Over 1,200 students and scholars awarded degrees at Hamdard University’s 26th convocation

KARACHI: The Hamdard University (HU) conferred PhD, MPhil, Master’s, Bachelor’s and associate degrees on over 1,200 students and scholars at its 26th convocation held on Saturday.

The joyous ceremony was presided over by Ms Sadia Rashid, the chancellor of the university and president of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan. Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, the chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, was the chief guest.

On the occasion, PhDs were conferred on nine scholars and MPhils on 12. Thirty-five of the students were awarded MS degrees, 45 BEd, 11 BCA, 86 BS, 42 MBA, 52 BBA, 156 BE, 141 BCS, 47 BA-LLB, 186 MBBS, 37 BDS, 27 BEMS, and 293 students were given PharmD degrees. Seventy-five students were awarded associate degrees.

In recognition of their hard work during various courses of studies, four students were awarded the Shaheed Hakim Said Gold Medals and 20 students the faculty gold medals.

In addition, five students were awarded the Shaheed Hakim Said Certificates. Four faculty members were given special awards for displaying excellence in teaching.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest of the evening, Prof Dr Ahmad, urged the faculty members to spend considerable time on teaching the students how to become better human beings and good citizens.

He explained how some Pakistanis had helped the state of Singapore build an airline and also its main IT infrastructure, but back in Pakistan itself things are going from bad to worse.

That’s because Pakistanis have yet to become a well-knit and cohesive nation. “Today the country is searching for a nation,” he remarked.

In her speech, Chancellor Sadia Rashid exhorted the students to become good citizens, not just great professionals. She advised the graduates to forge ahead in life with confidence because the qualifications they had acquired would surely open numerous doors for them in their chosen fields.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Syed Shabib-ul-Hasan pointed out that with each passing year, the Hamdard University is enrolling more and more students. “This year alone we have enrolled more than 3,000 students. Our university is currently imparting education and training to a total of 9,000 students,” he said.

He thanked Prof Dr Ahmad for always facilitating the university and for helping solve its problems in the best possible manner.