Now in your hometown: Couldn’t attend your graduation in the UK? No problem
British Council holds delayed convocation for some 200 students.
The Pakistani students who graduated from UK universities but were unable to attend their convocations do not need to feel bad. The British High Commission is making it happen for them in Islamabad, according to a statement released by the commission.
A number of students had earlier expressed disappointment over missing their graduation ceremonies.
The ceremony on Monday, first of the three-day series, honoured over 200 of the Pakistani graduates of UK universities to encourage more students to study in the UK. Alumni from UK universities got a chance to celebrate their academic achievements with their loved ones, while receiving certificates of achievement from the British Deputy High Commissioner, Allison Blake.
To assist alumni in networking with one another, the British Council established the British Alumni Association of Pakistan (BAAP) with four provincial chapters and smaller sub-chapters across the country.
British Council Country Director David Martin encouraged graduates to join their local chapters.
The event marks for the first time the academic achievements of Pakistani UK graduates and similar events will be held in Karachi and Lahore later this month. The ceremony will include a panel of distinguished guest speakers including nuclear physicist Dr Samar Mubarkmand, journalist Dr Moeed Pirzada and politician Shah Mehmood Qureishi.
Each year, the British Council administers a variety of scholarships including Chevening and Commonwealth and fellowships, like the Charles Wallace Fellowship. These help local students to gain academic qualifications to help in making productive contributions on their return. PPI
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2012.