Professor
Dr. Syed Arif Kamal
Project Director, the NGDS Pilot Project; HEC-Approved PhD Supervisor
Program Coördinator, the Early Talent Research
Participation Program
MS (Indiana, Bloomington, USA); MA (Johns Hopkins, USA); PhD; Member AIAA (USA), IBRO (France)
Member, Expert Panel (Mathematics), National Curriculum Council,
Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan
Convener, National Curriculum Revision Committee
(Mathematics), Higher Education Commission
Member, Senate, Academic Council, Board of Faculty, Board of Studies;
Ex-Chairman
Professor (BPS-21), Department of Mathematics
UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI
Office: Room
No. 6, Department of Mathematics, University of Karachi, University Road
Paper Mail: University of Karachi, Post Office
Box No. 8406, Karachi 75270 (Pakistan)
Homepage: http://ngds-ku.org/kamal • e-mail: kamal(at the rate of)ngds-ku.org
Telephones: (92 21) 9926 1300-6 ext. 2293
(secretary), ext. 2380
(direct)
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½ Profile
½ Professional
Skills ½ Research
½ Pedagogical
½ Community Outreach
½ Biodata
½ Publications
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Synopsis of Leadership Vision
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1. Philosophy
To set and to realize goals, by
proper planning, execution,
monitoring and evaluation, without compromising ethics and
principles; to achieve efficiency and effectiveness, through
knowledge, skill and attitude, without affecting relationships;
to create opportunities for faculty, staff and students by
mentoring and effective delegation, with adequate follow
through and follow up.
2. Methodology
Before taking up the charge of Chairmanship
of Depart-
ment of Mathematics, University of Karachi
I attended a
number of training sessions, e. g.,
“Skills for Successful
Supervision”, “Human-Resource Management”,
“Interview-
ing Skills”, “How to Conduct Performance
Appraisals”,
“Training-Needs Assessment (TNA)” and “Goal
Setting”.
It is very important to know the
personality trait of one’s
subordinates, one’s colleagues and one’s
bosses as well
as one’s own management style. For example,
my self an
“owl” (in-direct and controlling), I have
to move at a faster
pace and try not to present information in
detail with “eagle” (direct and controlling), whereas I should openly show
concern and appreciation as well as learn to compromise with others while
dealing with a “dove” (indirect and supportive). With “peacock” (direct and
supportive) I have to be more direct and be accommodating. I analyze the style
of the person I have to deal with and use appropriate strategy. During the
3-year (full) term of my Chairmanship (2003-6), all major policy decisions were
taken after taking into confidence the faculty.
The same strategy is being applied
in the other 4 roles of leadership, which I had the opportunity to play as,
Project Director, the NGDS Pilot Project (1998-present), Chairman, Board of
Studies for Mathematics (2003-6) and Convener, Program in Industrial and Business
Mathematics, University of Karachi (2003-6) as well as Convener, National
Curriculum Revision Committee for Mathematics, Higher Education Commission,
Government of Pakistan (2004-present). I am, also, contributing in grooming
future leaders as Program Coördinator of the Early Talent Research
Participation Program, University of Karachi (2002-present).
3. Accomplishments
Realizing
that every manager is not a leader, but every leader must be a good manager, I
have stricken a balance between routine and development work, made systems of
paper handling and task management, improved upon the punctuality of the staff
and the students during the three-year tenure of Chairmanship. I am a good
listener and have been able to handle stressful situations, appropriately. On
the academic side, four seminar series have been revived, a new seminar series
(Professional-Skills-Development-Seminar Series) launched, a major seminar
conducted and industrial sector contacted to conduct TNA and to provide
internship for our students. The department got its own multimedia projector.
The computer lab was upgraded with latest P4 computers and laser printers
installed. Department website was made and inaugurated by Registrar of the
University. On the human-resource
development side, new posts in various cadres announced, applications collected
and processed (scrutiny completed). In addition, behavior-based interviewing
system has been devised and implemented for the hiring of coöperative teachers.
I, also, started faculty-development programs. PC-1 forms have been prepared
and submitted for future expansion and enhancement of the department.
Board
of Studies for Mathematics, University of Karachi, under my chairmanship,
prepared and approved BS, MS and PhD programs, in line with revised HEC
curricula of 2005. In fact, Department of Mathematics was the first to put
forward these curricula, in response to April 5, 2005 instructions of Vice
Chancellor. All decisions were
taken with consensus. Not a single meeting was adjourned because of lack of
quorum.
As
Convener of Program in Industrial and Business Mathematics, University of
Karachi, I was able to establish industry-university linkage. Faculty from
Department of Mathematics gave workshops and professional development short
courses for industry. In return, industry offered internships and jobs to our
students. Students of morning program could also pursue Masters in Industrial
and Business Mathematics.
As
Convener of National Curriculum Revision Committee (NCRC) for Mathematics,
Higher Education Commission, I was given the task, in 2004, to prepare
framework for BS and MS programs (to be introduced for the first time on a
national level) as well as bring PhD program in line with equivalent programs
in developed countries.
As Project
Director of the NGDS Pilot Project, I was able to provide leadership of my team
to develop:
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Human-rights and ethical standards
for conducting a research project involving minor subjects and parents with
little or no education |
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b) |
Inexpensive, indigenously-built
anthropometric instruments |
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c) |
Standardized-anthropometric
techniques for obtaining reliable and reproducible measurements (manual
prepared, containing step-by-step procedures as well as sources of error and
hazard/injury) |
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d) |
A method to generate a detailed
growth profile of child based on heights of biological father and biological
mother |
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Moiré fringe topography apparatus (a
stereophotogrammetric technique) for somatotyping and screening of trunk
deformities, without using X rays |
4. Honors
During
my tenure as Chairman (2003-6), Department of Mathematics won a grant of Rs 2
million, annually, for a period of 3 years from National Center of
Mathematics. Vice Chancellor and
Dean, Faculty of Sciences, both, visited the department twice within a span of
6 months, Pro-Vice Chancellor 3 times and Registrar once (to inaugurate the
departmental website). Foreign guests, included professors/scientists from
Norway, Saudi Arabia and Sweden as well as Former Division Chief, United
Nations Capital Development Fund from New York, USA. In the words of Acting
Director, the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences,
Department of Mathematics was on the forefront during this period (during the
16th meeting of senate on December 20, 2006).
The model of MS
courses, prepared by NCRC of Mathematics, was adapted by committees of other
subjects.
The NGDS team was asked to train master anthropometrists of the Tawana
Pakistan team (project conducted by the Aga Khan Foundation). The
height-measurement system, developed by the NGDS team, was adopted by the
Tawana Pakistan team.
On October 28, 2008 a team from French Embassy in
Islamabad visited our department and discussed possible projects for
collaboration.
5. Goals
I am trying to work with the
current chairman to make Department of Mathematics, University of Karachi, the
best department among all the mathematics departments in the entire country
(presently, our department is ranked number three, nationally). In addition,
plans are underway to establish Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Quality of
the faculty, technical aspect of the facilities, functionaries of the
department as well as the academic freedom to explore, to teach and to
disseminate determine prestige of any department. I am trying to work on all
these fronts, simultaneously.
6. Selected Talks (to develop leadership vision)
Time
Management
Professional-Skills-Development
Seminar, Department of
Mathematics, University of Karachi, September 14, 2006
Goal Setting
Professional-Skills-Development
Seminar, Department of
Mathematics, University of Karachi, March 30, 2006
Department of Mathematics, University of
Karachi: Challenges and Opportunities for the Twenty-First Century and the
Third Millennium (Opening Remarks)
Guest Research Seminar,
Department of Mathematics, University of Karachi, August 6, 2005
Third from
right, during Panel Discussion on December 24, 2008
Updated:
October 1, 2009 (0000h GMT)
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PDF Version
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½ Profile ½ Professional Skills ½ Research ½ Pedagogical ½ Community Outreach ½ Biodata ½ Publications ½ |
Best viewed with 800 x 600 screen
resolution using Microsoft Internet Explorer. Copyright: 1998-2009 Professor
Dr. Syed Arif Kamal