Students head to varsities including Stanford, UC Berkeley for summer programme

Students of Habib University (HU) would be heading to international varsities including Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan and National University of Singapore for summer programmes this year.

The students will conduct research, attend international conferences, prepare for careers and graduate degrees, experience foreign cultures, and learn from diverse perspectives as part of the varsity’s learning and research programme, said an HU official.

The official stated that the HU’s relationship with international universities gives its students an opportunity to study at top-ranked universities during their summer break.

According to her, “The summer programme is broken down into two categories - learning and research.”

She mentioned that the HU Learn Abroad Programme is an important part of the university’s ideology, that is, learning transcends borders. In order for students to become global leaders, it is imperative they gain insight and knowledge from a global perspective.

“Students are urged to apply to international programmes through HU and explore other cultures as well as build relationships that will help them serve as ambassadors to the rest of the world,” the official added.

Universities students will be headed to this year include those HU has partnered with, such as University of California, Berkeley and University of Michigan as well as Stanford University, and National University of Singapore.

“Eight students will be attending an eight-week academic and cultural programme at Stanford in the Stanford Summer International Honours Programme.”

One of its students, Safeer Moosvi, commented that the programme is like a dream come true for him.

Spending his summer at UC Berkeley, Abdul Wahid Khan’s learning focus will be on environmental studies. As founder and head of the youth wing of the Chitral Heritage and Environmental Protection Society, Khan hopes to learn about ways to battle extreme climate change and implement those changes in Pakistan.

“My goal is to create environmental consciousness. In a country like Pakistan that has its own set of problems, people don’t seem to understand the severity of the effect we as individuals have on the environment. I want to build global partnerships which can help me educate people about climate control on a larger scale and then work towards sustainable solutions.” Two more students will be attending summer school in Berkeley.

On the other hand, Fatema Quaid Joher is going to NUS in Singapore. In her words, “This is an unmatched opportunity to gain insight on my project idea and to learn entrepreneurial skills imperative for stepping into the business world!”

Fatema will be learning about topics such as forming public policies, business practices, and developing entrepreneurial ideas. “By exploring the rich business practices of Singapore, one of the world’s leading economies. I eagerly look forward to an insightful, rich and memorable learning experience there."

The HU official claimed that the university takes active steps in making sure its students are able to gain valuable experiences in the duration of their time here, as well as the ability to take their experiences further following their university years.

As for the HU Research Abroad Programme, it encourages students to apply for international programmes with leading researchers in Europe and Canada. This opportunity can help them develop their senior thesis projects and prepare for graduate school, she added.

She shared that research includes Cryptography at the University of Leuven in Belgium, Quantum Computing at the University of Calgary, and Research in Applied Physics at the University of Geneva.

“Working closely with international faculties in a global setting, students bring back experiences they can share further than their classrooms.”

She also claimed that Habib University supports students both on and off campus. In order to enable a maximum number of students to participate in international opportunities, travel grants are provided which include covering the costs for registration, international travel, and living expenses.

“Out of five students that applied for travel grants, two are going to attend summer school while the rest will be attending conferences such as the UN Youth Summit Assembly.”

She expressed that students apply based on their interest and the opportunities available to them. Having hundreds of options to choose from, study and research programme offered at HU mean opportunities are available for all majors, the official observed.