NBS holds third convocation

Degrees awarded to 221 graduating students from BBA sessions of 2004, 2005 and 2006.

ISLAMABAD: With the sources of funding for faculty development drying out and reduced support for higher education, one has to make alternative arrangements for the education sector, said Rector National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Engineer Muhammad Asghar.

He was addressing the third convocation of NUST Business School (NBS) at the University Campus on Saturday.

During the ceremony, degrees were awarded to 221 graduating students from the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) sessions of 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Ahmad Khan (BBA-2004), Lala Rukh Syed (BBA-2004), Shazil Pervaiz (BBA-2005) and Fatima Zehra (BBA-2006), were declared winners of the President’s Gold Medal.

In light of the country’s initial 50 years of independence, NUST Rector highlighted the consequences of ignoring higher education.

Similarly while commenting on the current state of higher education in Pakistan he made his case by quoting an example from the US.  He said when President of Harvard University was told that they were spending too much money on education, he had replied, “If you want to know the value of education, try ignorance.”

“His audience was sensible, so they did not experiment with ignorance and so are other leaders of the world today,” the rector said.

“We have not only tried ignorance, but are badly stuck in it and are facing its consequences,” he added.

Referring to a Gallup survey, he said that the total enrolment in Pakistan stood at 36 million students, out of which 0.8 million were enrolled for higher education.

The survey concluded that most of the educational responsibility had been outsourced by the government of Pakistan.

While discussing the salient features and milestones of NUST and NBS, the rector said that the total student population at NUST today was 11,000 as compared to 4418 in 2002. Yearly intake had been increased from 1,400 in 2002 to 3,595 in 2010 with 202 PhD students and 927 faculty members.

Dr Ashfaque Khan, Director General and Dean NBS advised the graduating students to implement the high values and standards given to them by their institute.

He said students were required to play a greater role in the economic growth of the country. “The recessionary situation after a decade long economic boom across the country demands a more active role from fresh business graduates,” he said.

He said that almost 30 million people lost their jobs due to the global recession across the world. “This has toughened competition in the job market. Students need to foster entrepreneurial spirit and should not be afraid of taking risks,” he said.

Fatima Zehra, student of BBA, who achieved a gold medal, said that her achievement was due to her hard work, dedication of teachers and guidance of
her parents.

Fatima said she would continue to work with the same commitment and dedication. “After completing my studies, I want to become a social entrepreneur,” she said.

Commenting on the educational environment of her institution, she said that it was one of the best institutes with qualified faculty and modern facilities “despite being a young institute.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2010.