VIDEO OF AIRPORT ARRIVAL: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... rrival.mp4
VIDEO OF PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN AT AKU: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026-01-16-aku2.mp4
AKU Convocation 2026
AKU Convocation 2026
2026, January 16: Princess Zahra arrived in Karachi for the 2026 AKU Convocation. Mowlana Shah Rahim's message will be shown at the Convocation.
VIDEO OF AIRPORT ARRIVAL: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... rrival.mp4
VIDEO OF PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN AT AKU: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026-01-16-aku2.mp4
VIDEO OF AIRPORT ARRIVAL: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... rrival.mp4
VIDEO OF PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN AT AKU: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026-01-16-aku2.mp4
Re: AKU Convocation 2026
January 17, 2026
4:45 am UK
7:45 am Kenya
8:45 am Dubai
9:45 am Pakistan
10:15 am India
20:45 am Bangladesh
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 
AKU Convocation Pakistan
:
Join us live as we celebrate our Class of 2025.
Watch live at:
www.facebook.com/AKUGlobal
www.youtube.com/@akuglobal
https://livestream.aku.edu/
www.youtube.com/theismaili
https://tv.ismaili/
Learn more: https://www.aku.edu/GlobalConvocation
Opening Show to begin one hour prior
4:45 am UK
7:45 am Kenya
8:45 am Dubai
9:45 am Pakistan
10:15 am India
20:45 am Bangladesh
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 
AKU Convocation Pakistan
: Join us live as we celebrate our Class of 2025.
Watch live at:
www.facebook.com/AKUGlobal www.youtube.com/@akuglobal https://livestream.aku.edu/ www.youtube.com/theismaili https://tv.ismaili/Learn more: https://www.aku.edu/GlobalConvocation
Opening Show to begin one hour prior
Re: AKU Convocation 2026
2026, January 17: Princess Zahra Aga Khan installed as Pro-Chancellor in Karachi at the 2026 AKU Convocation. Mowlana Shah Rahim's message was webcast at the Convocation. Both speeches are linked below.
SPEECH PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... -zahra.mp4
SPEECH PRINCE RAHIM AGA KHAN V: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... ch-ak5.mp4
Full Convocation on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/embed/OwJdP29_6Ds
SPEECH PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... -zahra.mp4
SPEECH PRINCE RAHIM AGA KHAN V: https://ismaili.net/timeline/2026/2026- ... ch-ak5.mp4
Full Convocation on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/embed/OwJdP29_6Ds
Re: AKU Convocation 2026
AKU salutes class of 2025 and installs Princess Zahra as Pro-Chancellor
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
In a special video message, Mawlana Hazar Imam, AKU’s Chancellor, congratulated the graduating class across all the University’s campuses.Photo: AKDN
Princess Zahra is installed as AKU’s first-ever Pro-Chancellor by Chair Zakir Mahmood, a landmark in the history of the University.Photo: AKDN
At the ceremony, President Sulaiman acknowledged the assembled graduands and thanked the University’s faculty, staff, trustees, donors, friends, and well-wishers.Photo: AKDN
In her remarks, Princess Zahra reminisced on her memories of, and involvement with the University, dating back to its founding by Mawlana Shah Karim in 1983.Photo: AKDN
Princess Zahra is installed as AKU’s first-ever Pro-Chancellor by Chair Zakir Mahmood, a landmark in the history of the University.Photo: AKDN
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Pro-Chancellor Princess Zahra on stage with AKU trustees and leaders at Convocation on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Graduands of AKU's Class of 2025 celebrate their achievements at Convocation in Karachi, Pakistan.Photo: AKDN
This morning at the Aga Khan University's Karachi campus, graduands, faculty, and well-wishers convened to celebrate the accomplishments of the University’s Class of 2025. Parallel events were hosted at AKU’s campuses in East Africa.
Speech by Mawlana Hazar Imam https://the.ismaili/speech/speech-by-hi ... onvocation
Speech by Princess Zahra https://the.ismaili/speech/speech-by-pr ... onvocation
In a special video message, Mawlana Hazar Imam, 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.”
At the ceremony, President Sulaiman acknowledged the assembled graduands and thanked the University’s faculty, staff, trustees, donors, friends, and well-wishers. He also spoke of the high honour of formally investing Princess Zahra as AKU’s first-ever Pro-Chancellor, a landmark in the history of the University. The installation was officially performed by Chair Zakir Mahmood, on behalf of Hazar Imam.
“Princess Zahra’s appointment demonstrates His Highness’s deep commitment to the University and strong determination to build on its legacy of impact, quality, relevance, and access,” said President Sulaiman. “AKU is extremely fortunate and honoured.”
The University’s 38th Convocation was an opportunity to recall the ways in which it is fulfilling its mission. This year saw the graduation of the first cohort from the Institute for Educational Development’s Bachelor of Education programme—a rigorous blend of academic and field-based learning that prepares graduates to teach effectively in diverse school contexts.
In 2025, AKU secured more than USD$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 at Stanford University.
To ensure talented students with limited financial means are able to attend and flourish, the University provides financial assistance to a large portion of the student body. In the last academic year, it offered assistance to 72 percent of students across all classes and programmes in Pakistan.
Class Valedictorian Muhammad Taha Nasim looked back on their journey, which began in the shadow of the covid-19 pandemic, and looked forward to the duty of AKU graduates to share their knowledge in areas of need.
“As physicians, nurses, researchers, educators, and other valuable health care professionals,” he said, “we carry with us more than our degree, we carry the responsibility of the Aga Khan University seal. Its circle reflects the breadth of the world we are now called to serve upon. And at its heart lies Nur, the light of knowledge. A reminder that this light of education was never meant to be kept to ourselves, it was meant to illuminate and to serve wherever there is need.”
In her remarks, Princess Zahra reminisced on her memories of, and involvement with the University, dating back to its founding by Mawlana Shah Karim in 1983.
“My AKU journey started when this campus was first conceptualised so I guess I was a little girl. I discussed it very often during family meals and throughout my childhood, and [my father] was so proud, so very proud when the charter was signed.”
Princess Zahra also reflected on the forward progress, geographic expansion, and vital contributions of the University over time, all driven by collective effort. She concluded with a special tribute to graduands, who she called on to lead with conviction and compassion.
“Today, I am reminded of how much the Aga Khan University’s many past achievements—and its future promise—depend on its graduates,” she said. “Our alumni have carried AKU’s name far and wide, strengthening its reputation for excellence. And now, the Class of 2025 stands ready to follow in their footsteps.”
“Our hopes for the University rest in our faith in you. You have learned to seek knowledge actively and creatively, to value pluralism, to serve others with purpose, and to make ethical conduct the foundation of your professional lives.”
“For these reasons, we believe that your aspirations will become realities.”
https://the.ismaili/gb/en/news/aku-salu ... chancellor
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
In a special video message, Mawlana Hazar Imam, AKU’s Chancellor, congratulated the graduating class across all the University’s campuses.Photo: AKDN
Princess Zahra is installed as AKU’s first-ever Pro-Chancellor by Chair Zakir Mahmood, a landmark in the history of the University.Photo: AKDN
At the ceremony, President Sulaiman acknowledged the assembled graduands and thanked the University’s faculty, staff, trustees, donors, friends, and well-wishers.Photo: AKDN
In her remarks, Princess Zahra reminisced on her memories of, and involvement with the University, dating back to its founding by Mawlana Shah Karim in 1983.Photo: AKDN
Princess Zahra is installed as AKU’s first-ever Pro-Chancellor by Chair Zakir Mahmood, a landmark in the history of the University.Photo: AKDN
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Pro-Chancellor Princess Zahra on stage with AKU trustees and leaders at Convocation on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Aga Khan University graduands take part in a procession at the Karachi campus on 17 January 2026.Photo: AKDN
Graduands of AKU's Class of 2025 celebrate their achievements at Convocation in Karachi, Pakistan.Photo: AKDN
This morning at the Aga Khan University's Karachi campus, graduands, faculty, and well-wishers convened to celebrate the accomplishments of the University’s Class of 2025. Parallel events were hosted at AKU’s campuses in East Africa.
Speech by Mawlana Hazar Imam https://the.ismaili/speech/speech-by-hi ... onvocation
Speech by Princess Zahra https://the.ismaili/speech/speech-by-pr ... onvocation
In a special video message, Mawlana Hazar Imam, 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.”
At the ceremony, President Sulaiman acknowledged the assembled graduands and thanked the University’s faculty, staff, trustees, donors, friends, and well-wishers. He also spoke of the high honour of formally investing Princess Zahra as AKU’s first-ever Pro-Chancellor, a landmark in the history of the University. The installation was officially performed by Chair Zakir Mahmood, on behalf of Hazar Imam.
“Princess Zahra’s appointment demonstrates His Highness’s deep commitment to the University and strong determination to build on its legacy of impact, quality, relevance, and access,” said President Sulaiman. “AKU is extremely fortunate and honoured.”
The University’s 38th Convocation was an opportunity to recall the ways in which it is fulfilling its mission. This year saw the graduation of the first cohort from the Institute for Educational Development’s Bachelor of Education programme—a rigorous blend of academic and field-based learning that prepares graduates to teach effectively in diverse school contexts.
In 2025, AKU secured more than USD$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 at Stanford University.
To ensure talented students with limited financial means are able to attend and flourish, the University provides financial assistance to a large portion of the student body. In the last academic year, it offered assistance to 72 percent of students across all classes and programmes in Pakistan.
Class Valedictorian Muhammad Taha Nasim looked back on their journey, which began in the shadow of the covid-19 pandemic, and looked forward to the duty of AKU graduates to share their knowledge in areas of need.
“As physicians, nurses, researchers, educators, and other valuable health care professionals,” he said, “we carry with us more than our degree, we carry the responsibility of the Aga Khan University seal. Its circle reflects the breadth of the world we are now called to serve upon. And at its heart lies Nur, the light of knowledge. A reminder that this light of education was never meant to be kept to ourselves, it was meant to illuminate and to serve wherever there is need.”
In her remarks, Princess Zahra reminisced on her memories of, and involvement with the University, dating back to its founding by Mawlana Shah Karim in 1983.
“My AKU journey started when this campus was first conceptualised so I guess I was a little girl. I discussed it very often during family meals and throughout my childhood, and [my father] was so proud, so very proud when the charter was signed.”
Princess Zahra also reflected on the forward progress, geographic expansion, and vital contributions of the University over time, all driven by collective effort. She concluded with a special tribute to graduands, who she called on to lead with conviction and compassion.
“Today, I am reminded of how much the Aga Khan University’s many past achievements—and its future promise—depend on its graduates,” she said. “Our alumni have carried AKU’s name far and wide, strengthening its reputation for excellence. And now, the Class of 2025 stands ready to follow in their footsteps.”
“Our hopes for the University rest in our faith in you. You have learned to seek knowledge actively and creatively, to value pluralism, to serve others with purpose, and to make ethical conduct the foundation of your professional lives.”
“For these reasons, we believe that your aspirations will become realities.”
https://the.ismaili/gb/en/news/aku-salu ... chancellor
Re: AKU Convocation 2026
https://propakistani.pk/2026/01/19/aga- ... hancellor/
Aga Khan University Graduates Over 400 Students and Installs Princess Zahra Aga Khan as Pro-Chancellor
By Press Release | Published Jan 19, 2026
The Aga Khan University graduated 461 students from 18 degree programmes at its 38th Convocation in Pakistan and formally installed Princess Zahra Aga Khan as the University’s first Pro-Chancellor. As Pro-Chancellor, Princess Zahra will guide AKU in its continuing efforts to improve quality of life.
In his message, AKU’s Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, noted that the Aga Khan University and its graduates carry “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.”
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.
Ad powered by advergic.com
“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 health care professionals, educators, and researchers are part of the fabric of people’s lives.”
The Aga Khan University 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.”
Ad powered by advergic.com
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 USD$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.
Ad powered by advergic.com
To ensure talented students with limited financial means are able to attend AKU, the University provides financial assistance, to a large portion of the student body. In the last academic year, the University provided assistance to 72 percent of students across all classes and programmes in Pakistan.
Noorish Khan, Syeda Tasmiya Mohiuddin, Dr. Hamzah Jehanzeb, and Sara Karim Sadruddin received Best Graduate Awards in their respective undergraduate programmes in Dental Hygiene, Education, Medicine, and Nursing.
Also present at the ceremony was Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Founding President of AKU and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Central Asia, a sister university of AKU within the Aga Khan Development Network.
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The University conferred Awards of Distinction upon several faculty and staff, recognising their sustained contributions to innovation, research and leadership. Professor Emeritus Mushtaq Ahmed received the President’s Medal, one of AKU’s highest honours, in recognition of his extraordinary service as an eminent surgeon and academic leader.
Aga Khan University Graduates Over 400 Students and Installs Princess Zahra Aga Khan as Pro-Chancellor
By Press Release | Published Jan 19, 2026
The Aga Khan University graduated 461 students from 18 degree programmes at its 38th Convocation in Pakistan and formally installed Princess Zahra Aga Khan as the University’s first Pro-Chancellor. As Pro-Chancellor, Princess Zahra will guide AKU in its continuing efforts to improve quality of life.
In his message, AKU’s Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan, noted that the Aga Khan University and its graduates carry “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.”
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.
Ad powered by advergic.com
“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 health care professionals, educators, and researchers are part of the fabric of people’s lives.”
The Aga Khan University 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.”
Ad powered by advergic.com
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 USD$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.
Ad powered by advergic.com
To ensure talented students with limited financial means are able to attend AKU, the University provides financial assistance, to a large portion of the student body. In the last academic year, the University provided assistance to 72 percent of students across all classes and programmes in Pakistan.
Noorish Khan, Syeda Tasmiya Mohiuddin, Dr. Hamzah Jehanzeb, and Sara Karim Sadruddin received Best Graduate Awards in their respective undergraduate programmes in Dental Hygiene, Education, Medicine, and Nursing.
Also present at the ceremony was Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Founding President of AKU and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Central Asia, a sister university of AKU within the Aga Khan Development Network.
Ad powered by advergic.com
The University conferred Awards of Distinction upon several faculty and staff, recognising their sustained contributions to innovation, research and leadership. Professor Emeritus Mushtaq Ahmed received the President’s Medal, one of AKU’s highest honours, in recognition of his extraordinary service as an eminent surgeon and academic leader.