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Rapid
Improvement in Social Sector through Public-Private Partnership
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| New
doctors celebrate a dream come true. |
Two
hundred and forty-two students graduated last November at
AKU’s 17th Convocation in Karachi, an occasion that
also saw President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha unveiling the University’s
expansion plans in East Africa. These include the establishment
of an Institute for Educational Development and further growth
in the University’s postgraduate medical education programmes.
His Excellency
Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan, Governor of Sindh, was the chief guest
at the Convocation which honoured 76 new doctors, 123 nursing
graduates, 34 recipients of MEd degrees, 6 recipients of MSc
in Epidemiology and Biostatistics degrees and 3 MSc in Health
Policy and Management degree recipients.
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| His
Excellency Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan, Governor of Sindh,
flanked by Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi (left), Chairman,
AKU Board of Trustees; AKU President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha
(right); and Members of the Board Aziz Currimbhoy (first
from left) and Munnawar Hamid at the University's 2004
Convocation in Karachi. |
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| Dr
Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau and Dr Ahmed Hasan Dani receiving
honorary degrees from Ambassador Saidullah Khan Dehlavi. |
On the
authority of the Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, and
the Board of Trustees, honorary degrees were conferred upon
Dr Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau and Dr Ahmed Hasan Dani.
Dr Ruth
Pfau, through her exemplary motivational and spirited leadership,
has made outstanding contributions in the field of leprosy,
directed towards the eradication of this disease and effective
rehabilitation of victims. She transformed the Marie Adelaide
Centre into a hospital facility and established a full service
leprosy treatment and rehabilitation centre. The moving spirit
behind the National Leprosy Control Programme, Dr Pfau has
been instrumental in activating a chain of leprosy control
centres across Pakistan. Recognising her dedicated services,
inspiring leadership and her contributions to sustainable
leprosy control and rehabilitation initiatives, the University
awarded Dr Pfau the degree of Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris
causa.
Dr Dani
is recognised as one of Pakistan’s foremost historians
and the doyen of archaeology in the country. The author of
over 50 research publications, books and monographs, he is
particularly distinguished for his work on South and Central
Asian civilisations. Dr Dani’s international reputation
is reflected in the numerous awards he has received from various
governments, organisations and universities all over the world.
Recognising his outstanding achievements in the fields of
archaeology and history, the University awarded Dr Dani the
degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt), honoris causa.
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| Graduating
MEd students of AKU-IED. |
Addressing
a gathering of some 2,000 guests including students, their
parents, diplomats, academicians and government officials,
the Governor warned of an impending leadership crisis in the
country. “Only 2.6 per cent of Pakistanis in the 17
to 23 years age group are enrolled in colleges and universities,”
he said. “Human resource development has been neglected
to a worrying extent and Pakistan ranks 120th on the scale
of world human development indicators,” added Dr Ebad.
“That is why I look upon you to help the country progress,”
the Governor told the graduating classes as he felicitated
them on their achievements.
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| Graduating
nurses of AKU-SON look on as Dr Syed Mohammad Ali Kazmi
of the Medical College receives the Best Graduate Award. |
Pakistan’s
critical development needs are extensive and varied as the
country moves towards a more market-oriented economy, Dr Ebad
explained, adding that quality manpower, especially trained
and capable of responding to the needs of society, is essential for
speeding up this transition. “One of the important challenges
for Pakistan continues to be the need to produce a well-trained
and educated workforce that will provide necessary leader-ship
in all areas of human endeavour, particularly in the education
and health sectors.”
Lamenting
the paltry allocations for education and their inefficient
utilisation in the past, the Governor said rapid improvement
was being made in the social sector through public-private
partnership which is assuming an important place in implementation
of policies. In this regard, he praised AKU for playing a
key role through policy dialogues with various provincial
governments, especially in the areas of nursing, teacher education
and school improvement.
“We are
indebted to the Chancellor of the University, His Highness
the Aga Khan, for his invaluable gift to the people of Pakistan,
indeed more so to this province. AKU is a major national and
regional resource,” the Governor remarked. He said it was
heartening to note that the University’s Faculty of Arts and
Sciences, which is to be built in the suburbs of Karachi,
is now in its planning stages. This demonstrates the “deep
commitment of His Highness the Aga Khan to this country and
to the cause of quality education,” added the Governor.
The Governor
pointed out that the University’s credibility had led
many countries to invite AKU to assist them in efforts to
improve the quality of education and health care. “In
the last three years, AKU has established campuses in Kenya,
Tanzania, Uganda and the United Kingdom, in addition to implementing
nursing programmes in Afghanistan and Syria,” he said.
Congratulating
students and welcoming the Governor to the ceremony, President
Kassim-Lakha said that the University works with government
and reaches out to become directly involved in upgrading the
delivery of critical social services at local and regional
levels. “In recognition of the University’s experience
and commitment to excellence, AKU has been invited by the
government to participate in policy dialogues on health and
education. This confidence on the part of the government reflects
the University’s growing stature as a truly national
institution,” said the AKU President. He added that
AKU had shown how an innovative, forward-looking institution
can work with provincial and federal governments to create
meaningful and lasting public-private partnerships.
The AKU
President thanked the government as well as national and international
donors for helping the University transcend national frontiers,
both programmatically and geographically.
“The University
is now active in three continents with 10 teaching sites in
seven countries,” he said. At the request of respective governments,
AKU has established nursing and teacher education programmes
in East Africa with a current enrolment of over 450 students
who represent 25 per cent of the AKU student body, the President
disclosed. “Postgraduate medical education programmes have
commenced in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, and with the approval
of the AKU Chancellor and Board of Trustees, planning for
a new Institute for Educational Development is also under
way in East Africa,” concluded President Kassim-Lakha.
Saima
Hirani, an AKU-SON graduate who delivered the valedictory
speech, summed up her academic journey: “Our training
at AKU is more than simply attending school, or progressing
academically, or getting a diploma or a degree. It is an attitude,
a state of mind and an intellectual experience that has helped
us develop a vision and translate that vision into action.
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