Academic Governance

Academic governance at Habib University operates within the framework of the Habib University Act, 2012 (Sindh Act No. XVI of 2012) and the Statutes and Regulations made thereunder.

Within this framework, the Academic Council serves as the University’s principal authority on all academic matters.

Academic Council

(Statutory Authority under the Habib University Act, 2012)

The Academic Council is established by the Charter as a central authority of the University and is chaired by the President of Habib University.

As the University’s supreme academic body, the Academic Council provides leadership and direction across the full spectrum of academic life. Its mandate encompasses the stewardship of academic excellence, the integrity of academic standards, and the cultivation of a rigorous and meaningful student experience.

The Academic Council is responsible for:

  • Oversight of teaching and research
  • Maintenance and advancement of academic standards
  • Approval and review of curricula and academic programs
  • Regulation of admissions and examinations
  • Academic planning, development, and innovation
  • Framing of academic regulations in accordance with the Act

Through its deliberations, the Academic Council ensures coherence across disciplines, alignment with institutional mission, and the continued strengthening of the University’s academic character.

In accordance with the Charter framework, the Academic Council presents academic matters, where appropriate, to the Academic Committee of the Board of Governors.

Board of Faculty

(University-wide Academic Body)

Habib University has a single Board of Faculty, which serves as the University-wide Faculty forum through which program-level and Habib Liberal Core academic deliberations converge.

The Board of Faculty:

  • Reviews and oversees the work of all Boards of Studies, including the Board of Studies for the Habib Liberal Core
  • Ensures coherence and consistency across academic programs
  • Determines academic matters within its delegated authority
  • Recommends matters requiring University-level consideration to the Academic Council
  • Commissions and manages periodic program evaluations and restructuring initiatives

The Board of Faculty is chaired by the Vice President, Academic Affairs (VPAA).

In conducting high-level program evaluation, the Board of Faculty draws upon institutional data and analysis provided through appropriate University offices, including:

  • Student Affairs
  • The Associate Dean, Academic Systems (University Registrar)
  • University Institutional Research

Where appropriate, the Board of Faculty may commission structured program reviews through the Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and consider the findings within the Faculty framework before forwarding matters to the Academic Council.

Boards of Studies

(Program-Level Bodies)

Boards of Studies operate at the level of individual academic programs and disciplines and function within the Faculty governance framework.

Each Board of Studies is chaired by its respective Program Director. The Board of Studies for the Habib Liberal Core is chaired by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. The Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education serves as the coordinating academic office for program-level governance and facilitates alignment among the Boards of Studies within the Faculty framework.

Boards of Studies are responsible for:

  • The delivery of a high-quality academic and pedagogical experience within their respective programs
  • Curriculum development and periodic review
  • Sustaining disciplinary rigor and intellectual coherence
  • Recommending course additions, deletions, or modifications
  • Conducting routine program-level review and academic reflection

Boards of Studies bear academic responsibility for their programs within the University’s governance structure and remain accountable to the Board of Faculty. Recommendations developed by Boards of Studies are submitted to the Board of Faculty for review and determination within the established academic framework.

Internal Faculty and Administrative Bodies

(Non-Charter, Delegated Bodies)

In addition to the statutory academic authorities described above, the University President and Vice Presidents may establish internal committees and forums to facilitate consultation and implementation.

These bodies:

  • Are not Authorities under the Act
  • Operate by delegation or internal mandate
  • May be modified, reconstituted, or dissolved as institutional needs evolve

Examples include faculty committees (such as the Committee on Academic Standing, the Faculty Senate, and the Committee on Faculty Professional Conduct, among others), standing and ad hoc academic committees, operational councils, and advisory forums.

Such bodies contribute to thoughtful deliberation and institutional coherence. Academic authority is exercised through the Academic Council in accordance with the Habib University Act, 2012 and applicable Statutes and Regulations.