As many as 1,287 students of Quaid-i-Azam University received degrees of MSc, MPhil and PhD at the 5th convocation held here on Thursday. Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari distributed the degrees and medals among the students. A total of 887 MSc, 281 MPhil 115 PhDs received their degrees in the ceremony while 135 outshining students were also awarded chancellor and president gold medals for obtaining high marks in their respective disciplines.
In his message, President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated the graduates and said the government gives a great importance to the higher education. He lauded the performance of the university and said Quaid-i-Azam University had earned a name both within the country and abroad as a premier seat of higher learning.
“The glory of an academic institution lies the quality of its faculty and the commitment of its teachers and students. I am confident that the management, the faculty and students of QAU possess the dedication and commitment to take the university to even greater heights. To the graduates, I would like to say that as they enter into new phase of life they will be judged by how well they serve the communities to which they belong. I am also confident that in their practical lives they will conduct themselves in a manner that will bring greater laurels to their alma mater”, the president said in his message.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in his message said that future of nation lies in the promotion of education, particularly the education of science and technology. He said universities and educational institutions needed to become generator of creative ideas and insights into the existing problems.
“I am satisfied to know that teachers of this great seat of learning have also won highest number of civil awards in the country and are also respected globally for their academic pursuits. It is a matter of pride that the University has proven to be a vanguard of higher learning by producing highest number of PhDs and MPhils, thus contributing greatly to socio-economic development of the country. I am sure that its graduates would keep the flag of the university afloat. I hope that QAU would prove to be a role model for other universities in the country” said Prime Minister in his message.
Addressing to the students the Chairman Senate said the Pakistan has no dearth of resources, but we are short in the expertise for the optimum utilization of those resources. Better management at all the tiers is a key to national development. To ensure this, we need people like you to come forward and take the lead in this respect. This is possible if you achieve human excellence and make your name in your respective fields. “While you get ready to face the challenges of today and tomorrow, never allow the obstacles to browbeat you into submission. Make optimism the hallmark of your life” said Chairman.
He said education is not only a means for socio-economic development of any nation but it also plays a key role in reforming the individual and collective behavior of people. For countries to grow on sustainable basis, the universities must become hub of knowledge and creator of innovative ideas.
QAU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Masoom Yasnzai in his address welcome address presented the performance of the University. He said that Excellence has been the guiding principle of our academic activities at QAU. Almost 75 percent of the faculty holds doctorate degrees. Furthermore, they are actively engaged in high quality teaching and research and contribute articles to prestigious journals of international repute.
“Concrete implementation of policy and constant steering towards the goals require both human and material support. The University has continued to pay attention to both. During the last year particularly, an appreciable addition has been made to the Faculty at junior level. This was because the University had initiated a number of new programmes with expansion and up-gradation of some departments up to the level of schools”, said the vice-chancellor.
