The University of Sargodha (UoS) awarded degrees to 59,797 students during its 9th convocation held at cricket ground, main campus, on Thursday.
The ceremony was significant as it marked the graduation of 62 percent girl students out of the total student population.
Chinese Consul General in Lahore H.E Zhao Shiren was the guest of honor while Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas presided over the ceremony.
The ceremony was initiated in a ritualistic manner, with the entrance of the academic procession presided over by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas and Deans of seven faculties at the convocation venue.
As many as 151 PhD degrees, 1656 MS/ MPhil/ MSc (Hons)/ LLM, 22,774 MA/MSc, 13,692 BS/ BSc (Hons)/ BBA and 21,524 BA/ BSc/ ADP degrees were awarded to the students from faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Social Sciences. Moreover, 415 students with distinctions were honored with medals.
Addressing the ceremony, Zhao Shiren expressed gratitude to the VC for inviting him to visit Sargodha University. He appreciated the university administration for building academic and research linkages with esteemed Chinese institutions.
Mr Shiren vowed to strengthen cooperation with the University in various fields of mutual interest and announced extending support in developing the already established Pakistan Institute of China Studies at University of Sargodha.
In his convocation speech, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas congratulated the students, their parents and teachers, on their achievement. He said “The ceremony marks the academic zenith and prestige of the University of Sargodha”, adding that the number of degrees being conferred upon the graduates is a testimony to its tremendous achievement in the tertiary education sector of Pakistan.
The Vice Chancellor expressed “The University of Sargodha has earned a niche among the esteemed higher education institutions in the short span of 20 years of its establishment through a steady improvement in its position in the global rankings of the Universities.” He said “I believe that these wonderfully talented graduates shall compete and make their mark in their professional careers at national as well as international domains.”
Dr Abbas vowed to take university to the next level of professional excellence through continued dedication and efforts of our faculty and staff and extended his full support to this great work. “Liaison between industry and academia is a prerequisite for transforming the higher education sector into industry and enabling it to compete at a global level,” said Dr Qaisar Abbas, adding that the university is making a huge difference in the demographic and economic growth of Sargodha city.
“I believe the University shall continue to uphold its values of academic excellence and transparency, ethical superiority and meritocracy and a dedication to serve the motherland with quality education and character building of its youth” he added.
After the formal ceremony, students celebrated their achievement with enthusiasm and fun-filled activities.