Habib University as a higher-education institution constitutes a vibrant faculty and student body in the context of undergraduate studies. Habib University is fully committed to becoming an undergraduate research-led University. Our liberal arts curriculum promotes interdisciplinary research to solve the world’s challenges. Applying Yohsin values to provide empathetic responses to issues relevant to local and national contexts, our research endeavors strive to combine technical, creative, and socially conscious approaches and disciplines.
Habib University values research of all types but prioritizes research that is relevant to the issues and challenges of the national and regional context in which it operates and research studies that employ Habib University’s undergraduate students.
This research culture is enriched by student-teacher collaboration. The inclusion of undergraduate students in research activities provides them with the necessary skills for life-long learning as their engagement with scholarly activity is early in their education, and it can also guide them towards their final year projects, employment decisions, and future graduate studies. By embedding research culture in its courses, Habib University aims to develop undergraduate students who are well-versed in conducting research, have problem-solving capacities, and are prepared to provide impactful and sustainable solutions in real-world settings.
Office of Research
The main mission of the Office of Research is to support and expand the reach and impact of research and scholarship conducted at Habib University to achieve institutional goals and create a positive impact in the communities in which we engage. It celebrates intellectual products through various dissemination platforms such as books, conferences, exhibits, and journals.
To ensure a smooth process, the Office provides support to faculty members in the following areas:
- Strategic planning and setting research priorities
- Ideation for multidisciplinary research projects on complex regional issues
- Training and workshops for capacity-building on topics such as Proposal writing, grant management, and research administration
- Grant proposal review, budget preparation, and submission
- Grant Administration
- Coordination between departments for research operational support
- Ethical clearance for research projects through Institutional Review Board
Research Priorities
Habib University provides its faculty with many opportunities to research ideas they are interested in. Habib University provides support and funding for any research proposal that captures their interest and aligns with the following HU’s Pillars of Good Research.
- A thriving multidisciplinary undergraduate research culture with the inclusion of its student body.
- A particular focus on regional issues such as environment, education, health, decolonization and globalization, gender, urban design and mobility, media, service design, engineering, and technology.
- Fill the urgent gaps in knowledge associated with areas of institutional intellectual focus and academic program needs.
- Connecting research to pedagogical deliverables – courses, seminars, conference papers.
Engage in research and scholarly activity in collaboration with partner institutions and their academic community.
OoR Team
Raheel Tajuddin Lakhani:
Raheel Lakhani is an Assistant Director, Research and Faculty Development at Habib University, brings over a decade of experience in educational administration, qualitative research, faculty development and learning design. Previously, his professional roles included championing integration of technology in face-to-face and blended instructional context. He holds an M.Ed. from The Aga Khan University and an MA in Technology and Social Change from Lunds Universitet, Sweden. His interests lie in eLearning pedagogy, learner autonomy, pluralism education, and visual narratives.
Reach out to me at raheel.tajuddin@habib.edu.pk for Research Ideation, External Research Grants (including Proposal and Budget Review and Discussions), Collaborative Research Grants, SoTL, Research Dissemination
Hajira Khurram:
Hajira Khurram is an Assistant Manager at Habib University’s Office of Research, holds a Master’s in Global Education and International Development from the University of Warwick. Her research focuses on the intersectionality of liberal arts education, critical consciousness, and cultural realities. Previously, she worked at the Global Schools Forum in the UK, contributing to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Reach out to me at hajira.khurram@habib.edu.pk for Internal Research Grants, Collaborative Research Grants, Professional Development Grants, Research Dissemination, Research Administration Support
Syed Ali Haider Rizvi:
Syed Ali Haider Rizvi is Research and Program Development Specialist at Habib University, holds an M.Sc. in Life Sciences from SZABIST. Ali brings expertise of research and grant management to his role at the Office of Research and GSCP at Habib University. Previously, he served as the Manager of Research Operations and Development at Ziauddin University. Ali is also a Responsible Research Fellow at Health Security Partner (Washington, DC), committed to advancing research codes and the dual-use of research.
Reach out to me at alihaider.rizvi@habib.edu.pk for New Faculty and Fellows Grants, Summer Research Program, Research Ethics, Research Administration Support
