Why Computer Science Program at HU? - Press Release issued by Habib University.

Karachi -- July 09, 2020 (PPI-OT)

Following is the text of press release issued by Habib University

Quote

I am a founding faculty member with the Computer Science Program at Habib University (CS@HU). I have been with the program since 2012, two years prior to us opening our doors to students. I have been lucky to work with gifted colleagues on the program which has grown from the smallest on campus with an inaugural class of less than 20 students in 2014 to the largest where the university receives a staggering excess of applications to the program and inducts close to 100 students at the time of this writing in early July 2020.

Colleagues at Habib University have called me the architect of CS@HU. Below, I explain the program for the benefit of various stakeholders and to assemble answers to some questions that I am commonly asked. Some of these are:

Should I/my child pursue CS at CS@HU or at University X in Pakistan?

Tell me about the program.

How is CS@HU different from University X?

These are all valid queries and I am grateful for the interest in CS@HU. I refrain from answering questions like, "Is CS@HU better than CS at University X?" All programs at all universities are doing their best. Below, I provide information about CS@HU so that you may make an informed decision that best suits you.

At HU:

CS@HU has to be understood in context of Habib University (HU). HU is a liberal arts university. All majors including CS are firmly grounded in HU's Liberal Core which is a set of 11 courses spanning 7 forms of thought that cover areas like philosophy, literature, history, religion, and formal reasoning. The core signifies essential knowledge and sensibilities that HU believes a functioning citizen in this day and age, regardless of her major, should have. Each major is then in addition to the Core.

HU believes that the most important skills in the foreseeable future are the ability to learn and unlearn, to think critically, to be effective at communication, and to work in interdisciplinary teams. As Deborah Fitzgerald said in our Yohsin lecture, "The world's problems are no longer technical only." We believe that technical knowledge devoid of context is not only meaningless but dangerous. The undergraduate phase of one's education is therefore not meant to specialize but to build a broad and strong base. And HU works hard to provide its students diverse exposure. Market surveys and studies back this stance and studies have shown that liberal arts graduates are more successful mid-career than those from specialized backgrounds.

This stance has won HU kinship at US institutions which have opened their doors to us in terms of student and faculty exchanges. Many students are already aware of HU's summer abroad programs with...