Karachi, Jan 17, 2026: Princess Zahra Aga Khan was formally installed as the first Pro-Chancellor of the Aga Khan University (AKU) on Saturday during the institution’s 38th convocation, at which 461 students graduated from 18 academic degree programmes.
Addressing the ceremony, Princess Zahra highlighted AKU’s expanding footprint across Pakistan, noting that the university now serves communities well beyond major cities. She said AKU’s healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers are embedded in people’s lives from Karachi and Lahore to Matiari and Gilgit.
In a message to graduates, AKU Chancellor His Highness the Aga Khan emphasized the responsibility and opportunity carried by the university and its alumni to create, share, and apply knowledge in ways that improve the quality of human life.
The convocation marked the graduation of the first cohort from the Institute for Educational Development’s Bachelor of Education programme, which combines academic study with field-based learning to prepare graduates for diverse classroom settings. Nearly 70 per cent of the graduating class were women, reflecting AKU’s efforts to address gender disparities in education.
Valedictorian Muhammad Taha Nasim thanked the faculty for demanding academic excellence while instilling the importance of empathy and social responsibility.
University officials noted AKU’s contribution to addressing workforce shortages, particularly in healthcare. In a country with a nurse-to-population ratio of 5.2 per 10,000, AKU alumni now hold leadership positions in around 80 nursing and midwifery institutions nationwide.
In 2025, the university secured more than $100 million in research funding, while 27 faculty members were ranked among the top two per cent of scientists globally in a study conducted by a Stanford University researcher.
AKU President Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin described the graduates as inclusive, digitally fluent, and capable of using technology to expand knowledge and address societal challenges.
To support students from diverse economic backgrounds, AKU provided financial assistance to 72 per cent of students across all programmes in Pakistan during the last academic year.
Best Graduate Awards were presented to Noorish Khan, Syeda Tasmiya Moheyuddin, Dr Hamzah Jehanzeb, and Sara Karim Sadruddin. Awards of Distinction were also conferred on faculty and staff, with Professor Emeritus Mushtaq Ahmed receiving the President’s Medal for his distinguished service.
