Dr Nosheen Raza

Dr. Nosheen Raza is a sociologist, academic, researcher and higher-education professional with more than 15 years of experience in teaching, research, academic supervision, student development and advisory roles. She is currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Students’ Advisor at the University of Karachi, where she combines her academic expertise in sociology and demography with a strong commitment to student development, social inclusion, research and institutional engagement. Her professional profile reflects a sustained interest in demographic analysis, population studies, gender and social inclusion, community development, higher education and evidence-based approaches to social policy.
Dr. Raza has built her academic career primarily at Department of Sociology, University of Karachi, since 2010 and as Students’ Advisor since September 2023. In her academic role, she teaches undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses covering a broad range of subjects, including Demography, Medical Sociology, Industrial Sociology, Human Rights, Sociology of Gender, Qualitative Research and Social Problems of Pakistan. She also supervises student research theses and mentors students in their academic development.
Her professional experience extends beyond conventional academic teaching. Dr. Raza has contributed to major population and development initiatives in Pakistan. She served as a Census Observer for the 7th Population and Housing Census of Pakistan in 2023 and previously worked as a Consultant with UNFPA under its Population and Development Project, monitoring the 6th Population and Housing Census of Pakistan in 2017. These engagements reflect her practical expertise in demographic research, population studies and the application of evidence to development-related initiatives.
Her international exposure includes being a Curriculum Fellowship Recipient of the International Centre on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC), Washington, D.C., USA, in 2018. The fellowship adds an international dimension to her academic and professional profile, particularly in areas related to social research, conflict, peacebuilding and community-oriented approaches.
Dr. Raza has also demonstrated leadership beyond the university environment. She has been a Member of the Government/Institutional Support Council of the National Incubation Centre Karachi since 2025, contributing to an ecosystem focused on innovation and institutional support. Since 2018, she has served as a Champion of United People Global (UPG), Geneva, Switzerland. Earlier, from 2014 to 2015, she served as the Curator of the Karachi Hub of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. These roles have provided her with opportunities to engage with leadership, youth development, innovation and wider social-impact initiatives.
Her academic qualifications demonstrate a strong and consistent trajectory in sociology. Dr. Raza completed her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Karachi in 2018. She earned her M.A. in Sociology from the University of Karachi in 2004 as a Gold Medalist, securing First Class First Position, and completed her B.Sc. from the same university in 2001. Her academic achievements, particularly her gold medal at the master's level and subsequent doctoral qualification, form an important foundation for her career as a researcher and university educator.
Dr. Raza has actively participated in national and international academic conferences. In May 2024, she served as a Co-Presenter at the National Conference on Emerging Trends in Social Science Studies at the University of Karachi, presenting research examining the relationship between critical feminism, determinants of feminism in Pakistan, intersectionalities and power dynamics. Internationally, she presented a research paper at the 13th International Conference on Sociology of the Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER) in Greece in 2019, where her presentation focused on the impact of institutional integration on the retention of freshmen in universities in Karachi, Pakistan.
Her teaching career began well before her current position at the University of Karachi. She served as a Lecturer at St. Joseph’s College for Women, Karachi, from 2005 to 2008, followed by a position as Lecturer at Bahria University, Karachi, from 2008 to 2010. She subsequently joined the Department of Sociology at the University of Karachi as a Lecturer from 2010 to 2018, before being appointed Assistant Professor in 2018. This progression reflects more than a decade of sustained teaching and academic engagement before assuming her present senior academic responsibilities.
As a sociologist, Dr. Raza’s professional interests lie at the intersection of demography, education, gender, social inclusion, community development and social research. Her career demonstrates an ability to connect academic scholarship with practical institutional and development-oriented work. Her involvement in national census operations, UNFPA consultancy, international fellowship programmes, academic conferences, research publications, university quality processes and student advisory responsibilities reflects a multidisciplinary professional profile grounded in both scholarship and service.
In her role as Students’ Advisor, her work is particularly connected with student development and the broader university experience. Her academic background in sociology, combined with her experience in research, mentoring and institutional engagement, provides a foundation for working with students and addressing issues related to academic development, social inclusion, human rights and the wider social challenges faced by young people.