The Aga Khan University marked a major academic and leadership milestone by graduating 461 students from 18 degree programmes at its 38th Convocation Ceremony in Pakistan, while formally installing Princess Zahra Aga Khan as the institution’s first Pro-Chancellor.

In her new role, Princess Zahra Aga Khan will provide strategic guidance to the University as it continues its mission to improve quality of life through education, health care and research.

In a message to graduates, the Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, emphasised the responsibility carried by the institution and its alumni, noting that they hold an “extraordinary responsibility and an extraordinary opportunity to create, disseminate and apply knowledge in ways that improve the quality of human life.”

The convocation also marked the graduation of the first cohort from the Institute for Educational Development’s Bachelor of Education programme. The programme combines academic study with field-based learning to prepare graduates for effective teaching in diverse school environments.

Addressing the gathering, Princess Zahra Aga Khan highlighted the University’s expanding footprint across the country. She noted that its presence now reaches more cities and villages than ever before, with health care professionals, educators and researchers serving communities from Karachi and Matiari to Lahore and Gilgit.

The University’s commitment to access and excellence was reflected in the graduating class, nearly 70 percent of whom were women – a significant contribution toward addressing Pakistan’s gender gap in education, where millions of girls remain out of school.

Valedictorian Muhammad Taha Nasim paid tribute to the faculty, saying they challenged students to pursue the highest standards while teaching them that “excellence without empathy is empty.”

Graduates from the institution continue to fill critical workforce gaps across the country. In the health sector, alumni now hold senior leadership positions in approximately 80 schools of nursing and midwifery, contributing to improvements in a country where the nurse-to-population ratio remains low.

The University’s growing research profile was also highlighted. In 2025, it secured more than USD 100 million in research funding, while 27 faculty members were ranked among the world’s top two percent of scientists in a global study conducted by a Stanford University researcher.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin noted that Pakistan’s youth are inclusive, digitally fluent and increasingly aware that shared challenges require collective solutions. He said young people view technology not as disruption, but as an opportunity to expand knowledge and apply learning in practical ways.

To support students with limited financial means, the University continues to provide substantial financial assistance. During the last academic year, 72 percent of students across all programmes in Pakistan received some form of support.

Best Graduate Awards were presented to Noorish Khan, Syeda Tasmiya Mohiuddin, Dr Hamzah Jehanzeb and Sara Karim Sadruddin in Dental Hygiene, Education, Medicine and Nursing, respectively.

The ceremony was also attended by Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Founding President of the University and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Central Asia. Awards of Distinction were conferred upon several faculty and staff members, including the President’s Medal awarded to Professor Emeritus Mushtaq Ahmed in recognition of his exceptional service as a surgeon and academic leader.