IIUI mission is to transform the society by promoting education, training, research, technology, and collaboration for reconstruction of human thought in all its forms on the foundations of Islam.
IIUI mission is to transform the society by promoting education, training, research, technology, and collaboration for reconstruction of human thought in all its forms on the foundations of Islam.
IIUI vision to be an excellent University in diversity, knowledge, research, and innovation for the benefits of society and the Muslim Ummah.
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Dr. Samina Malik and Dr. Asma Mansoor’s project titled “Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Challenges and Opportunities for Women Academic Leaders in Pakistani Universities” is an HEC funded project won under its Local Challenge Fund program. Structured in multiple steps, the project endeavors to fill the gap in Pakistani academia in the provision of training and mentoring services to women academics in the field of leadership in education. While various institutions do try to overcome this gap, the cumulative efforts are hindered by a multitude of obstacles including scarcity of funds and resource persons as well socio-cultural and gender biases. Our project attempts to identify and offset these obstacles by launching coordinated efforts via collaborations with public sector universities located in Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Its end goal is to launch our Wo-mentoring program that allows women academics to develop leadership skills relevant to their specific academic contexts and to mentor upcoming women academic leaders. Not only that, it also aims to develop a policy foregrounding the mentoring of women academic leaders and reducing barriers in their growth. Our project will bring both aspiring and current women academic leaders on a consolidated forum in unison with various sectoral partners including women entrepreneurs, political leaders, thinkers, and professional women to develop a more holistic approach in forging an impactful leadership while facilitating gender equity in Pakistan’s public sector universities. This is in line with Target 5.5 (Federal SDGs Support Unit (sdgpakistan.pk) which enumerates the participation of women in leadership tasks and taking up key decision-making roles. Furthermore, the Wo-mentoring program is geared towards developing greater institutional support for mandatory trainings for developing leadership skills in women academics. It would supplement the selection process for women academics in leadership positions so that those with the required skillset are selected to key posts such as those of Vice Chancellors, etc. While boosting inter-university alliances for strengthening women’s leadership in Pakistani academia, it is also focused on forging international collaborations to bring in cross-cultural perspectives regarding women’s academic leadership. 