Karachi business school launches MBA with Cambridge’s help

Cambridge Judge Business School is helping KSBL with curriculum and faculty training.


Suleman Saadat September 28, 2011

KARACHI: For those who can’t make it to Cambridge, perhaps Cambridge can come to them - via the Karachi School for Business and Leadership (KSBL) that has launched its MBA programme in agreement with the Cambridge Judge Business School.

When the two institutions signed the deal in 2009, it became the first such agreement by Cambridge in its 800-year-old history. And on Wednesday, the MBA was formally launched at a ceremony at the Pearl Continental Hotel.

“Our school promises to give its students a world-class educational experience,” said Steven Burton, the associate dean of KSBL. “The state-of-the-art campus facilities, international curriculum tailored to local business environment and world-renowned faculty will contribute to a learning experience parallel to none.” The graduates will be awarded a certificate by the University of Cambridge when they complete their degrees.

KSBL was set up under the Karachi Educational Initiative (KEI), a non-profit organisation created by a group of corporate leaders, businessmen and professionals. “The idea behind KSBL is to create a cadre of capable and transformational leaders for Pakistan,” said Hussain Dawood, the chairman of KEI. “In education, competition is must. We will prove to the world that we too can do it, by establishing this school.”

The Judge school is also helping KSBL with curriculum and faculty training for executive education programmes. The curriculum will be designed according to the needs of Pakistani students.

The school will have a world class audio and video conferencing, and professors from Cambridge will easily be able to teach students here as well, Burton added.

Dean F Robert Wheeler III said that the graduates of KSBL will not only be world class students but will also be provided with an “entrepreneurial and ethical mindset” that will produce leaders needed to transform Pakistan. The aim of the business school is to give Pakistan business leaders who can play their part in making the economy grow, he said.

The school will start accepting applications in November and classes will begin from September 2012. Only 65 students will be enrolled in the first batch. Scholarships will be provided on merit and based on need. KSBL will conduct MBA information sessions across country for students and parents. The first session will be held in Karachi on October 8.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th,  2011.

COMMENTS (16)

Nirmal | 12 years ago | Reply

@Z: you are saying this probably because you are from a background where you can afford high profile universities. Think about a common citizen who cannot make both ends meet. As about divides, i think such business schools will add more to this dilema. What do you think will graduates from karachi university and those from ksbl will be dealt similarly by organisations in pakistan, if not than it means that such elite business schools will add more salt to injuries of average pakistanis and will create more divides to our generations not based on their talent or skills but based on a university label.

Z. | 12 years ago | Reply

@Nirmal: There is always a need for hi quality education, especially in Pakistan. A good education can help open minds and perhaps help the citizens of this country look beyond the stupid divides we've created amongst ourselves. Secondly creating linkages with international institutions I feel is a good step towards encouraging knowledge transfer - Universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard have been around for ages and they know their stuff, there is no harm in learning from someone else.

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