The IBA Social Sciences Club organised the inaugural session of its Student Symposiums on February 6th, 2017. The Symposiums are aimed at encouraging students who conduct original research, and giving them an opportunity to present their it in front of other students and faculty members who themselves are engaged in research.

The first Symposium session set the stage for students from Ms Summer Qassim's Social and Cultural Anthropology class of Fall 2016. A total of four groups presented their research. The papers was based on aspects of student life within IBA and used ethnographic method to collect the data. The topics included themes related to reading habits, dress code, and the use of the Library. The researches brought to light some very interesting insights.

For example, it was seen that reading habits vary greatly with program, as the SSLA students read the highest number of books, while CS students the least. It was also found that according to the library admin, the library was not achieving the objectives that they hoped it would achieve, as their primary aim was to promote a learning culture, while the students use it primarily as a spot for relaxation.

The Symposiums are a welcome step towards encouraging students to conduct original research, as well as creating a forum where they can develop the presentation skills and also get feedback on their work.