EMBA Class of 2028 Begins with an Intensive Summer Orientation Programme

The Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB) welcomed the EMBA Class of 2028 with a Summer Orientation Programme designed to give students an early experience of the academic approach, expectations and community at LUMS.

The four-day programme combined academic preparation with sessions on personal effectiveness, university resources and the wider SDSB and LUMS community. From participant-centred learning and case discussions to financial accounting, business mathematics, and personal effectiveness, students began developing the skills and concepts they will draw on throughout their EMBA.

Starting with how learning happens

Participant-centred learning formed a central part of the programme. Professor, Dr. Shakeel Sadiq Jajja led students through sessions introducing the approach and its role in the SDSB classroom. Students worked with the IDEO Product Development case to examine design thinking, innovation and problem-solving. They also considered how these principles might apply within their own organisations. The learning continued with a joint session built around the Millat Tractors Limited case. Students reflected on their earlier sessions and considered how they could get the most from participant-centred learning. The case discussions gave the incoming cohort an early experience of a classroom environment where preparation, participation and discussion form an important part of the learning process.

Building academic foundations

The Summer Orientation Programme also gave students a foundation in three areas that support the analytical demands of the EMBA. 

Financial Accounting sessions covered financial reporting and basic financial analysis, including transactions, double-entry accounting, revenue recognition, profitability, cash and accrual accounting, and the preparation of financial statements. Business Mathematics introduced students to statistics, inferential statistics and probability distributions, with sessions progressing from discrete to continuous probability distributions and sampling. Students also worked with readings and real-world applications as part of their preparation. 

These sessions gave students an opportunity to strengthen areas of academic knowledge before moving into the broader EMBA curriculum.

Students also met the IST team and were introduced to the university's technology systems and services. These practical sessions helped students become familiar with the resources they will use during the programme. The orientation brought together academic preparation and community-building from the start. Students entered the programme with an opportunity to meet their peers, engage with School leadership and understand the academic environment they are joining.

Developing personal effectiveness

Personal Effectiveness was another major component of the programme. Led by the EMBA Programme Director, Dr. Ghulam Ali Arain, the sessions focused on time management and prioritisation, followed by the role of emotional intelligence in personal effectiveness. Students worked through the John Wolford case and completed an emotional intelligence self-assessment as part of their preparation for the sessions. The focus on personal effectiveness complemented the academic sessions by addressing the practical demands of managing work, study and personal development during the EMBA.

Meeting the SDSB and LUMS community

The programme also introduced the incoming cohort to the leadership and support teams they will engage with during their time at LUMS. Dr. Ghulam Ali Arian, EMBA Programme Director, welcomed the cohort and provided an overview of the programme. SDSB Dean Dr. Muhammad Adeel Zaffar also welcomed the students to SDSB, followed by a session with Mr. Shahid Hussain, Rector, LUMS. 

The leadership sessions emphasised the academic rigour and high expectations of the EMBA programme, while highlighting the opportunity for the incoming cohort to strengthen their leadership and decision-making capabilities. As experienced professionals already contributing to organisations across Pakistan, students were encouraged to build on their existing experience, broaden their perspectives and use their learning to create greater impact within their organisations and the wider community.

For the EMBA Class of 2028, the Summer Orientation Programme marked the beginning of an academic experience built around active participation, analytical thinking and learning from different professional perspectives.