Hello, It's

Dr. Altaf
Hussain Samo

About Me

I head the Executive Development Center at Sukkur IBA University, leading projects with global partners like USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, and the EU. With 15,000+ lives impacted, my work drives entrepreneurship, climate action, youth empowerment, and rural development—recognized by the UN for its impact.

Transformative Leadership: Guided AACSB-accredited universities to become catalysts for community empowerment and innovation, leveraging education as the most powerful tool for social change.

Bridge Builder & Connector – Built impactful networks by fostering partnerships with USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, and leading global universities, creating collaborations that drive lasting impact.

Future-Forward Visionary – Pioneered green entrepreneurship programs that inspire leaders to align business success with environmental responsibility, proving that profit and planet can thrive together.

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Experience

Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

• Dec 2015 - Present

Director (Professor) Executive Development Center

EntrepreneurshipTraining & DevelopmentHigher Education AdministrationPeople ManagementProject ManagementHigher Education Leadership

Designed and managed a diverse array of development, research, consultancy, and training programs, thereby significantly impacting over 15,000 individuals, particularly youth and marginalized communities, over the past five years. This work encompasses organizational development aimed at enhancing effectiveness through strategic training initiatives, equipping professionals across various disciplines with the essential tools and knowledge to bolster their managerial capabilities. Developed and excelled in executive education and management development by creating and delivering open-enrollment courses, comprehensive training programs, and customized client-specific programs. Additionally, managed consultancy services to provide tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of different organizations, ensuring the successful implementation of development initiatives. Furthermore, demonstrated proficiency in development program management and grant writing, facilitating the acquisition of substantial funding to support impactful projects and initiatives.

USAID HECFAD Program at IBA

• Mar 2010 - Nov 2015

Director

Organization SkillsTraining & DevelopmentHigher Education AdministrationResearchProject ManagementHigher Education Leadership

Asian Development Bank

• Apr 2009 - Mar 2010

Project Administrator & National Consultant

Market ResearchTraining & DevelopmentProblem SolvingResearchAnalysisProject Management

UNDP/IBA

• Jul 2008 - Mar 2009

Training Coordinator

Training & DevelopmentProblem SolvingOrganization SkillsPeople ManagementProject Management

Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

• Oct 2003 - Mar 2008

Assistant Professor

Training & DevelopmentEntrepreneurshipHigher Education AdministrationProposal WritingProject Management

Education

I obtained my MBA in Finance from IBA, Pakistan in 1998.I completed my Master's in Management Sciences from the Institute of Administrative Enterprise, France in 2003.I earned my PhD in Entrepreneurship from CEDI, UUM, Malaysia in 2015.

Projects

01/12

Preventing Violent Extremism by Empowering Youth and Women

The project funded by EU and implemented in coordination with UNODC and NACTA Pakistan to empower youth and females in Sindh and Baluchistan.

Duration: 2024 - 2025

Organization: UNODC

02/12

Youth Eco-Development through Green Entrepreneurship

The project identifies youth from the Mirpurkhas Region to provide three trainings and incubation for venture plan development. This initiative enables them to design eco-friendly business ideas addressing environmental challenges.

Duration: Aug 2025 - Present

Organization: Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

03/12

UNICEF - Development and Delivery of the European Union’s Sindh Technical Assistance, Development through Enhanced Education Programme (STA-DEEP)

Team Lead for the European Union’s STA-DEEP Project, awarded by UNICEF to EDC Sukkur IBA University in 2022. This project focuses on capacity development, monitoring & evaluation frameworks, and the development of education systems.

Duration: Apr 2022 - Present

Organization: Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

04/12

Executing and Utilizing Labor Market Scans

Consultant for Emerging Markets Foundation, equipping participants from Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam to conduct labor market scans. Responsibilities included designing a market scan framework and delivering related training.

Duration: Aug 2022 - May 2023

Organization: Freelance Consultant - Epower Hong Kong

05/12

Regional Youth Digital Skills Strategies – Stage 1 (South Asia)

Team lead for a project awarded by the Commonwealth Secretariat, evaluating digital skill gaps among youth in South and East Asia. The project proposed strategies and programs for digital skills development.

Duration: Jul 2021 - Jan 2022

Organization: Freelance Consultant - Commonwealth Secretariat UK

06/12

Country Lead - Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Student Survey (GUESSS), Pakistan

As Country Representative/Team Lead, led the Pakistani segment of GUESSS in collaboration with Sukkur IBA University and partner universities across Pakistan. Responsible for developing national and institutional research insights.

Duration: Dec 2015 - Sep 2021

Organization: Freelance Consultant

07/12

Key Expert for CERBM Project - Governance and Policy Project Balochistan (GPP)

Key Expert providing training on data collection, ICT usage, and impact evaluation. Contributed to the development of executive dashboards, training reports, advocacy workshops, and a beneficiary service model.

Duration: Oct 2019 - Apr 2021

Organization: Freelance Consultant - Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand

08/12

Team Lead - 4000 School Teacher Training Project

Headed the EDC and Sindh Education Foundation initiative to train 4,000 teachers in Science, English, Math, and Social Studies, strengthening content knowledge and pedagogy skills.

Duration: Jan 2018 - Jul 2019

Organization: Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited) - Sindh Education Foundation

09/12

Teach for Khairpur Initiative

Led the 'Teach for Khairpur Initiative' to enhance education quality through establishing science labs, providing a mobile science laboratory, and building ICT skills for approximately 1,000 students.

Duration: Jan 2018 - Mar 2019

Organization: Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

10/12

Sindh Education Foundation 600 Head Teachers Training Program

Directed a program to train 600 head teachers, focusing on enhancing leadership and educational skills within the Sindh Education Foundation network.

Duration: Apr 2016 - Mar 2017

Organization: Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

11/12

Eco-entrepreneurship Program - Youth Eco-Development Project

Under the 'Power to Youth' Project funded by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and the European Union, this program trains youth in eco-friendly business ventures addressing climate change issues in Mirpurkhas.

Duration: 2022 - 2024

Organization: Sukkur IBA Mirpurkhas Campus

12/12

Developing Research Excellence Framework

This project aims to develop a Research Excellence Framework (REF) for Pakistan's Higher Education Commission (HEC) in collaboration with Prof. Jeremy Hall, a renowned expert in research evaluation and policy development.

Duration: 2025 - 2026

Organization: British Council / HEC Pakistan

WHAT I HAVE
RECIEVED IN THIS
JOURNEY

Honor & Awards

THINC Fellowship

THINC (Technology, Humanity, Inclusion, Nurture, Changemakers) fellowship powered by Tencent and Viva la Vida. It brings together a diverse community of leaders from over 30 countries, including entrepreneurs, influencers, scholars, artists, politicians, investors, and activists. THINC fellows engage in intellectual discussions on the intersection of technology and humanity, embark on projects with significant social impact, and cultivate a close-knit network of the brightest minds worldwide.

Issuer: Tencent and Viva la Vida

Date Issued: December 2023

Associated With:Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

Honor & Awards

Global Goodwill Ambassador

Nominated Global Goodwill Ambassador (Humanitarian) Pakistan by Richard Di Pilla for work on promoting and creating education, training opportunities for youth with a special focus on girls from humble backgrounds in rural areas of Pakistan, aiming to make the world a better place as Director of EDC Sukkur IBA.

Issuer: Richard Di Pilla, Founder Global Goodwill Ambassadors Foundation

Date Issued: October 2018

Associated With:Sukkur IBA University (AACSB Accredited)

Links:LinkedIn, Global Goodwill Ambassadors

Publications

Journal

Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility

24th September 2024

Toward sustainable smart agriculture in a developing country: An empirical analysis of green firms determinants

Green entrepreneurship's role in achieving socio-economic and environmental objectives has garnered significant scholarly attention. Yet, the internal and external factors influencing green agricultural enterprises' growth and sustainability remain under-explored. This study aims to validate the Green Agriculture Support Framework (GASF), positing that strategic alignment of internal (technology, talent management) and external (formal institutions, government support, culture) support elements fosters green agriculture enterprise growth, particularly those leveraging Agriculture 4.0 technologies. Survey data from Pakistani green enterprise managers and employees were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the partial least squares (PLS) approach in SmartPLS. Findings indicate that external variables significantly impact green enterprise development while internal factors have limited influence. Policymakers should focus on enhancing the external environment through intensive government support, less rigid formal institutions, entrepreneurial culture, and improved economic conditions. Internal factors like outdated technology and rigid talent management policies may hinder growth. This research contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence supporting the organismic integration theory (OIT) and its implications for green policy development. Understanding these determinants assists in identifying areas requiring policymaker attention for effective green agricultural sector growth.

Publications

Journal

GUESSS

1st June 2023

Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey (GUESSS) , Pakistan Report.2023

For its tenth edition, the GUESSS Survey 2023 has drawn participation from 57 countries and received 226,000 responses overall, demonstrating its growing worldwide reach. In Pakistan 354 students from 14 different public and private institutions took part in this study. The main conclusions are outlined below.

Recommendations

Received

Prof Dr. Altaf Samo is a rare Nationalist intellect who returned to Pakistan after completing his education at world-renowned universities overseas. He is an MIT Entrepreneurship Teacher Fellow and MIT Launch Club mentor with over 20 years of experience as an Academician, Project Head, Consultant, and Trainer. Through his work at the Executive Development Centre at IBA University in Sukkur, Pakistan, he trains and empowers entrepreneurs, focusing on economically backward regions. His special emphasis on supporting women entrepreneurs is critical in a developing country like Pakistan. The LinkedIn post by Dr. Ajit on Dr. Altaf received significant attention, reaching nearly 5,500 professionals and receiving over 115 likes, comments, or shares. He is now considered a hero in India and is more than a friend to Dr. Ajit Patil.

Accolades: 'LinkedIn Top Voice Award', Management Consultant & Writer, Leadership Coach, Corporate & Academic Trainer, 'Top-75 Influential Marketing Professors in the World'

- Dr. Ajit Patil

Founder & CEO at Ajit Patil & Associates, India

Altaf Samo is a rare professional who not only understands the language of modern project administration but also executes it effectively. Known for his integrity, Altaf manages multiple project elements seamlessly, making it look effortless. He is multi-talented and highly motivated, and it was a privilege to work with him on a long and challenging project.

Accolades: 'Financial Crime Expert Consultant'

- Rowan Bosworth-Davies

Colleague

Dr. Altaf Hussain Samo is a visionary leader and executive, spearheading growth and innovation at the Executive Development Center (EDC) of Sukkur IBA University, an esteemed institution accredited by AACSB.

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Email

draltafsamo@gmail.com

Dr. Altaf Samo