Karachi, Pakistan, 19 January 2026 – The Aga Khan University (AKU) celebrated the achievements of 461 graduates from 18 degree programmes at its 38th convocation on Saturday, while formally installing Princess Zahra Aga Khan as the University’s first Pro-Chancellor. In this role, Princess Zahra will guide AKU in its continuing efforts to shape leaders and professionals who contribute to society and improve quality of life.

In a special video message, His Highness the Aga Khan, AKU’s Chancellor, congratulated the graduating class across the University’s campuses in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also spoke of the power and potential of education to respond to global challenges and uplift humanity.

“Never before have we known so much about nature and humanity,” he said. “Never before have the tools of scholarship and science been so powerful – from gene editing to artificial intelligence, and from climate science to data-driven innovation. This moment therefore places upon the Aga Khan University and its graduates both an extraordinary responsibility and an extraordinary opportunity: to create, to disseminate and to apply knowledge in ways that improve the quality of human life.” Watch the video | Read the message

This year saw the graduation of the first cohort from the Institute for Educational Development’s Bachelor of Education programme. The programme offers a rigorous blend of academic and field-based learning that prepares graduates to teach effectively in diverse school contexts.

“The University’s geographic expansion has seen AKU’s presence expand across Pakistan, into more cities and villages than ever before,” said AKU’s Pro-Chancellor, Princess Zahra Aga Khan. “From Karachi to Matiari, from Lahore to Gilgit, the University’s healthcare professionals, educators and researchers are part of the fabric of people’s lives.” Read Princess Zahra’s speech

AKU continues to address Pakistan’s critical development challenges through a commitment to access and excellence. With nearly 70 percent of the graduating class being women, the University is actively addressing the gender gap in a country where millions of girls remain out of school.

Valedictorian Muhammad Taha Nasim thanked AKU’s faculty, noting how they challenged graduates to “reach our highest standards while teaching us that excellence without empathy is empty.” Read Muhammad’s speech

AKU’s graduates are filling important workforce gaps. For example, in a country with a nurse-to-population ratio of just 5.2 per 10,000, AKU alumni now hold high-level leadership positions in approximately 80 schools of nursing and midwifery.

In 2025, AKU secured more than $100 million in research funding, a sign that leading global institutions hold its research capabilities in high regard. Across AKU, 27 faculty members were ranked among the top two percent of scientists globally in a well-known study conducted by a researcher at Stanford University.

“Pakistan’s young people are inclusive, comfortable across faiths and perspectives, and aware that a divided society cannot meet shared challenges. Digitally fluent, they see technology not as disruption but as opportunity – to expand knowledge, build skills and apply learning in practical ways,” noted Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President of AKU. Read Dr Sulaiman’s speech

To ensure talented students with limited financial means are able to attend, the University provides financial assistance to a large portion of its student body. In the last academic year, it provided assistance to 72 percent of students across all classes and programmes in Pakistan.

Princess Zahra concluded her remarks at the ceremony by expressing confidence in the graduates: “We know that you will lead with conviction and compassion [and] work with others in pursuit of a shared purpose as you continue your journey that you began here.”