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Aga Khan
University Convocation
Karachi, Pakistan, 2 November
2002
The honourable
Mohammedmian Soomro, Governor of Sindh, Chairman and the members
of the Board of Trustees of Aga Khan University, distinguished Faculty,
dear parents and fellow graduates.
Assalam-o-Alaikum!
The 2nd
of November 2002 is a very important day in the lives of all the
graduates of the class of 2002. Today, we, as Teacher Educators,
Doctors, Epidemiologists and Nurses are entering a new phase of
our lives.
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| Dr.
Farah Huma, Valedictorian, Medical College, Class of 2002.
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This day reminds
us of those interesting and unforgettable experiences that we have
had in the highly competitive environment of Aga Khan University.
We stepped in this institution with a dream of becoming professionals
in our respective fields. However, our experiences in the initial
days at AKU informed us that making our dreams into reality is not
an easy task. The high educational standards and the expectations
of our facilitators put us in a process of continuous struggle;
of thinking critically, of reflective practice, of preparation for
clinical and field work, of writing assignments and dissertations,
of continuous assessment and, of course, reading those never ending
readings. But, I am happy to share with you that this fear and anxiety
did not last long. And surely, the major credit goes to our facilitators
who helped us perform to the best of our abilities. Their support
and encouragement enabled us to cope with any difficult situation.
Their on-going professional, moral and emotional support helped
us not only to develop our vision but also, to identify ways and
means of translating that vision into action.
When we came
to Aga Khan University we did not know how much this experience
was going to change our lives. Our stay at AKU has allowed us to
broaden and deepen our vision which was, I must admit, at a surface
level when we joined this Institution. There were several factors
that facilitated this process. First, we had available to us a
conducive learning environment including a well-equipped library
and Internet resources. Second of course, was the immense support
provided to us by the AKU faculty and staff.
There were times
when we felt anxious if we were achieving much – but when we look
back now we can readily identify a number of significant changes.
These are evident not only in our enhanced skills and knowledge
but also in those attitudes and values that will guide us in our
future work as change agents.
The time has
now come to say goodbye to AKU – the Institution which had become
our second home. We slept here, we ate here, we sang and danced
here, we laughed here, and we cried here. But now we go back to
our original homes. We are conscious that our parents, friends and
employers are waiting for us. So too, our patients and students.
We look forward
to our role in improving the quality of health and education in
Pakistan and elsewhere in the developing world as part of our service
to humanity.
Thank you.
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