KARACHI – Professor Dr Wasim Qazi has been appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi for a four-year term, bringing an end to the months-long wait for permanent leadership at one of Pakistan’s major public-sector universities.
The appointment was approved by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, after which the Sindh Universities and Boards Department issued the formal notification.
Dr Qazi emerged as the top candidate in the selection process, securing 86 marks from the search committee. Dr Moazzam Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of Government College University Hyderabad, received 74 marks, while Dr Shafiq ur Rehman, Registrar of Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, secured 71 marks.
The three shortlisted candidates were interviewed by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on October 2, 2026, before the final decision was made.
Dr Qazi assumes charge at a time when the University of Karachi has been operating without a permanent Vice Chancellor since July 28, 2026.
Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi completed his second term on that date. During the interim period, Professor Dr Muhammad Tufail Jokhio, Vice Chancellor of NED University, was assigned additional charge of the University of Karachi.
The appointment of Dr Qazi now restores permanent leadership to the university and begins a new four-year administrative chapter.
Dr Wasim Qazi brings more than three decades of experience in higher education to the position.
Before his appointment at Karachi University, he served as the founding Vice Chancellor of Karachi Metropolitan University, a position he had held since around 2024.
His career has also included senior leadership roles at Iqra University, where he served twice as President/Vice Chancellor between approximately 2017 and 2023. Earlier, from 2004 to 2017, he served as Executive Director and Vice President of the institution.
He has also served as Vice Chancellor of Saifee Burhani University, Advisor to the Rector at the University of Lahore and Special Assistant to the Chancellor/VC at Hamdard University during the 1990s.
Over the years, Dr Qazi has been associated with the establishment and development of several higher education institutions, including Hamdard University, the University of Lahore, the University of Faisalabad, Iqra University and Saifee Burhani University.
Dr Qazi’s academic career combines educational administration, philosophy, research and university leadership.
He earned an MA in Philosophy from the University of Karachi in 1994–95 before completing a PhD in Educational Administration from Hamdard University in 2002.
His academic experience also extends internationally. He has undertaken postdoctoral and visiting-scholar work at institutions including Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, Australian Catholic University and Western Michigan University.
His international academic engagements have also included visiting professorships at Roma Tre University in Italy, Southwest Jiaotong University in China and Eastern Kentucky University in the United States.
Alongside university administration, Dr Qazi has developed a substantial research and academic publishing profile.
His professional record includes more than 3,000 citations and an H-index of above 25, with his research covering Management Sciences, Education and Social Sciences.
He has also contributed to academic publishing as editor of the Journal of Management Sciences and the Journal of Education and Social Sciences.
Faculty development has been another major area of Dr Qazi’s professional work.
Training programmes associated with his initiatives have been carried out in collaboration with international organizations and educational bodies, including the World Bank, USAID, the European Commission and Advance HE UK.
According to his professional profile, these programmes have collectively trained more than 20,000 teachers, highlighting his longstanding involvement in professional development within the higher education sector.
Dr Qazi has also worked on modernizing university administration and teaching through technology.
His experience includes the use and implementation of systems such as Blackboard, SAP and learning management systems to support academic and administrative operations.
He has also been involved in developing Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization, Business Incubation Centers and initiatives aimed at strengthening links between universities and industry.
With his appointment now formalized, Dr Wasim Qazi begins his four-year tenure at the University of Karachi with an extensive background in academic leadership, institutional development, research and higher education administration.
His career has taken him through senior positions at universities across Pakistan, international academic engagements, faculty-development initiatives and efforts to promote research, innovation and technology in higher education.
The appointment marks the beginning of a new phase for Karachi University following the recent period of interim leadership, with Dr Qazi now set to steer the institution through the next four years.
