The Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation has made a generous donation to establish two endowed chairs at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), an official statement said on Wednesday.
The Abdul Razak Dawood Dean’s Chair will be established at the Suleman Dawood School of Business, and the Bilquis Dawood Dean’s Chair at the Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School for Humanities and Social Sciences.
According to the statement, members of the Board of Directors (BoD) BARD Foundation made the donation official by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LUMS on 1 March. They were joined by Rector, Shahid Hussain, Founding Member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Parvez Hassan, and senior LUMS faculty and staff.
“These endowed chairs will enable the deans to expand PhD scholarships, faculty fellowships, and engage the two schools with industry leaders across various public and private sectors,” the statement added.
Commenting on the development, the Vice-Chancellor LUMS, Dr. Arshad Ahmed, thanked the Dawood family for “a lifetime of commitment as long-time friends, custodians, and ambassadors in our joint pursuit of excellence at LUMS.”
He said that the Dawood family’s history of charity dates back to the founding of the Suleman Dawood School of Business.
“The BARD Foundation was also established by Abdul Razak Dawood, Pro-Chancellor of LUMS and Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Commerce and Investment, and his wife, Bilquis Dawood. The Foundation provides access to education to Pakistani youth and supports them in a variety of ways,” he added.
Member of the Board of Governors of the BARD Foundation, Mehreen Dawood, said that their organization has always believed in creating opportunities for the people of Pakistan.
“We hope our humble contribution goes on to strengthen the University to further create value in society,” she added.
Founding Pro-Chancellor LUMS, Syed Babar Ali, praised the Dawood family’s continued philanthropy.
“It is wonderful to see that the next generation is taking interest and carrying forward the legacy of their father. We are truly grateful for their generosity,” he added.