Historical Perspective

Aga Khan University (AKU) endeavors to provide all essential facilities to its students, faculty and staff. In 1987, two years after the University was commissioned, temporary sports facilities were constructed to provide for essential sports needs.

• In the early 1990's, a task force was constituted by the management for the purpose of reviewing and recommending the requirements for permanent sports facilities on campus. The group presented a comprehensive report to the management based on the surveys conducted on campus, discussions with experts both within and outside the country and their visits to the facilities at renowned institutions in North America. The report was later submitted to the Board of Trustees.
  
• Following the Board's endorsement of these recommendations, a user group was formed to define the details of the required facilities. It was the conclusion of this group that provisions of several basic sports facilities at the AKU campus will go a long way in satisfying the current needs of students and staff and improve the quality of campus life, particularly for its residents and especially for its female medical and nursing professionals who constitute half of the professional staff and form 70% of the student body. These women have very little opportunity for participating in off-campus exercise and sports activities in Karachi without personal risk, as even safe walking tracks are rare in the city.
  
• During the first 14 years of the University's existence, all available resources, including donations,were applied towards strengthening existing academic programmes as well as creating new ones. Proper sports and athletic facilities remained a much-felt need on the campus. Now that many of the essential academic programmes are in place, the Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan and the Trustees approved the construction of a comprehensive Sports Centre.