KARACHI: Two major institutions of higher education of the city held their annual convocations on Saturday, marking graduation of a total of 1,367 students on their respective campuses.

The first convocation was organised in the morning by Aga Khan University (AKU) where a number of students won awards.

The 2018 Best Graduate Awards went to Anmol Minaz from the School of Nursing and Midwifery and Basim Ali from the Medical College.

This year, 441 students received degrees in different disciplines including nursing, midwifery, medicine and education. This included 228 graduates from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, 160 from the Medical College, 44 from the Institute of Educational Development and nine from the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations.

Congratulating students on their achievements, Roshaneh Zafar, the chief guest and founder/managing director of Kashf Foundation, urged them to continue their quest for knowledge and become part of a positive change in society.

“The process of learning never stops. We must use our knowledge to change the world and that struggle must never stop,” she said.

In his welcome address, AKU president Firoz Rasul urged graduates to be bold, to pursue excellence, to work to improve the lives of the disadvantaged, and to anticipate the course of change, in accordance with AKU’s founding vision.

“You can lead a life that contributes to the great tasks of overcoming disease, poverty, ignorance, and suffering; a life that empowers others to pursue their dreams, a life that challenges you to continue learning, growing and discovering new capacities.”

Valedictorian Sarosh Madhani echoed these thoughts in his speech. “In our time here … we have seen people from all walks of life. People of different ages, genders, races and ethnicities who came to us battered by sickness and broken in spirit and we brought them back up on their feet. But most importantly, we gave them their right to hope: hope for a future full of health, sustainability and opportunity.”

A message by AKU chancellor Prince Karim Aga Khan on the university’s 35th anniversary was also read out during the programme.

Largest graduating batch

At the IBA main campus, a total of 926 students received their degrees, which included 664 undergraduate students from six programmes, 261 postgraduate students from eight programmes, and one PhD scholar.

It’s the largest graduating batch in the 63 years of the institute’s history.

Praising students’ performance, Dr Ishrat Hussain, the chief guest and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity, said that he received a very positive feedback from the job market and that IBA graduates were distinguished by their good academic background and demonstration of highest ethical values in their conduct.

He urged them to show compassion towards others. “Prepare yourself for an uncertain future. The knowledge and skills you have acquired would soon become obsolete and outdated. Only those among you who are continuously recharging their mental batteries and re-equipping themselves with new tools are likely to succeed.”

Dr Farrukh Iqbal, the IBA Karachi executive director, called upon graduates to serve society. “Grades and jobs are not all there is to life. Service to the community is also important. Hence, many educationists feel that one of the principal purposes of acquiring knowledge is to serve society,” he said.

The convocation proceeded by conferring degrees to students. The position holders were presented with cash prizes, medals, shields and certificates of merit. It is the first time the institute gave shields for excellence in sports. Performance awards were given to staff and faculty including the best teacher and best researcher award.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2018