Aga Khan Academies partners with Ryerson University on training for innovation
The Aga Khan Academies and the Province of Ontario, Canada renew their partnership
The Aga Khan Academies and the Province of Ontario, Canada renew their partnership
Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad hosts Mayor of Toronto and President, Ryerson University
Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad Recognised as Microsoft Showcase School
Dania Quadri (Class of 2014): Giving back as an alumna
“Being part of an open-minded community that encouraged challenging what we were taught, the willingness to accept one another and inspire each other to grow constantly, was very refreshing. I credit these experiences for much of whom I am today.”
– Dania Quadri, Class of 2014
She was also instrumental in helping to organise the Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) in September 2016.
“As I aspire to be a doctor, I feel that it is necessary to acquire experience in a role that demands care, patience and a great deal of understanding,” she explains. “I knew teaching and organising the MHAW would contribute to my personal growth and career aspirations but it would also allow me to give back to my school – something very important to me.”
Through MHAW, Dania was able to contribute to reducing the stigma associated with mental illness within the Academy community.
“As a student myself, I know how hard it is for students who are mentally unwell to cope with studies and social life at school," she said. "I wanted to spread awareness about it being perfectly normal to feel mentally unwell, to know the difference between clinical illness and just a rough emotional phase, and to encourage students to seek help and advice if they are feeling low.”
Her internship made her realise she was more passionate about education than she thought. She particularly enjoyed the responsibility an educator has in developing a student’s personality and knowledge.
“As a teacher, it was interesting to observe school from the other side," she said. "Spending time with all the teachers made me realise how much they actually care for their students. The support is incredible at the Academy and different learning abilities are not only understood but truly valued.”
Vision
The outlook and educational perspectives of the Aga Khan Academies are based on the vision of His Highness the Aga Khan. His vision looks to education of the highest quality that can prepare young people to lead and enact positive change in the world they inhabit.
The text below outlines His Highness' vision for the Aga Khan Academies.
A time of change
"We live in a time of rapid change — change that is often unpredictable and not always positive. My experience with development, as an observer and a practitioner, has led me to the conclusion that the best way to manage change, whether positive or negative, is to prepare for it and that there is no greater form of preparation for change than investments in education. These investments must focus, of course, on teachers of the highest quality — teachers who are creative and committed to their own life-long learning and self-improvement. It also means investments in facilities that provide an environment conducive to the less tangible but equally important elements of an education — self-esteem, leadership, tolerance, ethical judgment and moral reasoning."
What does it mean to be educated?
“However, as educators and parents have begun to make these investments, they are revisiting the age-old question: What does it mean to be an educated person? Many have come to realise that education must prepare students not only for the job market, but also for life.
From Zanzibar's madrassas to Britain's public schools, from American university preparatory academies to government schools in Pakistan, there is a realisation that education must equip students with more than a narrowly focused curriculum based on reading, writing and mathematics. It must expose students to a broad and meaningful study of the humanities, including science, music and art. The teaching of history and world civilisations must be more broadly representative of the world's entire heritage than it has in the past. This is especially true in regard to Islamic civilisations, which have been misrepresented or ignored despite their vital contributions in a wide range of spheres, from science to architecture.
Education must include mastery of more than one language and an ability to communicate effectively in those languages. In the face of the most rapid advances in technology in history, education also must teach students how to master information technologies. These skills now form a critical part of the learning process, as well as essential qualifications for application in the workplace, but even these elements are not enough."
Preparing children for life
“An education must equip students with the tools that enable them to adapt and thrive, in a world characterised by change. In such an environment, technical proficiency is not enough. Education that prepares children for life must go beyond fundamental skills to stimulate creativity, intellectual curiosity and honest inquiry. Advancement and development, both personal and societal, are dependant on these elements. Innovation and progress arise from the ability to approach a challenge in a new way and offer a solution."
A pluralistic outlook
“Education must also make the case for a pluralistic tradition in which other views, ethnicities, religions and perspectives are valued not only because that is just and good, but also because pluralism is the climate best suited for creativity, curiosity and inquiry to thrive. It must also stimulate students to consider a variety of perspectives on some of the fundamental questions posed by the human condition: 'What is truth?' 'What is reality?' and 'What are my duties to my fellow man, to my country and to God?' At the same time, education must reinforce the foundations of identity in such a way as to reinvigorate and strengthen them so that they can withstand the shock of change."
The most important measure of an education
“What students know is therefore no longer the most important measure of an education. The true test is the ability of students and graduates to engage with what they do not know and to work out a solution. They must also be able to reach conclusions that constitute the basis for informed judgements. The ability to make judgements that are grounded in solid information and employ careful analysis, should be one of the most important goals for any educational endeavour. As students develop this capability, they can begin to grapple with the most important and difficult step: to learn to place such judgements in an ethical framework.
“For all these reasons, there is no better investment that individuals, parents and the nation can make than an investment in education of the highest possible quality. Such investments are reflected and endure, in the formation of the kind of social conscience that our world so desperately needs."
His Highness the Aga Khan
Access the biography of His Highness the Aga Khan on the Aga Khan Development Network website.
Our Campus
Built on a 17-acre site near Bashundara, Dhaka, the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka offers state-of-the art facilities on a secure, landscaped campus.
The Aga Khan Academy Dhaka is located on a 17-acre plot in Bashundara, Dhaka and will enrol 750 students (K-12) with a capacity to expand to 1,200. Residential facilities will be provided for students and staff to allow for wide participation and enable a diverse learning community. The school has been designed by renowned international architects to ensure the best possible educational experience in a physical environment that resonates with local Bangladeshi culture and architectural traditions.
The design for the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka received the award for best ‘Future Education’ project at the World Architecture Festival 2017, held on 15-17 November in Berlin, Germany. The award recognises the excellence of the school’s design as well as the project’s intention to generate positive social impact, which arises from the mission and values of the Aga Khan Academies and the wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The vision of the Academies is to develop future leaders with the skills and knowledge to positively support development in their own societies.
Construction of the Academy began in 2018, with the first batch of students being welcomed on campus in August 2022.
The Academy is the fourth in a network of about 18 planned Academies offering the highest international standard of education to students in countries across Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The campus has been specially designed by renowned architects and is purpose-built. Our facilities include the following academic and resource areas:
- subject and age-specific classrooms
- well-equipped science and computer laboratories
- library and resource centres
- rooms for the fine arts, music and dance, including individual practice booths and a music recording area.
The Commons building will house the dining hall and an array of spaces for school activities. It is designed to be the hub of student activity, serving as the Academy’s main space for major school functions, including music and drama performances, and public lectures.
Sports facilities
Our sports facilities are extensive and, when complete, will include swimming and diving pools and fields for all sports.
We invite you to visit the Academy to take a tour of our campus.
Bilal Adamjee: Video spotlight
Meet Bilal, currently a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. For Bilal, studying at the Academy has instilled in him the value of learning whilst always thinking about the bigger picture: understanding how his studies today will impact the world tomorrow.
Stephen Githakwa: Video spotlight
This is Stephen, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. His passion for community service shines as he expresses the growth in perspective he experienced through his education at the Academy.
