Message from the Director CBER

Message from Director CBER

At the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), our commitment is to push the boundaries of knowledge in the social sciences. Each year, we bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers at our Annual International Conference, now in its sixth year, to debate the economic and social questions shaping Pakistan and the region. Alongside it, we publish the State of Pakistan's Economy, an annual book that brings researchers and practitioners together to read the numbers, draw out what they mean, and put those insights directly in front of policymakers.

Our work reaches beyond conferences and books. We support undergraduate students through research awards that fund their final year projects, helping a new generation build real research experience. Our policy briefs turn faculty research into short, direct recommendations for government and industry. We also host interactive sessions with international faculty, researchers, and practitioners throughout the year. And this year, we are launching Conversations with Leaders, a new series that puts students in direct, informal dialogue with industry leaders and practitioners, the kind of exchange that no classroom alone can offer.

At the core of CBER's work are research projects that connect academic rigor to real problems. We currently work with GIZ Pakistan on strengthening social protection for climate adaptation among women agricultural entrepreneurs in Sindh, and with the British Council on building research capacity for gender equality and campus safety through a UK-Pakistan partnership. Our reach extends across the region too, including our collaboration with the National Development Research Institute Nepal on women's participation in research and policy. This builds on a longer track record of projects with partners including UNDP, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the FPCCI, on issues ranging from disaster risk governance to corporate energy consumption and emissions. In each case, our approach is the same: study the problem carefully, work with those affected by it, and hand policymakers evidence they can act on.

I invite you to explore our work, engage with our research, and join us in this mission.

Dr. Lubna Naz
Email: lnaz@iba.edu.pk
Office: +92(21) 38104700; Ext: 3026