Associate Dean for Research, Industrial Engagement and Applied Learning
The Associate Dean for Research, Industrial Engagement and Applied Learning is a senior
and strategic role in the Office of
Academic Affairs. Reporting to the Vice President, Academic Affairs, the Associate Dean plays a pivotal role in advancing the University鈥檚
research mission, fostering industrial partnerships to enrich student learning, and integrating applied learning and experiential learning
into the curriculum. The Associate Dean will be responsible for promoting both faculty/fellows鈥� and undergraduate research that aligns with
Habib University鈥檚 next Strategic Plan
2025-2030. This includes building research capacity, facilitating faculty and fellows to
access internal and external research funding, and promoting scholarly outputs to enhance the University鈥檚 global visibility in higher
education.
The Associate Dean will also drive industrial engagement by collaborating with academic programs to embed practical,
industry-relevant experiences into courses, while forging liaisons with industry partners to identify research opportunities that bridge
academia and real-world challenges. The role provides an oversight to the Dean鈥檚 Fellowship Program, a three-year pre-doctoral initiative
designed to nurture emerging scholars through immersive 四虎影视, research, and mentorship
experiences. The Associate Dean will also
supervise the Academic Centers, the University Library and Information Commons, and the Institute for Design, Entrepreneurship, and
Leadership (IDEAL), ensuring these units amplify faculty and student research, facilitate global scholarly dialogues, and cultivate
innovation in design thinking, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are
not limited to, the following functions:
Research Leadership and Capacity-Building
1. Provide strategic oversight to
the Office of Research, guiding the Faculty Director in developing and implementing institutional research policies aligned with the
University鈥檚 mission and vision for a high-quality undergraduate experience.
2. Establish frameworks for the operational
management of internal and external grants to ensure effective oversight and compliance
3. Foster a culture of collaboration, and
community engagement by supporting disciplinary and transdisciplinary faculty research, including Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
4. Develop capacity-building programs for grant proposal writing, research mentorship (including the Dean鈥檚 Fellows), and monitoring
research effectiveness through data collection, analysis, and reporting.
5. Promote undergraduate research by incentivizing
research-intensive courses, capstones, summer programs, and research abroad opportunities.
6. Ensure compliance with University鈥檚
policies on research quality, conduct, and University compliance (e.g., IRB), while overseeing research data management for accreditation
bodies.
7. Showcase University research outputs through conferences, seminars, lectures, publications, and outreach initiatives to
increase visibility and impact at relevant forums.
8. Keep the community informed of internal and external opportunities aligned
with university priorities.
9. Ensure equitable participation in internal grant cycles to meet budgeted targets and mentor
early-career faculty in proposal development and scholarly advancement.
Industrial
Engagement and Applied Learning
1. Collaborate with academic programs and the Office of Undergraduate Education to integrate applied learning into curricula, ensuring there are sufficient courses in each academic program that provide adequate practical
work experiences and industry insights to students through diverse industry engagement such as industry projects, co-taught courses,
internships, and collaborative capstone projects.
2. Build and nurture strategic liaisons in collaboration with Office of Student
Affairs, the University鈥檚 Industrial Advisory Boards (IABs) with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations to identify and secure
research opportunities, and co-creation initiatives that address real-world challenges.
3. Oversee the development of
industry-sponsored grants and programs, to support applied research and pedagogical innovation.
4. Monitor and evaluate the impact
of industrial engagement on student outcomes.
Oversight of Dean鈥檚 Fellowship Program
1. Provide guidance to the
Dean鈥檚 Fellowship Program on refining its framework to optimize fellows鈥� research, 四虎影视, professional development experiences and path
to PhD.
2. Guide the Faculty Director of the Dean鈥檚 Fellowship Program in creating linkages with graduate programs in leading
universities globally and identifying mentors for fellows from partner institutions.
Supervision of Academic Centers and
Library
1. Offer strategic leadership to the Academic Centers (e.g., IDRAC, Tasveer o Tasavor, Arzu Center), ensuring they
enrich scholarly experiences, advance faculty research, and disseminate University outputs through outreach and intellectual discourse.
2. Support Faculty Director for Academic Centers and Library to review and align Center visions, missions, and activities with
University鈥檚 goals;
3. Oversee the University Library鈥檚 role in supporting research and pedagogy, ensuring resources align with
faculty, student, and the larger community for discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge.
Strategic Leadership to
IDEAL (Institute for Design, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership)
1. Provide strategic oversight to IDEAL, aligning its strategic
roadmap with Habib University鈥檚 mission and industry needs to bridge academia and real-world innovation
2. Guide IDEAL for
creating programs and platforms to empower executives and professionals at various levels for leading their organizations by integrating
design thinking, entrepreneurship and leadership
3. Ensure the collaboration of Director IDEAL and Associate Dean for Undergraduate
Education to integrate Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship and Leadership with HU curricula in diverse forms
4. Nurture partnerships
with global institutions for co-certification and with industry/NGOs for funding and co-creation
Other Responsibilities
1. Assist the Vice President, Academic Affairs in drafting institutional grant proposals and leading University committees/task forces
related to research and industrial engagement
2. Represent the University at national and international forums when required
3. Manage budgets for overseen units, monitoring expenditures and ensuring resource alignment with strategic priorities.
Personal Specifications
The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate evidence of the following
skills, capabilities and experience:
1. an outstanding academic and research record, with an earned doctorate, and qualifications
meriting appointment at the rank of associate professor or above;
2. a record of progressive leadership responsibilities and success
in higher education, preferably in North America or an accredited American-style institution abroad;
3. an in-depth understanding and
experience of working in an undergraduate liberal arts college environment that is student-centric, and committed to student success;
4. sensitivity to cultural differences, and diversity of thought; and
5. an awareness of the rapidly changing character of higher
education globally.
Appointment Details and How to Apply
Applications should consist of a CV, accompanied by
a detailed cover letter. Please email these documents to Salman Khimani, Senior Director Academic Operations and Institutional Research at
Habib University at salman.khimani@habib.edu.pk. This position is based in Karachi. Extensive local and international
travel may be required.
An appointment will be made subject to receipt of satisfactory references. The appointed candidate will be
offered a salary that is commensurate with their experience and appropriate to the seniority of this position.
