By Hamid Khan Wazir
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The AIOU’s International Collaboration and Exchange Office organized an Award Ceremony for the scholarship recipients under the Scotland Pakistan Scholarship for Young Women and Girls’ at the main campus of the University in Islamabad.
The ceremony was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Professor Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum while the British Council Country Director for Pakistan Amir Ramzan was invited as the Chief Guest.
Deans, Director Regional Services, AIOU Inam Ullah Sheikh, Registrar, Bibi Yasmin, Director Collaboration and Exchange Office, Dr. Zahid Majeed, Sarah Parvez, and Zoha Fatima from British Council, Islamabad also attended the ceremony.
During the ceremony, the British Council awarded scholarships to 19 young women studying in AIOU who are pursuing their education at the Master and MPhil level.
The scholarships were awarded on a merit basis to the most deserving students from the underdeveloped areas of Pakistan. Scholarship certificates and fee cheques were presented by Professor Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum and Amir Ramzan.
The British Council in partnership with the Government of Scotland initiated Scotland Pakistan Scholarship Scheme to promote education for women in Pakistan.
Many AIOU students applied for this scheme which will cover the educational expenses of selected students for two years. However, 37 female students were shortlisted and 19 were awarded scholarships in this ceremony.
While addressing the ceremony, Professor Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum congratulated scholarship awardees and said that awarding scholarships to our students reflects the British Council’s confidence in the academic credibility of the university.
The VC AIOU further suggested that the British Council may award scholarships to the remaining 18 students of AIOU which was generously approved by Amir Ramzan.
The Country Director of the British Council in Pakistan went on to announce the awarding of laptops to selected AIOU scholarship recipients to facilitate access to their work during the pandemic.
Professor Dr. Zia Ul-Qayyum thanked him and said that AIOU has reserved a considerable amount of funds to provide educational facilities to the underprivileged and marginalized segments of society.
