As an institution established to provide quality education, innovative research and world-standard health care in developing contexts, the Aga Khan University (AKU) was well-positioned to respond to the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Firoz Rasul, President of AKU, spoke during the Aga Khan Foundation’s digital event, “Mind the Gap”, about the role the university played during this crisis, and how it is a critical time for the university not only to help understand but also address the issues that this pandemic has caused.