ADMIRAL NOMAN BASHIR NI(M), CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF AND PRO-CHANCELLOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY, FACULTY MEMBERS, GRADUATING STUDENTS, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

                                            IT IS MY PROFOUND PLEASURE AND HONOUR TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO 6TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS KARACHI. I AM PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF ADMIRAL NOMAN BASHIR FOR HIS KIND GESTURE FOR SPARING HIS TIME TO GRACE THIS OCCASION AS CHIEF GUEST.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

365 STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY SHALL BE CONFERRED DEGREES IN TODAY’S CONVOCATION IN VARIOUS ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES INCLUDING BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, COMPUTER ENGINEERING, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING AND TELECOMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING.

MY DEAR GRADUATING STUDENTS, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON CONFERMENT OF DEGREES WHICH YOU HAVE EARNED AFTER GOING THROUGH YEARS OF RIGOROUS ACADEMIC TOIL. BUT THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING AS SIR WILLIAM HALEY, A GREAT ENGLISH WRITER SAID AND I QUOTE “EDUCATION WOULD BE SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IF ITS PURPOSE WERE TO ENSURE THAT BY THE TIME THEY LEAVE SCHOOL EVERY BOY AND GIRL SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH THEY DON’T KNOW, AND BE IMBUED WITH A LIFELONG DESIRE TO KNOW IT.” UN-QUOTE.

WE AT BAHRIA UNIVERSITY HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO PROVIDE YOU NECESSARY INSTITUTIONAL TOOLS, SOME FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCTING SCHOLASTIC ENQUIRY, SOME TRAINING FOR YOUR COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS AND ABOVE ALL THE GUIDANCE TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN LIFE. IN FACT IT ALL MUST SEETHE IN YOUR CHARACTER AND GIVE YOU A SENSE OF DIRECTION. BUT THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS FOR THE SUCCESS AND YOU WILL HAVE TO FACE THE CHALLENGES BOLDLY AT EVERY STEP GOING UP THE LADDER. NEVER LOOSE HEART ON FAILURES AND NEVER LOOSE SIGHT OF THE GOALS YOU HAVE SET FOR YOURSELF.

YOUR POSITIVE AND PARTICIPATIVE ATTITUDE, SUPERIOR EFFICIENCY IN THE WORK PLACE WOULD REFLECT ON YOU AND YOUR ALMA-MATER. TRY TO BRING GOOD NAME FOR YOURSELF, YOUR PARENTS AND BAHRIA UNIVERSITY BY YOUR WORTHY CONDUCT, HONOURABLE AND FAIR DEALINGS, SMART TURN OUT, COMMITMENT TO YOUR JOB, LOYALTY TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AND RESPECT TO YOUR SENIORS AND SUBORDINATES. NEVER FORGET THE SMALL VIRTUES AND MORALS THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT IN LIFE, APPLY THEM YOU WILL GET THE BEST REWARD. I AM CONFIDENT YOU POSSESS ALL THE INGREDIENTS TO COMPETE WITH BEST OF THE WORLD. MAINTAIN YOUR CONFIDENCE AND REMAIN ABREAST WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN YOUR PROFESSION. DO LOOK BACK TO BAHRIA UNIVERSITY WHENEVER YOU NEED OUR SUPPORT. YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND US FORTHCOMING AND SUPPORTIVE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HIGHER EDUCATION IS NOW ACCEPTED AS ENGINE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, THE WORLD OVER. THE UNIVERSITIES HAVE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF PRODUCING QUALITY GRADUATES WHO COULD CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY IN VARIED FIELDS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH OF THE COUNTRY. OUR VISION IS TO PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THE NATIONAL AS WELL AS GLOBAL MARKET, MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION.

WE HAVE THEREFORE GONE IN A BIG WAY FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ACADEMIC INFRASTRUCTURE, FACULTY DEVELOPMENT, REVISION OF CURRICULUM AND INTRODUCTION OF ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES. NUMBER OF INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR TRAINING AND GROOMING OF STUDENTS. THESE INCLUDE REGULAR GUEST LECTURES ON CURRENT ISSUES BY EMINENT SCHOLARS AND PROFESSIONALS, EXPOSURE OF STUDENTS TO INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS AND ACADEMIC VISITS TO LOCAL INDUSTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS BESIDE PROVIDING THEM AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF GROOMING THROUGH HOST OF EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS OUR STUDENTS VISITED NUMBER OF BRITISH UNIVERSITIES AND ALSO PARTICIPATED TWICE IN MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY, USA. TWENTY FIVE STUDENTS OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY ARE PROCEEDING THIS YEAR TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY ON 09 FEBRUARY 2010 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCE BEING HELD THERE. FIFTEEN STUDENTS SHALL BE VISITING BRITISH UNIVERSITIES FROM 27 JANUARY TO 08 FEBRUARY 2010.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

MULTI-DISCIPLINED GROWTH OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY AND INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDENTS POPULATION HAS NECESSITATED RAPID EXPANSION IN EXISTING FACILITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY. WE ARE THANKFUL TO PAKISTAN NAVY FOR PROVIDING US LAND AT KARACHI AND ISLAMABAD FOR FUTURE EXPANSION. FOR THIS I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PRO-CHANCELLOR ADMIRAL NOMAN BASHIR FOR HIS PERSONAL INTEREST IN THE GROWTH OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY. ESTABLISHMENT OF BAHRIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL AND DENTAL COLLEGE WITH PN HOSPITAL PNS SHIFA AS ITS TEACHING HOSPITAL IS IN-FACT A DREAM COME TRUE ONLY BECAUSE OF HIS VISION AND KIND PATRONAGE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITH THANKS THE FUNDING SUPPORT WE ARE RECEIVING FROM HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES OF THE UNIVERSITY.

FINALLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KIND PRESENCE WITH US THIS MORNING, WHICH HAS MADE THIS EVENT SO SIGNIFICANT AND COLORFUL. IN THE END I ONCE AGAIN WISH OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS BEST OF SUCCESS IN THEIR FUTURE CAREERS AND LIFE. MAY ALLAH BE WITH YOU.

I THANK YOU ALL.