Private varsity VC wins Asia-Pacific Leadership Award

LAHORE:The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) has awarded the Asia-Pacific Leadership Award to LUMS Vice Chancellor of Dr Arshad Ahmad. According to a press release, Dr Ahmad is the first official of a South Asian university to receive the coveted award in recognition of his efforts to promote education and institutional advancement.

The award ceremony recently took place during the CASE Asia-Pacific Advancement Conference and was followed by Dr Ahmad’s participation in the President’s Panel held in Melbourne.LUMS Rector Shahid Hussain noted, “Over the years, LUMS has emerged as a model for how a small, young university located in a country without the historic advantages of prosperity, can make a substantial, positive impact on a wide range of complex, interconnected global challenges.”

Dr Ahmad added, “The CASE Leadership Award will always belong to LUMS, and I’m privileged to be part of the community that is one of the best-kept secrets of the Global South.”Since joining LUMS in 2018, Dr Ahmad has strengthened the University’s unique perspective of ‘Learning without Borders’ to transcend academic, geographic, and socio-economic boundaries to advance quality higher education in the region. Dr. Ahmad’s drive to bring people together and transcend traditional silos in LUMS’ governance and core academic work has formed the basis for many significant institutional advancements. Over his tenure, this approach has had a significant impact. By combining LUMS Alumni Relations, Marketing, Development, and Communications under the office of advancement, donations and new grants to the university have tripled, and alumni contributions have doubled.

Dr. Ahmad also championed the 50% scholarship for women enrolled in graduate programmes at the Suleman Dawood School of Business, which resulted in a 35% increase in women's enrolment within graduate programmes. These efforts have also resulted in more financial support for students coming from disadvantaged areas through LUMS’ signature National Outreach Programme (NOP). Dr. Ahmad has also initiated the LUMS Learning Institute to support faculty development, pedagogical partnerships with students, and the integration of educational technologies to enhance learning and teaching. Following the pandemic, LUMS became a recognised leader in Pakistan in providing support for effective hybrid and online learning.