Habib University has marked a significant milestone in Pakistan’s higher education landscape with the launch of the Institute of Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership (IDEAL), a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to fostering agile problem-solving, entrepreneurial mindsets, and collaborative leadership.
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The inauguration ceremony, held at the university’s campus, featured keynote addresses by President of Habib University, Professor Wasif Rizvi, alongside Susan Giesecke, Director of Engagements at the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology (SCET) at UC Berkeley, and Sarah Stein Greenberg, Executive Director of Stanford University’s d.school and member of Habib University’s Board of Governors.
IDEAL builds on Habib University’s long-standing commitment to innovation, joining a legacy of transformative learning spaces such as The Playground: Centre for Transdisciplinarity, Design, and Innovation, and The Horizon, a collaborative classroom environment. This initiative positions Habib University as the first institution in Pakistan to embed design thinking into its curriculum, bridging the gap between academia and industry by empowering students and professionals to co-create solutions to real-world challenges.
Speaking at the launch, Professor Wasif Rizvi highlighted the university’s vision, stating, “How do we continuously inspire and cultivate engagement and community building around learning, innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration among our students, faculty, and the industry? IDEAL is the next step in creating this new reality in higher education that is eager and willing to continue to reinvent itself.”
Susan Giesecke emphasized the role of design thinking in nurturing creativity, adaptability, and meaningful collaboration across sectors, while Sarah Stein Greenberg reflected on the importance of flexible learning environments in shaping innovative behavior, adding, “When we teach in traditional boxes, that’s how we start to think. That’s how we start to be acculturated. Having a physical environment that reflects flexibility, innovation, and experimentation is key to unlocking that behavior in both faculty and students.”
The launch event also featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with industry leaders, cementing strategic partnerships that will bring real-world challenges directly into the academic experience. These collaborations are designed to equip students with the critical skills needed to navigate an increasingly uncertain and dynamic future.
IDEAL envisions a bold new approach to learning by integrating executive education, collaborative innovation labs, and design leadership programs, enabling students and industry professionals alike to develop future-ready strategies and mindsets. Attendees at the event expressed optimism about the transformative potential of IDEAL, viewing it as a catalyst for reshaping the relationship between education and industry while nurturing the next generation of proactive, empathetic, and innovative leaders.
Through the launch of IDEAL, Habib University reaffirms its mission to lead the evolution of higher education in Pakistan, ensuring its students are not only prepared for the future—but empowered to shape it.
