Karachi: The Institute of Business Management (IoBM), Karachi, held its 24th convocation on Saturday. As many as 1,249 students were awarded degrees in business management and allied disciplines.
Governor Sindh Imran Ismail was the Chief Guest while Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Minister of State and Chairman Board of Investment (BoI) Pakistan was the Guest of Honor. The keynote speaker was Amir Paracha, Chairman and CEO, Unilever Pakistan. IoBM’s Chancellor, Bashir Jan Mohammad, Members of the Board of Governors, President IoBM, Talib S Karim, Executive Director, Sabina Mohsin, Rector, Dr Tariq Rahim Soomro, Deans, Heads of Academic Departments, and members of the Convocation Committee were also present on the occasion.
During his speech, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail said that Pakistan faces significant challenges in the area of providing purposeful, superior quality education for the youth of this country. He said that efforts are being made to restructure education under the national education policy framework. He was confident that the IoBM graduates will use their learning acquired to face all of life’s challenges and enable them to give their best at every step of the way.
While addressing the convocation, Muhammad Azfar Ahsan advised students to pursue all activities with honesty, loyalty, and a sound sense of judgment.
He asked the graduates to explore the world around them and become a helping hand for those who are facing tough times. He added that the times ahead will be challenging because of how the pandemic has altered our lives. He was confident that the graduates’ insights acquired during classroom lectures and experience gained while pursuing jobs or completing internships will guide them towards success.
During his keynote address, Amir Paracha said that behind success there are failures, success and vulnerabilities. He said that your dream can evolve and change and that it is often important to listen to intuition. He advised students to continue dreaming, to be curious, to keep learning and to remain humble. Paracha’s life story was indeed inspiring for the graduates that highlighted his gradual rise over the years in the corproate sector.
President IoBM, Talib S. Karim during his speech shared that IoBM has focus on research and development as faculty members are effectively pursuing their research objectives. He added that IoBM’s academic collaboration with universities abroad was also strengthened in 2021. IoBM is connected with 68 universities in Europe, Asia and the US. He further added that IoBM management envisions transforming the Institute into a tech-driven campus within the next two years. During his welcome address, Bashir Jan Mohammad said that graduates should be grateful to their parents for their selfless devotion. He paid tribute to IoBM’s late founder president, Shahjehan S Karim for his devotion to provide quality education. The valedictorian, Ishma Ghazanfar (BBA Honors/Gold Medalist), during her speech, recalled her journey at IoBM, especially the classes taken from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. She advised students that whatever they wish to do in life, they should do it well. Because in doing so, they will find excellence, and in pursuing excellence, they will find their desired outcome.
Abdul Moizz (BS - Social Entrepreneurship and Social Leadership) was the students commencement speaker. He shared that IoBM provided students with countless opportunities to build connections.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021