Chairman of the Board of the University of Central Asia
Dr. Shamsh Kassim Lakha is Chairman of the Board of the University of Central Asia (UCA), a regional university founded under an international treaty by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and His Highness the Aga Khan. He leads the planning, building and operation of UCA and is also the Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network to the Kyrgyz Republic as Founding President of the Aga Khan University, which he led for nearly three decades, establishing its campuses in Pakistan, Eastern Africa and the UK.
Dr. Lakha served in senior positions in the Pakistan government, as Minister of Education and as Minister of Science and Technology. He has published in renowned journals and contributed book chapters on the topics of school and higher education, philanthropy, civil society and management. He is a Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs. In recognition of his academic and social work, Dr. Lakha has received honorary degrees from McMaster University, Canada and the Aga Khan University as well as the high civil honours from the Presidents of Pakistan and France.
