In a significant development for higher education in Pakistan, Habib University has formally named its flagship institute after the Jaffer Family Foundation. The ceremony marked the official recognition of a landmark endowment gift from the foundation, which will support the university's Institute of Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership, now known as the Jaffer Family Foundation Institute of Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership (IDEAL).
A Vision for Future-Ready Leadership
The endowment represents a long-term investment in institution-building, moving beyond short-term interventions to sustain a vision of ethical and future-ready leadership education. IDEAL stands as a core academic initiative at Habib University, designed to place leadership, innovation, and real-world problem-solving at the heart of the undergraduate experience.
Wasif Rizvi, President of Habib University, addressed the pressing need for new educational models. "At a time when the world is facing a profound crisis of leadership, universities must go beyond conventional models of education," he stated. He emphasized that IDEAL reflects the university's commitment to cultivating leaders with sound judgment, strong ethical grounding, and the capacity to engage with complex realities. The Jaffer Family Foundation's endowment, he noted, affirms this direction and provides the means to deepen the institute's long-term impact.
Bridging Academia and Industry
IDEAL functions as a crucial bridge between academic theory and industry practice. It integrates the disciplines of design thinking, entrepreneurship, and ethical leadership to equip students with the skills to navigate uncertainty with rigor, empathy, and a clear sense of purpose. The institute's methodology relies heavily on project-based learning, direct industry collaboration, and human-centered design, preparing students to tackle challenges that demand creativity, responsibility, and systems-level thinking.
Mohamedtaki Mustafa Jaffer, Chairman of the Jaffer Family Foundation, explained the foundation's motivation during the ceremony. "Pakistan does not need more graduates who memorize answers," he asserted. "It needs thinkers who ask better questions." He expressed hope that if IDEAL encourages students to challenge assumptions, serve society, and build with purpose, then the investment will have achieved its fundamental aim.
Broad Endorsement for a Progressive Model
The event was attended by university leadership, faculty, staff, industry partners, and foundation representatives. The gathering was also graced by Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Provincial Minister for Education for Sindh. The minister praised the partnership and stressed that IDEAL's model of ethically grounded and socially conscious leadership should be adopted more widely across public institutions in the province to cultivate the necessary leadership ethos among the youth.
The keynote address, titled "Shaping Leadership in an Evolving World," was delivered by Shannon Randolph, Director of Community and Global Engagement at The Hive at Claremont Colleges. She described Habib University as one of the most progressive and pioneering models of higher education she has encountered, highlighting its unique emphasis on YOHSiN and community-centered learning. She observed that IDEAL advances a bold vision that starts with a responsibility to society, not just individual achievement, redefining how design, innovation, and entrepreneurship can serve the public good.
Manahil Huda, Director of IDEAL, outlined the institute's philosophy: "IDEAL builds on Habib University’s belief that education must remain deeply connected to the world it seeks to serve." She described it as a collaborative platform where students, faculty, and practitioners work together on real-world challenges requiring creativity, moral clarity, and thoughtful leadership.
Prior to the naming ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Habib University and the Jaffer Family Foundation, formally establishing the endowment partnership. The event culminated in the unveiling of a commemorative plaque marking the new name of the IDEAL institute.
