Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) organized its 16th convocation ceremony for the students who have completed their degrees in 2019 and 2020.
The 3-day long convocation has been dated from 14 December to 16 December at the Iqra Auditorium of the university.
President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi, Chancellor of LCWU and Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and SAPM on political communication Dr. Shehbaz Gill, Senior and Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht were the chief guests at the convocation.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Bushra Mirza welcomed all the guests, faculty, students and addressed the audience on the proud moment for LCWU.
She said, “LCWU is the largest and historical higher educational institution for women, not just in Pakistan but in the whole region. She acknowledged the incredible number of five thousand five hundred and 6 graduates of BS, MS/Mphil and Ph.D who received their degrees”.
She further said that “we are not focusing on quantity (number of students) but the quality of education we are providing”
“We are looking forward to establishing the new campus of LCWU in Kala Shah Kaku, aiming to make higher education accessible to 30 thousand more students at the total cost of 1.77 billion in the estimated time period of 36 months.” It will be a model college, she continued.
During her speech, the VC said, “we believe that these young women will be able to meet the modern challenges facing the country with determination by pursuing higher education”.
President Dr. Arif Alvi stressed the need for more educational opportunities for women as the progress or development of the country is linked to education.
He said the country needs educated youth that can contribute to building a progressed and healthier society and it was only possible through education for all.
“We are proud that cultural values in our country are contributing towards building a positive society and it is an asset for the people,” he said and termed cultural values an important component for living an ideal life.
The president said great leaders of the nation including Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan also stressed the need for education to move forward particularly the education of women was termed necessary.
The president asked the passing out students to remain committed to their purpose of getting an education which includes growing up in a family and playing role in the progress of society.
The president also asked the education authorities, commissions to work in that direction and also enhance capacity for imparting education to maximum youth who wish to earn education.
President Alvi congratulated the passing out graduates and said the students should pay back the country with their positive and constructive contribution.
Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar in his speech stated that “Prof. Dr Bushra Mirza is one the best vice-chancellor in Punjab who has worked hard to make this institution stable and promoted it among the dignified universities.”
“If merit is your priority then you will succeed in every field”, he said.
Dr. Shahbaz Gill said, “every profession has its own importance and it always depends on how you utilize your degree”. Shahbaz Gill also revealed his educational and professional journey.
While sharing his journey he said, “you cannot become successful until or unless other people fail and let you succeed during the competition towards success.”
Gill also promised to give thirty jobs to the students of LCWU in the new development project of the government and mentioned that this is a gift for LCWU from Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Unfortunately, an incident happened on the second day of convocation when professor Dr. Fauzia Imran refused to receive her degree from Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Shahbaz Gill, her name was announced on the stage but she did not turn up.
Earlier in a tweet, she announced that she will not receive the degree from Shahbaz Gill as he “did not deserve to be a chief guest.”
Furthermore, the Punjab finance minister said in his speech that LCWU was playing a vital role in the development of women and graduates here were contributing to the development of the country.
“Graduating students will embark on a journey of success in their professional lives. Our educational institutions have the potential to be on par with the institutions of any developed country,” he said.
However, the degrees have been awarded to the students of Ph.D., MS/M.Phil and BS from the faculties of Science & Technology (Biotechnology, Botany, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Zoology), Islamic & Oriental Learning (Islamic Studies), Arts & Social Sciences (Applied Psychology, Economics, History, Home Economics, International Relations, Mass Communication, Pakistan Studies, Political Science, Social Work, Statistics), Design & Visual Arts (Graphic Design, Interior Design, Textile Design, Visual Arts), Ruth Pfau Women Institute for Leadership & Learning (Gender & Development Studies, Sociology), Faculty of Pharmaceutical & Allied Health Sciences (Doctor of Pharmacy), Management & Administrative Sciences (Business Administration, Commerce, Public Administration), Engineering & Technology (City & Regional Planning, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering), Sabiha Mansoor Institute of Languages & Culture (Arabic, English Literature, Persian, Punjabi, Urdu) and Education (Secondary Education, Elementary & Teacher Education, TESOL, Health & Physical Education, Associate Degree in Education).
Moreover, medals, certificates and roll of honors were distributed among the position holder graduates of the university.