22 September 2023: The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi in collaboration with Synapse, Pakistan Neuroscience Institute, organized a second large assembly at the IBA, Main Campus to emphasize the impact of effective communication on mental well-being, on an individual and organizational level.
Speakers at the event included Founder and CEO Synapse, Dr. Ayesha Mian; Group Managing Director, Jang Group and IBA alumnus, Mr. Shahrukh Hasan; and Advocate, High Courtof Sindh, Ms. Khushbakht Jillani.
The second large assembly focused on Communication, active listening, understanding, and responding which is a key skill for a student’s personal and professional development. It is critical that academic institutions develop this skill set. At the IBA Karachi, the aim is to foster a climate of safe communication, acceptance, and innovation, where active dialogue on varying perspectives can take place.
Dean Student Affairs IBA, Maheen Ghauri commenced the session and said that through this initiative, the IBA management hopes to implement effective communication strategies to help students, staff, and faculty coming from diverse backgrounds align in one single direction and that is being empathetic towards one another.
Executive Director IBA, Dr. S Akbar Zaidi welcomed the esteemed participants and speakers at the event. He emphasized the significance of prioritizing one’s mental well-being, especially in these challenging times. Dr. Zaidi also highlighted the increasing importance of strong communication skills across various aspects of life and expressed his confidence that this initiative would enable the IBA community to enhance their communication abilities effectively. Furthermore, he emphasized that proficient communication not only drives positive transformations but also forms the cornerstone of advancement and cooperation, fostering greater synergy and clarity in achieving both individual and collective objectives.
Highlighting the importance of this initiative, Dr. Mian shared that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people’s mental well-being. She highlighted that initiatives like Tabeer play a crucial role in improving individuals’ overall mental health as well as on the organizational level as well. Furthermore, she emphasized that effective communication is essential throughout an individual’s transformative journey.
Keynote speaker, Mr. Hasan emphasized the importance of communication and mentioned that the ability to communicate effectively is a journey through which individuals craft impactful narratives. It empowers you to bridge divides and become the preferred link among diverse communities. Furthermore, communication instills values of ethics and credibility. It is an art that should never be underestimated or taken lightly.
A panel discussion ensued on ‘Uniting Differences: The art of Cross Divide Communication’, where Dr. Mian invited the panel to discuss the intricacies of effective communication.
Earlier, Office of Student Affairs, IBA, signed an MoU with Synapse, Pakistan to launch the Tabeer – (IBA x Synapse) Programfor the IBA students, staff, and faculty with its first assembly centered towards Compassion.
The Tabeer initiative was created with several objectives in mind. First, the IBA aims to promote compassion and empathy among IBA students, faculty, and staff. Second, it seeks to encourage effective communication and active listening within the IBA community. Third, the goal is to foster creative thinking and innovative problem-solving in leadership roles. Last but not the least, the IBA aims to build a supportive and inclusive IBA culture that values diversity and acceptance.
A Q&A session followed the discussion.
