KARACHI, May 28: The Hamdard University (HU), at its 10th Convocation, conferred degrees and gold medals to its passing out students of various graduate and post-graduate programmes.

At an impressive convocation-2006 ceremony held at the main campus of HU on Saturday evening, a total of 452 students, including four PhDs and 43 gold medalists, were awarded degrees in various disciplines by Acting Sindh Governor Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah. Around 1,140 graduates were awarded degrees in absentia.

Muzaffar Hussain Shah said speedy development strides are made in a society where intellectual and professional attainments are highly prized.

He said Hamdard University believes in having an ideal atmosphere and facilities for learning and the government would also like to lend a helping hand to it in its noble pursuit of imparting education.

“The parallel development of the public and private sectors of education is our firm commitment,” he pointed out and added that this will be done in a more pronounced and meaningful manner to allay any thought of discrimination. “

The Acting Sindh Governor said he believed that Shaheed Hakim Mohammad Said, Founder of Hamdard University, was truly a great patriot. “I am happy that the university is pursuing the mission of the Shaheed and making continuous efforts to follow the goals and objectives of Hakim Said,” he added.

He said he believed in a shift in the present day system of education toward quality, rather than quantity, adding, a modern university has to keep pace with the parameters of education set by internationally changing requirements of human resource.

“I would advise all educationists of public and private seats of learning to be endowed with a spirit of working for their compatriots.”

The chief guest also congratulated the passing out graduates, Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and faculty members of HU and advised them to work with similar zeal and dedication to serve the country.

Chancellor, Hamdard University, Senator S.M. Zafar pointed out that annual allocation for education has now increased to over Rs 20 billion from 0.2 per cent of GDP in 1999 to 0.8 in 2006 and is likely to reach the desirable figure of one per cent of GDP in the forthcoming financial year.

The number of our graduating PhDs in a year has also risen to 600 to 700 and by 2010-11 we hope to have 1500 PhDs every year, he added.

He further said the number of public and private universities has also gone up to about 100 in the country and more additions are being made every year.

The ceremony was also attended by Shaheed Hakim Mohammad Said's daughter Sadia Rashid.Faculty members, including, professors and lecturers, students besides parents and people from various walks of life attended the convocation.

The faculties in which Hamdard University gold medals were given included, Humanities and Social Sciences (six medals), Health and Medical Sciences (two), Eastern Studies (one), Engineering Sciences and Technology (11), Legal Studies (two) and Management Sciences (14).

COMPLEX: The Hamdard Foundation is constructing a complex at a cost of Rs 130 million which will house the Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Hakim Mohammad Ilyas Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

“About 85 per cent work of the first phase has been completed,” said Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University, Prof Dr M. Iqbal Qureshi, while speaking at the university convocation.

Dr Iqbal said the Hamdard Foundation had committed to provide full funding for the project.

He informed that in the current year a modern hostel for girls has been established at a cost of Rs19 million.

Besides, he said, 20 laboratories across various faculties were up-graded which he observed would allow these institutions to develop and grow their academic activities in a more conducive environment.

Two play fields are being developed at the main campus of Hamdard University which shall provide facilities for outdoor sports, he added.

Prof. Dr. Iqbal pointed out that the main campus earned a citation of “Green Campus” from the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan in September last year.

He said in the competitive scenario of higher education, the university has experienced an increase of 25 per cent in its student enrollment this year specially.

“Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the provincial Government should become our partners to further enhance the capabilities of our learning resources and thus stimulate further the research culture,” he suggested.

Highlighting the importance of research, he pointed out that newly established, Environmental Studies Centre has so far provided research and consultancy service to more than 30 local industries in the field of environment.

“Our research output has enhanced by 175 per cent as our faculty contributed 85 technical and scientific papers to reputed journals and conference proceedings nationally and internationally,” the VC added.

Pointing to the university's contribution in the field of IT, he said it has added new tools, such as Web-casting, an improved Website, Web-based Library Catalogue System, E-learning and Content Management System, etc.

He further informed that the University has attracted more than 40 new academicians and initiated a programme with SES Germany.—APP