KARACHI: Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi has restarted classes after a period of 18 months.

The students were welcomed on the campus after a period of online learning.

IBA Karachi’s executive director Dr S. Akbar Zaidi, on this occasion, said that the first day of the IBA reopening after such a long time had been one of the most fantastic experiences, not just for him but for the entire IBA faculty, said an IBA press release issued here on Tuesday.

Speaking about innovations made on the digital front and the transition that was required to avoid any interruptions in learning, he said: “We set the tone in online learning in Pakistan by making use of new technologies. Many universities in Pakistan looked up to us as an example and tried to emulate us, following the measures we took in shifting from physical to remote learning.”

The IBA with its quick measures in place ensured that the academic calendar was followed without any fail, making it one of the few institutes of higher learning in Pakistan which were able to wrap up its semesters on time, he said.

The IBA facilitated learning process of students during these ever-changing times in the form of upgraded IT infrastructure so that if any student faced network connectivity issues or power disruptions at home, they could take classes from campus during the Spring and Summer 2021 semesters.

For the outstation students, who had genuine concerns on returning home, the IBA hostels team assisted them by following all SOPs issued by the government.

About the challenges in virtual learning, Dr Zaidi said IBA reopening was not just about physical classes, but it was also about the vibe that one can never get online.

IBA registrar Dr Mohammad Asad Ilyas shed light on thought process of the IBA leadership on the campus reopening for students.

Measures should be in place to ensure SOPs are followed, but educational institutes should not be shut down, as already there has been a big loss of education in the country, he mentioned.

Among many measures taken by the institute, the IBA made it mandatory for its entire student body, staff and faculty members to get vaccinated.

Students could not enrol for the Fall 2021 semester without providing proof of vaccination to ensure that no one misses out on the vaccination.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2021