Grand Alumni Reunion Celebrating 25 Years
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AKU-NAMA Aga Khan University Newsletter and Magazine for Alumni Summer 2009, Vol. 2, Issue 1 Grand Alumni Reunion Celebrating 25 years Editor-in-Chief Adeel A Butt [email protected] Editorial Staff Shain Amershi, Executive Assistant [email protected] Associate Editors Faiz Bhora, Medical College North American Chapter [email protected] Rahila Zakir, Medical College European Chapter [email protected] Tazeen Jafar Pakistan Chapter [email protected] Umer Darr Pakistan Chapter [email protected] Rubina Barolia, School of Nursing [email protected] Erum Kabani, School of Nursning [email protected] Nadim Farooqui, Institute for Educational Development Alumni representatives of the different AKU entities engaged the general alumni [email protected] body at a session which focused on a new Alumni Association Constitution. Nilufar Shariff, Advanced Nursing Studies, AKU/Fahim Siddiqi East Africa [email protected] Belkais Rouached Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations No Room for Complacency ............... ...............................3 [email protected] Marie Andrades, Postgraduate Medical Education Welcome Home ...................................................................4 [email protected] Ex-Officio Members In the Name of Service .......................................................5 Firoz Rasul, President [email protected] You Can Come Back to AKU! ...........................................6 Asif Fancy and A. Haque Wahedna Alumni Affairs Office Assessing Our Impact ........................................................8 [email protected] [email protected] An ACT Well Performed ...................................................9 Deans and Directors Farhat Abbas, Interim Dean, Medical College Reflections .........................................................................10 [email protected] Rozina Karmaliani, Interim Dean, School of Nursing Combining Academics and Philanthropy ......................12 [email protected] Muhammad Memon, Director ISMC: An Inaugural Graduation ...................................14 Institute for Educational Development [email protected] i q Championing Change ......................................................15 Richard Ganga Limando, Director di id Advanced Nursing Studies, East Africa mS The Fruits of Scholarship ................................................16 [email protected] Fahi John Hough, Head of Administration U/ Campus Happenings ........................................................17 Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations AK [email protected] s: to ho Class Notes ........................................................................19 Mumtaz J. Khan rp Associate Dean, Postgraduate Medical ve Education Co NRMP Match Results ......................................................21 [email protected] The views and opinions expressed in this publication are of the individual authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the editorial board or the Aga Khan University. Twenty-five years is a long time in University has truly become a a person’s life. In leader in higher learning. A anthropologic/anthropometric terms Faculty of Arts and Sciences AKU-NAMA Aga Khan University Newsletter and Magazine for Alumni it is considered one generation. will open its doors in near Winter 2008, Vol. 1, Issue 2 However, 25 year is a mere blip in future to provide critical liber- the life of an institution. The Aga al arts education in Pakistan Khan University celebrated its 25- and East Africa, the first of its year anniversary in 2008, a mile- kind in the region. stone that brought much pride and Self congratulations at our satisfaction at what we have achievements as a University achieved, but also would be a realisation and “The alumni need to take well understanding of deserved. the challenges a more active role in the Within the ahead. The affairs of the University first 25 University now has to ensure that the years, the campuses or pro- Faculty of grammes in eight achievements of the past Health countries spread are not merely that – Sciences, over three conti- the nents. With the achievements of the past, University’s addition of but become a baseline first faculty, Institute for has created Educational from where we reach out a near para- Development in to an even brighter digm shift locally learnt in a manner that will further Karachi and Dar es future.’’ and globally. The enhance the prestige of the Salaam, the name ‘AKU’ has University. The alumni also need to Advanced Nursing become synony- take a more active role in the Studies programme in East Africa mous with high quality merit based affairs of the University to ensure and the Institute for the Study of education. The University has that the achievements of the past Muslim Civilisations in London, the earned a reputation not only in are not merely that – achievements Pakistan and other countries which of the past, but become a baseline host its programmes and campuses, from where we reach out to an but beyond those borders in North even brighter future. During the America and Europe. Indeed the Grand Alumni Reunion, the name ‘AKU’ elicits respect and University and the administration admiration from the most presti- made it clear that they are looking gious institutions in the world for help and direction from the where alumni apply for training and alumni. It is now up to us to faculty positions. respond to that call. Complacency Therein rings a warning bell. is not an option, for it can lead to Laurels of the past must not make contentment with the status quo. us complacent. The University And that can lead to a loss of scien- needs to continue to adhere to the tific inquiry, a lack of ambition and highest standards in education and a loss of what has been gained with ethics. The alumni need to be ever so much hard work. vigilant to continue to apply the The ball is in our court. Let us knowledge and values they have play it wisely. 3 Months of work behind the scenes by the Grand Alumni Reunion committee culminated in a week of events. It was an enormous success, even though before it started, no one really knew what to expect, what was going to happen or what impact it would have. Let me take you through the inaugural session from where I was sitting… and highlighted the One of the factors which has first-class arrange- contributed to AKU’s success has ments AKU had put been its unremitting commitment to in place for alumni, the quality of its product – its gradu- from corporate hos- ates. The University is known in pitality to childcare. many places not for its campus, hos- Dr Yasmin Amarsi, pitals or patient care, but for the former Dean, School excellence of its alumni. of Nursing (SON), Whether the University reflects spoke of the 7,800 the quality of its graduate, or the alumni from the graduate reflects the quality of the University, including University, what is important is a SON and the reciprocal sense of ownership Institute for between the two. Whatever the Educational University gives its graduates is Dr Cheves Smythe AKU/Fahim Siddiqi Development (IED) valuable, and as alumni develop graduates from East their careers and roles in society, it Following the Tilawat recited by Mr Africa, who assist, support, mentor is in their interests to maintain a Manzoor Hussain Changezi, MEd and act as role models for new grad- relationship with AKU. ’00, Dr Tazeen Jafar, Chair of the uates of the University, and of the He maintained that the alumni Grand Alumni Reunion committee, partnership between AKU and its own – own in the truest sense of the welcomed alumni, reminding us of alumni. Dr Mohammad Khurshid, word – a big portion of the pro- AKU’s achievements over the last former Dean, Medical College, grammes at AKU, and have a 25 years – the University now has encouraged alumni to play a part in responsibility for the quality of those programmes in eight countries and the future direction of the programmes. He illustrated this thousands of alumni worldwide con- University. He stressed that we have through an experience at Yale in the tributing to the fields of science, to make our voices heard – that we, early 1960s, when a change of lead- education, health care and social the alumni, can contribute to ership brought an unfamiliar series development at both national and moving the University forward. Dr of values and practices. “…not the international levels. Muhammed Memon, Director, IED, least of the problems at that particu- She was followed by Mr Asif highlighted the achievements of lar juncture of that university’s histo- Fancy, Director-General, Resource IED graduates, and spoke with ry was the faculty’s role in this Development and Public Affairs, pride of the role of IED alumni in unwinding of affairs. It was the who declared that his true claim to building bridges between AKU alumni who I’ll say revolted and fame was that he was father of an and other sectors. who said things are not going well, AKU alumna, which drew a warm Dr Cheves Smythe, Founding the programme has to be reversed, round of applause from the audi- Dean, Medical College, spoke about some old values have to be reassert- ence. We all know that Asif worked the role of an alumni association. It ed. And I use that as an example to tirelessly to facilitate the GAR, and is an organisation not just for social say where the hand of the alumni to coordinate from the central alum- interaction or fundraising for the was very important and what ni office in Pakistan. Mr Abdul Haq university, but rather a source of evolved in that University, and it has Wahedna (Haqqi), who many of us new direction and leadership essen- done well since. So you all do own know as the face of the Alumni tial to ensure that an institution does the place, it is yours. It is proud of Office, introduced the week’s events not stagnate. you and, I hope, you are proud of it.” 4 Alumni from the School of Nursing and the Institute for Educational Development celebrating AKU’s anniversary by serving over 4,000 people in different parts of Karachi.