PESHAWAR: About 300 students, including five PhDs and 60 MPhils, were awarded degrees at the sixth convocation of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University (SBBWU) here on Wednesday.
A total of 39 gold medals, including six to the students of affiliated colleges, were also awarded to the students of the university for their brilliant performance. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Higher Education and pro-chancellor of the university, Kamran Bangash, was the chief guest of the event.
Vice-Chancellor Dr Razia Sultana, in her speech on the occasion, congratulated all the students and their parents. She stated that the university had been striving hard for 17 years for women empowerment.
She said that 80 percent of the faculty is PhD with foreign degrees and they were not just teaching the students but were also grooming them as well to prepare them to become future leaders.
“Universities are hubs for research and we are currently working on 29 active research projects and soon the university will be introducing innovative projects in the market,” she said and appreciated the federal and provincial government for extending support to the university and selecting it for the pilot project under Kamiyab Jawan Programme.
She hailed the government for granting the mega developmental project to the university under which new research labs, buildings and auditorium would be constructed. She declared that the next convocation would be held in the university’s own on-campus auditorium.
Speaking on the occasion, Kamran Bangash said that it was a moment of pride to see women excelling and acquiring higher education degrees. He said that the provincial government was stressing universities to work on employability of the students and their exposure.
“The SBBWU has already been contributing to the vision for many years and the Vice Chancellor must be appreciated for her efforts along with her team,” he said.
In view of the services and dedication of staff and quality of education imparted in the females, he said, the provincial government has decided to open varsity’s campus in the newly merged areas of KP so that the female youth of those areas may be able to acquire quality education.
He added that the provincial government had set a record of opening 30 colleges across KP in one year. “The government will extend all possible support to SBBWU,” he assured.