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LUMS Live: Helping the Community Stay Connected and Informed

LUMS Live: Helping the Community Stay Connected and Informed

A majority of the world is confined to their homes as a result of the rapid spread of the Coronavirus. Classes at LUMS have also been moved online with majority of the staff and faculty working from home. However, just as LUMS has not let the current situation stop the students learning, it has also found a new way of keeping important conversations going.

LUMS Live, launched on March 29, 2020, is a platform that gives you the opportunity to tune in and connect with Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS and other eminent panelists as they discuss important topics. Discussions during these live sessions, hosted on the LUMS official Facebook page and moderated by Adeel Hashmi, cover topics from how to maintain good health, how to continue learning in the current environment and the changing role of technology to how to stay positive and the importance of being generous and empathetic to the people around us.

Explore our past sessions, and be sure to join us for the next session and become part of critical conversations during these unprecedented times.

LUMS Live Session 58: Building Faculty/Staff-Student Pedagogical Partnerships

Dr. Alison Cook-Sather's talk contextualises the importance of partnerships between students and faculty/staff and share how the partnership programme she has directed has evolved over time. Drawing on 14 years of research findings, Dr. Cook-Sather outlines individual benefits of partnership work to faculty and students, as well as institutional benefits. She also invited reflections on how pedagogical partnerships between students and faculty/staff position LUMS to pursue its stated goals: advocate, imagine, reform, lead, and innovate.

Watch the fifty-eighth session of LUMS Live: The Individual and Institutional Benefits of Building Faculty/Staff-Student Pedagogical Partnerships. Our distinguished guest was Dr. Alison Cook-Sather, Mary Katharine Woodworth Professor of Education at Bryn Mawr College, and Director Teaching and Learning Institute at Bryn Mawr and Haverford College.

LUMS Live Session 57: Pakistan-US Ties Under Biden: The View from Washington

Through his decades-long political career, President-elect Biden has crafted Pakistan-focused legislation, made multiple visits to the South Asian nation, cultivated deep ties with civilian and military leaders, and experienced directly the best and worst periods of the relationship’s recent history. His presidency is definitely an inflection point for US-Pakistan ties. What does the future hold? What degree of continuity can we expect from Trump-era policy? How will the Kashmir issue be impacted during this time? What are the potential challenges or opportunities to the economies and national security of Pakistan and the US? What kind of cooperation is possible in countering terrorism? How will Pakistan balance the US relationship with Afghanistan, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran? What major cooperation will be possible in tension-free spaces like education, IT, and clean energy? At this week’s session, we’ll get the answers to these and other questions from experts who have the unique vantage point of being based in Washington, and who are privy to policy conversations about Pakistan right in the centre of US power.

To learn more, watch the fifty-seventh session of LUMS Live: Pakistan-US Ties Under Biden: The View from Washington. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Dr. Cameron Munter, Dr. Tricia Bacon and Mr. Michael Kugelman.

LUMS Live Session 56: Fintech - The Emerging Disruptor in Pakistan

Pakistan is an emerging market for fintech. Increasing facilitation for digital payments, widespread internet and smartphone penetration, consumer preferences for social media and booming online commerce spells that fintech is transforming the way we operate. There are sound regulations in place that streamline this industry. What does the future hold? How are digital financial services changing the customer experience? What regulations are needed to secure our data as more users join the bandwagon? What kind of doors do financial technologies open for Pakistan in terms of the economy, the job market, retail etc. compared to other markets? How is fintech innovating to provide relief and enable recovery in a post-COVID world?

Watch the fifty-sixth session of LUMS Live: Fintech - The Emerging Disruptor in Pakistan. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Shahzad Rasheed, Mr. Ali Imran Khan, and Dr. Ussama Yaqub.

LUMS Live Session 55: Blockchain, Crypto, and the Future of Internet

Just a few years ago, cryptocurrency shook up the world. Terms like blockchain and Bitcoin became part of our vocabulary, and financial institutions and governments had to change the way they think about currency. In today’s world, Blockchain is considered the key to unlock the potential of technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). What role can it play in innovation? What does this mean for Pakistan and its economy? What kind of infrastructure is required to boost the digital economy in Pakistan and what are the arguments for and against legalisation of crypto around the world.

Watch the fifty-fifth session of LUMS Live: Blockchain, Crypto, and the Future of Internet. The distinguished panelists for the discussion include Dr. Muneeb Ali, Mr. Faisal Aftab, Dr. Basit Shafiq and Dr. Naveed Ul Hassan.

LUMS Live Session 54: COVID, Classes and Campus - Updates

This fall, LUMS has taken significant steps to reopen the University, with many students back on campus. Unfortunately, a second wave of COVID-19 infections resulted in the government announcing a complete shutdown of all educational institutions from November 26, 2020 to January 10, 2021.

Despite this sudden announcement, LUMS is committed to continue its efforts to welcome the entire community back to campus in the Spring. With the new government directives though, what does this mean in terms of teaching modalities (in-class, online and hybrid)? How many students will be accommodated in hostels? What further measures will need to be taken to keep the community safe? What will we do if the government directives are extended?

Join us for the fifty-fourth session of LUMS Live: COVID, Classes and Campus - Updates. Moderated by Adeel Hashmi, the distinguished panelists for the discussion included Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Dr. Farhat Haq, Dr. Samia Altaf, Dr. Adnan Khan, Abdullah Haroon (BSc 2021), Maira Asaad (BA 2021), and Huzaifa Rauf (PhD 2022).

LUMS Live Session 53: What Does a Biden Presidency Mean for Pakistan?

Presidential elections in the United States (US) not only affect American citizens, but also have a significant impact on global geopolitics. Every US president propagates a distinct doctrine, which is then often followed by a shift in the foreign policy of other countries, including Pakistan. For instance, relations between US and Pakistan shifted quite drastically during Donald Trump’s tenure, owed to his unilateral policies. President-elect Joe Biden, on the other hand, places great importance on global cooperation and diplomacy. The election of Biden as President can thus result in a substantial change in relations between the US and Pakistan. What will this change look like? What prospects and challenges do Biden’s leadership present? How will Biden’s policies influence Pakistan? What kind of US engagement can we expect over the next four years? Will there be some degree of continuity in Trump's policies under a Biden presidency?

Watch the fifty-third session of LUMS Live: What Does a Biden Presidency Mean for Pakistan? The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani, Ms. Tehmina Janjua, Mr. Michael Kugelman, and Mr. Mosharraf Zaidi.

LUMS Live Session 52: Insights on the Present and Future of the Local Gaming Industry: How to Enter and Succeed

Today, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. The global video game market size was valued at USD 151.06 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 12.9% from 2020 to 2027. Technological proliferation and innovation in both hardware and software are expected to be the key factors driving the growth. Add to this the emergence of new markets and a substantial increase in audience every year, and you have a rapidly progressing industry at hand. What does the future hold? How is Pakistan’s gaming landscape evolving? What opportunities and challenges exist for entrepreneurship in the gaming industry?

Watch the fifty-second session of LUMS Live: Insights on the Present and Future of the Local Gaming Industry: How to Enter and Succeed. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Faraz Ahmed - CEO, Turbo Labz, Mr. Abbas Saleem Khan - CEO, Optera Digital and Mr. Murad Akhter - CEO, Tintash.

LUMS Live Session 51: The Digitalisation of Pakistani Economy: Role of Local Software Industry

In the current age, digitalisation can be easily compared to industrialisation in what would be its eventual impact on economic and social institutions. In the past, most developed countries have invested a lot of effort and finances into digitalisation that is now paying huge dividends. The current pandemic has in fact accelerated the progress and tech start-ups represent a new wave of entrepreneurship, which, if appropriately harnessed, can improve the overall outreach of the services in Pakistan’s software industry. The growth has been exponential, and the biggest challenge now is how the local software industry can work with the government to improve the overall digitalisation process and streamline the country’s economy.

Watch the fifty-first session of LUMS Live: The Digitalisation of Pakistani Economy: Role of Local Software Industry. The distinguished panelists for the discussion included Mr. Syed Ahmad - CEO, DPL (Pvt) Ltd and Chair (IT Sub-taskforce), Prime Minister’s Taskforce on IT & Telecom and Ms. Ammara Masood - CEO & President, NdcTech.

LUMS Live Session 50: Celebrating the Golden Milestone

LUMS Live Session 50: Celebrating the Golden Milestone

It’s time to celebrate! Over six months into the pandemic and with 49 sessions under its belt, LUMS Live has served as a turning point for the University this year. In what could have been a period of isolation and inaccessibility to all things – learning, knowledge, connection – the series allowed a globally expansive community to come together in a meaningful way. It has brought forth relevant and important conversations, and created a space to ask critical questions, engage in constructive debate, foster collaborations, and build an ecosystem of learning from others. Academics, experts and practitioners from across geographies and industries have shared knowledge and insights, and we’ve learned from discussions on an array of topics, from the impact of COVID-19 on multiple facets of our lives and learning from the history of pandemics, to learning how to learn online and diving into the world of cinema, music, poetry and more. And there’s more to come!

JWatch the 50th session of LUMS Live: Celebrating the Golden Milestone as Mr. Adeel Hashmi, the expert moderator, looks back on the exciting journey and memorable moments of LUMS Live thus far, and has a candid discussion with Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS about the value of such collaborative endeavours.

LUMS Live Session 49: The New 'Normal': Impact of COVID-19 on Women Working in the Informal Sector

LUMS Live Session 49: The New 'Normal': Impact of COVID-19 on Women Working in the Informal Sector

COVID-19 has had and continues to have a significant impact on the economy. Growth rate, unemployment, work hours, job conditions, business profitability and business sustainability, are all variables, among many others, that have been affected. This has had a significant impact on working populations that is especially severe for workers in the informal sector who do not have access to social protection and safety nets. Most women in labour markets work in informal sectors and so the differential impact on women is expected to be much larger. This impact is not just in terms of economic factors, but there is a significant socio-psychological cost that is also being imposed on females and families.

To learn more, watch the forty-ninth session of LUMS Live: The New 'Normal': Impact of COVID-19 on Women Working in the Informal Sector. The distinguished panelists for the discussion include Ms. Sofia Shakil, Dr. Faisal Bari and Dr. Hadia Majid.