Institute of Business Administration (IBA)

Website:http://www.iba.edu.pk

The History of IBA

IBA is the oldest business school outside North America. It was established in 1955 with initial technical support provided by the world famous Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania; later, the University of Southern California set up various facilities at the Institute and several prominent American professors were assigned to the IBA. The course contents, the curriculum, the pedagogical tools and the assessment and testing methods were developed under the guidance of reputed scholars from these two institutions. IBA has jealously guarded the high standards and academic traditions it had inherited from Wharton and USC while adapting and adjusting them with the passage of time. A large number of Pakistani faculty members received advanced degrees from Wharton and the University of Southern California.

Till 1994, the University of Karachi awarded degrees to the graduates. In that year the Sindh Assembly elevated the Institute's status to that of a degree-awarding institution. A bill is pending in the Assembly for conferring the status of a University to IBA. Inspite of a rapid increase in the number of business schools, the IBA has maintained its position as the premier institution of higher learning in the field of management and business administration.

The IBA initially offered MBA program only for day scholars. In 1957, an Evening Program was started to cater to the needs of the numerous working executives and managers who were interested in furthering their careers through part-time business studies. In 1982, a three-year BBA (Honors) Program was introduced which has now been upgraded into a four-year BBA program.

The Center for Computer Studies was established in 1983 with the collaboration of IBM, Pakistan. It initially offered a diploma in system analysis to overcome a shortage of software professionals in the country. It now offers BBA (MIS), MBA (MIS) and BS (Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology), MS (Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology) and PhD programs. The PhD degree is being offered in the areas of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Operations Research, Artificial Intelligence, Cryptography, Numerical Analysis and Numerical Computing. In addition a PhD program in MIS/Computer Science and Engineering/ICT has been launched from August 2005.

The Center for Executive Education offers Executive MBA programs for mid level public sector, non–profit sector and private sector executives, organizes customized courses for the corporate clients and holds short courses on emerging issues and themes for those engaged in business. A new Center for Entrepreneurial Development is being established and will become fully functional in 2010.

The IBA Philosophy

The recurrent theme of the 50 years of IBA's existence is that business education should be rigorous but also relevant and looking to the future. The IBA provides an enabling environment, conducive to scholarship and research. The faculty, staff, students and members of the industry work together to achieve learning goals. Students acquire knowledge and skills through constructive and distinctive processes that encourage them to develop understanding of business concepts and issues, think independently and to make rational choices. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, to become active participants and leaders, and to apply their knowledge in real-world context.


The IBA programs are designed to provide world-class professional managers and entrepreneurs for the business and industry in Pakistan


IBA Student's

About 1600 students are currently enrolled at the MBA, BBA and BCS programs. MBA program consists of two years (4 semesters) while BBA program extends over four years (8 semesters). Distinguishing features of the IBA are the induction of students through a systematic and merit-based admission process, training in a demanding academic environment, supervised internships or attachment with industry and on-time completion of study programs. Admission procedures, curricula, methods of instruction and the system of examinations at the IBA give it a unique position among leading educational institutions in Pakistan.
The IBA ensures that no student is deprived of education at the Institute because of financial constraints. Scholarships, stipends and financial assistance are provided on the basis of need. A National Talent Hunt Program aims at attracting and training poor but meritorious students from the backward districts of Pakistan to enter IBA.
Students take part in a broad variety of activities ranging from volunteering for charity work and participating in athletic events to organizing conferences on a variety of business issues. A spirit of involvement is important because teamwork, leadership and being a responsible citizen are the foundations of the IBA experience.

IBA Faculty

IBA has 80 full time and 85 part time and visiting faculty members teaching courses in Management, Marketing, HR, Strategy, Finance, Economics, Quantitative Methods, Organizational Behavior, Computer Sciences, Ethics, Social Sciences, Chinese, Arabic. The faculty is drawn from two streams i.e. academic and practice. Academic faculty mostly consists of those holding Doctorate or Master’s degrees from well reputed universities while the faculty in practice draws upon the large reservoirs of top leaders, chief executives, senior managers who are and have been associated with the corporate sector. This blend of faculty ensures academic rigor as well as practical relevance in the design and delivery of courses at IBA. Academic faculty members are engaged in research and writing professional papers, advising companies and organizing training courses for the industry, public sector etc. A variety of pedagogical tools is deployed at the Institute ranging from lectures, class participation, case studies, research reports, company visits to equip the students.

IBA Alumni

IBA has produced about 8000 graduates to-date, each one being an outstanding professional. Most of the Chief Executives and top management positions in leading listed companies, corporations and banks are held by the alumni of IBA. The IBA graduates have worked and matched in performance with the graduates of the most renowned business schools of the world and is the school of choice for most of the young men and women interested in careers and leadership in business.


A large number of IBA graduates are working outside Pakistan in the Middle East, UK, Canada and the United States. Among its prominent alumni is one of the former Prime Ministers of Pakistan.

Future Strategic Direction

Having realized that it can no longer thrive on its past laurels and has to adapt itself to the changing market demands IBA has embarked upon an ambitious five year strategic plan with the objective to become one of the top 100 global business schools and one of the top 10 regional business schools. It has benchmarked itself against a few chosen business schools in India, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Turkey. The four pillars of this strategy are


• Investment in physical infrastructure
• Faculty Development
• Technology upgradation
• Community outreach and links to industry

IBA is exploring collaborative partnerships, alliances and exchange programs with the top business schools. Generous financial supports from HEC, foundations, private sector have been obtained to implement this plan in the next five years. IBA has recently become the first institution in Pakistan to become partner of CFA Institute, SAP University alliance and other such ventures. Seeking accreditation to the Asian, European and US bodies are part of the plan. The management is seeking other avenues of collaboration with the Universities and B-schools in Asia.

Contact Informaion

Main Campus
Address: University Road, Karachi-75270
Phone: 111-422-422
Fax: (+92-21) 99261508
Telephone Extensions
E-mail: info@iba.edu.pk
City Campus
Address: Garden Road, Karachi-74400
Phone: 111-677-677
Fax: (+92-21) 9215528
Telephone Extensions
E-mail: info@iba.edu.pk