Community service is a major part of the student experience at the Academy. Both the curriculum and student life incorporate aspects of community service.

Service opportunities extend the educational experience beyond the classroom and help our students learn about the real-world implications of their studies.

Through community projects with local organisations and groups, our students gain a sense of the connections between their education and the world around them. Students can participate in a variety of structured community initiatives and internships to learn about their place in the world.

By partnering with local agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network, students learn first-hand about the operations of an organisation, and work toward making tangible contributions to the agencies.

In addition, community engagement gives our students an understanding of broad concepts such as human rights, dignity and autonomy, while emphasising the ethos of leaving the world a better place.

To learn more about the Academy's programme, please visit the Academic Programme page.

Community service is a major part of the student experience at the Academy. Both the curriculum and student life incorporate aspects of community service.

Service opportunities extend the educational experience beyond the classroom and help our students learn about the real-world implications of their studies.

Through community projects with local organisations and groups, our students gain a sense of the connections between their education and the world around them. Students can participate in a variety of structured community initiatives and internships to learn about their place in the world.

By partnering with local agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network, students learn first-hand about the operations of an organisation, and work toward making tangible contributions to the agencies.

"The students at this institution will be distinguished not only for their academic capacity, but for their character and commitment to citizenship." Prince Karim Aga Khan IV (Dar es Salaam, March 2005)

In addition, community engagement gives our students an understanding of broad concepts such as human rights, dignity and autonomy, while emphasising the ethos of leaving the world a better place.

To learn more about the Academy's programme, please visit the Academic Programme page.

The Aga Khan Curricular Strands (AK Strands) are a unique part of the programme offered by the Aga Khan Academies. The AK Strands are areas of learning aimed specifically at developing knowledge, skills and attitudes required by future leaders.

Our goal at the Academies is to develop young people who have strong local roots and are also globally minded. They should be able to become leaders in whichever fields they choose.

To help achieve this goal, we have identified five areas of learning, the Aga Khan Curricular Strands, that we believe are important for our students. These are:

• Ethics
• Pluralism
• Cultures (with an emphasis on Muslim civilisations)
• Governance and Civil Society
• Economics for Development.

Implementing the AK Strands

The Aga Khan Curricular Strands are not taught as independent subjects. Instead, we weave them into the existing subject areas of the academic curriculum. They help inform the selection of content and themes for study. The AK Strands also provide direction for school life outside the classroom in areas such as policy making, recruitment, student life and residential life.

Two of the AK Strands, Ethics and Pluralism, help students develop values and dispositions required by ethical leaders. Our students learn about these areas in theory and are also encouraged to practice what they learn in their everyday lives.

Through the other three AK Strands, our students learn about ideas that are important to the functioning of societies. In particular, they learn about how these ideas impact people’s lives in countries of the developing world. The knowledge they gain helps them understand key issues from both local and international perspectives.

The AK Strands in practice

The Aga Khan Curricular Strands were developed at the first Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa and are designed to be used in different cultural contexts. Teachers at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad helped tailor the AK Strands for the local environment in India and the teachers at the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka will do the same.

For example, grade 3 students worked on a history and geography unit about Hyderabad that related to Economics for Development. The students examined how the physical features of the area influenced the city and its economic activity. They learned about employment today and also looked at traditional forms of work, including a visit to a nearby weaving cooperative. This unit helped the students understand both general ideas about economics and their impact on daily life in Hyderabad.

Through the Aga Khan Curricular Strands, our students develop attitudes and values that will help them throughout their lives. They also gain knowledge and understanding that will allow them to contribute positively to their societies in the future.

For more information on the educational programme offered at the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka, please visit the Academic Programme page.