KARACHI, Dec 2: As many as 609 fresh graduates (67 per cent male and 33pc female) and a first PhD of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) were conferred upon degrees by the institution at its convocation-2011 held in a gaily decorated marquee on its main campus on Friday.

The simple but impressive ceremony that was largely attended by parents of fresh graduates, faculty members, philanthropists and prominent citizens went on without the convocation address considered an essential part of such ceremonies as Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, who was scheduled to deliver the speech being the chief guest, could not make it reportedly owing to his other official engagements.

Jubilant and joyous graduates tossed their mortar boards in the air as soon as the convocation was declared closed and thereafter mingled with their friends, parents and guests.

The IBA has recently earned the distinction of becoming one of the eight institutions accredited by South Asia Quality Assurance System (SAQS).

The 609 students awarded degrees at the convocation were all those who did their bachelor's and master's under the IBA's various programmes, including seven students who passed their Executive MBA.

The first PhD degree of the IBA was awarded to Quratulain Nizamuddin, who recently completed her doctorate under the faculty of Computer Science.

Seven outstanding students who were awarded gold medals included Shahzaib Hassan for being declared the Overall Best Student - Graduate Programme, Hira Ejaz got the Overall Best Student - Undergraduate Programme gold medal, Misbah Ghani won the Overall Marketing gold Medal, Wajid Iqbal clinched the Overall Finance gold medal, Omer Bin Asad and Shafia Imtiaz got the gold medal for the Best BS/MIS Project, Sadaf Ejaz bagged the Overall MIS gold medal, Mahad Asim Hamza won the High Achievers gold medal while the IBA's Entrepreneurship Society was adjudged the Best Student Society of the Year.

Speaking on the occasion, IBA Board of Governors chairman Justice Muneeb Akhtar exhorted the graduating students to prepare and assume their responsibilities in the professional world as it was now their time to pay back by serving their society and the country's less privileged class.

In this regard he referred to the efforts of the IBA dean and director, Dr Ishrat Husain, faculty, staff and management in mobilising financial assistance and scholarships for the students coming from less privileged families.

Praising the IBA's standard of education, he said that receiving the SAQS' accreditation and the gradual expanding of international linkages were a testimony of the remarkable progress made by the IBA over the last four years in pursuit of its vision to make it to the top ten institutions in Asia and in the world.

He felicitated the fresh graduates and their parents on their success.

In his welcome address, IBA dean and director Dr Ishrat Husain said that with the revamping and restructuring of the IBA undergraduate and graduate programmes' curriculum, the BBA degree became a terminal degree and therefore BBA graduates could now enter the job market as management trainees.

Mentioning about the recently introduced undergraduate programme at IBA with dual major in economics and mathematics, he said that the programme which was one of its kind in any Pakistani business school would be launched shortly, besides there had been a phenomenal increase in the strength of PhD faculty to an all-time high of 17 persons.

Acknowledging the support and contribution of IBA Board of Governors, alumni, corporate leaders, philanthropists, faculty, staff and students in the realisation of his vision, Dr Husain sought the continued support from the IBA community in its long journey of excellence.

The valedictory speech was given by Shahzaib Hassan, who was declared the Overall Best Student-Graduate Programme.