LAHORE-The University of Lahore (UOL) conferred degrees upon 10,227 students on Thursday during the 13th convocation at the Main Defence Road Campus. Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman (Patron, UOL) and Awais Raoof (Chairman BOG, UOL) graced the convocation ceremony as the chief guests and distributed medals and degrees among the graduating students.
On this occasion, the governor awarded degrees to 10,227 students, including PhDs (78), Masters (608), M.Phils (2,887), and Bachelors (6,654) from 11 various faculties. Out of 708, 275 students received gold medals, 235 silver medals, and 198 bronze medals from the patron for their distinctive positions. Mansoor Qadir (Provincial Minister for Higher and School Education Punjab), Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf (Rector, UOL), and Uzair Raoof (Deputy Chairman, BoG, UOL), members of the Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, pro-rectors, deans, directors, HoDs, and members of the faculty also attended the event.
Addressing the convocation, Baligh Ur Rehman congratulated the graduates and their parents and wished them a bright future. He also praised the University of Lahore for serving the nation and the country in the field of higher education. “Today, this campus alone boasts hosting 40,000 plus students, 40 plus departments, and 11 faculties. M. A. Raoof has given this country a great educational institution that has become a source of pride for Pakistan,” he added. Shedding light on key achievements of the university, Dr. Muhammad Ashraf maintained that approximately 70,000 graduates among 209 PhD scholars have been passed out in various disciplines during the 23-year journey of academic progress. “The UOL was founded in 1999 and was granted full degree-awarding status in 2002.
The state-of-the-art facilities capable of offering innovative and quality training in a conducive and highly developed learning environment have significantly contributed to its current status as the largest private sector university in Pakistan,” he added.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chairman BoG said that the University of Lahore has been ranked 59th among the Top Universities of Southern Asia by the QS University Rankings and among the top 281-290 universities in Asia due to the quality of education. “This is a huge step toward your future, and I can’t wait to see what becomes of it. I hope you’ll all come back, visit campus, and share your news and hard-won wisdom with the other students,” he said while congratulating the graduated students.
“Traditionally, societies are divided between majorities and minorities. But we open our classroom doors to everyone to equalize force. We are also reducing xenophobia and discrimination in this society by opening our doors to international students from Palestine, Iran, Uganda, The Gambia, Afghanistan, and twenty other countries,” he mentioned.