Since its founding in 2014, Habib University has aimed to produce thoughtful graduates who think critically and contribute meaningfully to the world. As Pakistan’s premier undergraduate liberal arts and sciences university, we bring world-class scholars to Karachi, offering an interdisciplinary and holistic education.
Our majors, minors, and student-centered support services ensure students’ ideas are nurtured beyond the classroom. Our substantial scholarships and financial aid are made possible by a generous community dedicated to shaping the futures of talented young minds across Pakistan. Our alumni are instilled with a spirit of profound commitment to repair and heal the world.
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AT A GLANCE
80%
6-year Graduation rate
95%
Student Retention rate
13 minors
To enhance interdisciplinary learning
6 Majors
Ranging across science, engineering, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences
100%
Faculty with advanced degrees
54% : 46%
Gender Ratio (W:M)
12:1
Student-Faculty ratio
85%
students on scholarship
OUR STORY
Habib University was born out of a deep concern that higher education in Pakistan must step up to cultivate conscientious individuals — those capable of understanding the growing complexities of the modern world, engaging with them critically and contributing meaningful solutions. The University was established to offer an education that integrates breadth and depth, combining a rigorous liberal arts framework with specialized learning. In doing so, it sought to address key challenges: the need for a more holistic academic experience, greater inclusivity across socioeconomic backgrounds, and stronger societal support for higher education.
VISION
To be a global leader and South Asia’s preeminent undergraduate liberal arts and sciences university.
MISSION
Habib University’s mission is shaping futures. The University accomplishes this mission by providing a demanding, contextually relevant, and engaging world-class liberal arts and sciences education to the most talented students, regardless of their financial capacity or any social considerations, thereby empowering them to build their futures, enrich their lives, and become leaders in improving their country and the world.
CORE VALUES
Habib University’s values are captured in the Arabic verb Yohsin ( يحسن ), which is rooted in the core Islamic notion of ihsan.
A multidimensional concept, with no single word corollary in English, Yohsin entails measuring each person’s worth not only by the depth of their knowledge or skills but by the application of their knowledge and skills to both personal self-cultivation and perfecting the world. This core philosophy is reflected in Habib’s five aspirational values for all community members.
An Inclusive and Equal Opportunity Institution
Habib University does not discriminate against any person, whether they be student, faculty, staff, applicants to admission or employment, or other members of the community in the management and administration of its academic and non-academic recruitment and admission policies, scholarship and financial aid programs, employment, evaluation, advancement, disciplinary cases and their subsequent disciplinary actions, and other University-administered programs or activities based on their race, color, sex, gender, religion, national origin, creed, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, partnership status, pregnancy, age, military status, or any other legally protected status.
UNIVERSITY LEARNING GOALS
| Domain | Themes | Important Attributes | Goals Habib University students will be able to… |
|---|---|---|---|
KNOW | Knowledge | Breadth & Depth | Demonstrate both a genuine breadth of knowledge through the Liberal Core and a capable depth of knowledge through the command of their chosen major. |
| Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary | Synthesis & Connections | Synthesize knowledge, methods, and viewpoints from different disciplines to both make meaningful connections among and transcend them. | |
| Context | Contextually Grounded | Demonstrate their knowledge is grounded in a firm understanding of the historical, social, political, economic, religious, regional, and global contexts in which they are located. | |
ACT | Creativity & Innovation | Imaginative & Interesting | Imagine, develop, and produce creative, original ideas, interpretations, and works. |
| Critical Inquiry | Analysis & Critical Thought | Analyze and formulate relevant critical questions, and answer those questions in a substantive way supported by quantitative and qualitative evidence. | |
| Communication & Collaboration | Interaction & Teamwork | Listen actively to comprehend the meaning of others and successfully express cogent meaning through capable oral, written, and artistic modes of communication. Effectively interact and collaborate with others. | |
VALUE | Social Impact | Service & Sustainability | Recognize the reciprocity of knowledge and service, and benefit their community, society, and the environment through socially responsible and sustainable engagement. |
| Thoughtful Self-Cultivation | Yohsin Values & Lifelong Learning | Cultivate lifelong curiosity by engaging in inquiry and reflection to acquire and apply new knowledge. | |
| Ethical & Cultural Competence | Personal & Professional Ethics | Develop and nurture their own beliefs, values, and sense of responsibility to reach informed conclusions, while considering, appreciating, and respecting the perspectives of others. |
A POSTCOLONIAL LIBERAL ARTS EXPERIENCE
As Pakistan’s only undergraduate-focused liberal arts and sciences university, Habib University has developed a distinctive world-class curriculum that is contextually relevant and grounded in our postcolonial South Asian context and heritage. With abundant research opportunities, the institution offers a range of interdisciplinary courses across the sciences, engineering, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
FACULTY & FELLOWS
COMMITTED TO TEACHING EXCELLENCE
Habib University’s world-class faculty are dedicated educators alongside being excellent researchers, scholars, and practitioners. As a teaching-centric university, faculty possess the freedom to design and teach their own courses across a range of disciplines, empowering them to collaborate with students as partners. A student-faculty ratio of 12:1 allows students to benefit from a personalized experience with their professors.
STUDENT AS PASSIONATE THINKERS AND INNOVATORS
Habib University’s students are critically conscious and intellectually curious individuals who are creative, innovative, and passionate. They are eager about working for the betterment of society and are not afraid of stepping out of their comfort zones. They are changemakers who possess a holistic perspective of their reality, culture, and history, enabled by a reparative education that lets them reflect and act thoughtfully.
The field of thoughtful self-cultivation can only be ploughed by the tools of self-awareness and humility, of knowing and admitting one’s own shortcomings. Then only can you legitimately strive for it and Yohsin becomes possible.
ACCREDITATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS
International Accreditation
Habib University is pursuing accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and has been granted “Candidate for Accreditation” status. NECHE is the federally recognized accrediting body for some of the world’s most distinguished universities, including Harvard University, MIT, Brown, Dartmouth, Amherst, and Williams College. “Candidate for Accreditation” is a status of affiliation with NECHE, which indicates that the institution has achieved initial recognition and is actively progressing toward full accreditation.
University Charter:
The University is chartered by the Government of Sindh.
Recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan:
The University is recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
Program Accreditation:
• The Electrical Engineering and the Computer Engineering Programs are accredited by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and have received Level II accreditation.
• The Computer Science program is accredited by the National Computing Education Accreditation Council (NCEAC).
Certified as Non-profit organization: Habib University and Habib University Foundation are certified as non-profit organizations by the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy.
