a lively Question and Answer session.
Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor LUMS, also highlighted how the institution focuses on consistently raising the bar of excellence, “Coming up with an excellent cause is not enough, coming up with an excellent curriculum is not enough; what we need at a university is a certain kind of mind-set and that mind-set must embrace hard work, perseverance, persistence, a large degree of risk taking and attitude to learn from the success of others.”
Director of the Office of Advancement and LUMS alumna, Ms. Nuzhat Kamran explained how LUMS has evolved in a short span of 30 years. She also acknowledged that this was possible only because of the University’s generous donors.
Mr. Osman Khalid Waheed, President, Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, and member of the LUMS Management Committee, further expressed gratitude to the University’s supporters for helping LUMS achieve its mission of providing world-class education to bright and talented individuals, regardless of their financial capabilities. Addressing the audience, he said, “It is really the idea of excellence across different sectors such as education, health and other development sectors that keep on holding this country together, and it’s the philanthropy of people like yourself and your companies that are making it possible.”
The LUMS team expressed their gratitude to the University’s donors and supporters and presented them with shields as a token of appreciation for their generous contributions. The evening also featured a performance by Adeel Hashmi, acclaimed artist, actor and screenwriter. Mr. Hashmi mesmerised the audience by reciting Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s poetry over the musical notes of pianist, Asad Anees. The event concluded with guests networking over dinner.
