ISLAMABAD: Prof. Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi has joined the University of Central Asia (UCA) as its first Rector and as part of his orientation will be visiting the University’s programmes and activities in the three Founding States of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, Zarrin Fatima Rizvi, Member of University Teachers, Officers and Scholars Forum, announced here Tuesday.
Prior to joining UCA, Prof. Naqvi was Vice Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) for five years. Under his stewardship LUMS launched two new schools, multiple campus development, and other initiatives including the Centre for Entrepreneurship. Furthermore, LUMS’ research performance achieved global recognition, reflected in its improvement in the QS Asia University rankings from 190 in 2013 to 103 in 2018.
Prof. Naqvi was also the Executive Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of the Government of Pakistan for eight years. He oversaw the implementation of an ambitious portfolio of programmes which resulted in significant growth of research in Pakistan’s universities, and the quadrupling of student enrollment. He has extensive teaching, research, and entrepreneurial experience, both in the US and Pakistan, and has also been a consultant on higher education for the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
He was awarded the Order of ‘Palmes Académiques’ with rank of Chevalier, by the French Government, and Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan for his services to higher education.