Landmark Study Reveals How One University is Improving Life in Pakistan

U.S.-based Centennial Group reveals the Aga Khan University's multi-faceted impact as a pioneer and exemplar: empowering women, serving the poor, and implementing life-saving solutions

KARACHI, Pakistan, Jan. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - The Aga Khan University announced today the results of a unique study which found that AKU has an annual economic impact in Pakistan of $1 billion and is sparking change as a pioneer in medicine, education and the promotion of gender equity.

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The study is the work of a team of economists from Centennial Group International, a U.S.-based consulting firm, many of them former senior officials at the World Bank. It is believed to be the first comprehensive economic impact study of a Pakistani university.

Most university economic impact studies focus only on quantifiable impacts that can be expressed in monetary terms. Centennial's report is different, providing a qualitative analysis of the public benefits AKU creates. The authors call the University "a national innovator and a powerhouse for quality," and "a nationwide role model for high-quality tertiary education and medical care."

As a pioneer in achieving international quality standards, the Aga Khan University Hospital was Pakistan's first hospital accredited by the U.S.-based Joint Commission International, and its laboratory was the country's first accredited by the College of American Pathologists. AKU transformed the nursing profession in Pakistan, clearing a pathway to professional advancement for countless women. Two-thirds of AKU students are women, as are half of its senior faculty.

Seven of Pakistan's top 10 health researchers are AKU faculty, according to the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology. The University's health research is helping to save the lives of women and children living in poverty. AKU is the only university in Pakistan that is researching and implementing life-saving initiatives on a truly national scale. It also has influenced health policy and action at the global level.

Over five years, the University will be working with government health providers to improve health for 11.5 million women and children in Pakistan through its Umeed-e-Nau (Hew Hope) project, funded by a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest in AKU's history.

To learn more, and to download the report, go to http://www.aku.edu.

SOURCE Aga Khan University