KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, on Saturday stressed the need and importance of a broad-based, multidisciplinary education to meet challanges facing the country.
Addressing as chief guest to the Aga Khan University (AKU) 29the convocation, he said "We need natural scientists and social scientists, writers and artists, entrepreneurs and public policy experts who can work across boundaries of all kind in order to start and lead progress in wide range of fields".
While praising the AKU's plans to invest in a new Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) in Karachi, he spoke of the social contribution that a liberal arts education can make.
"The FAS will fill a deep need within Pakistan for universities that create leaders who possess the critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills, an inquiring mind, breadth of knowledge and respect for all people needed to tackle the most complex challenges the country faces. This is the mission of the FAS and the government of Sindh encourages the AKU to make this a reality".
The chief minister also spoke of the "unyielding power" of their education to impact humanity and urged graduates to use their skills to address many issues in Pakistani society. "Be conscious of that power and use it to give the best to humanity", he added.
Firoz Rasul, President, AKU in his welcome address spoke about how we, as human beings, seek a higher purpose, a challenge that brings meaning to our lives, and that leaves a mark on the lives of others.
He mentioned that one great challenge is the Sustainable Development Goals that 193 countries, including Pakistan, have committed to by 2030.
"If Pakistan were to meet them, it would be a country transformed a place where no child suffers from hunger, every boy and girl is taught by well-qualified teachers, and all people have access to high-quality healthcare. At AKU, we are working to make that vision a reality, as an educator of leaders, a source of research that generates solutions to critical challenges and a provider of life-saving health care", Firoz Rasul stated.
Later, Aziza Jaffer Ali received the 2016 Best Graduate Award from the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She was also presented with the Nursing Practice Award given to the student whose clinical and community practice reflects a client-centered approach, distinctive critical thinking, problem solving abilities and ethical decision making.
The Medical College-2016 Best Graduate Award was presented to Dr Saneeha Shahid, for the highest aggregate score in the certifying examinations through the five-year MBBS degree programme.
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