CHATTOGRAM, Jan 10: The Asian University for Women (AUW) on Saturday conferred honorary doctorate degrees on seven distinguished individuals from home and abroad at its 12th Commencement Ceremony, marking another milestone in the university's mission to expand access to higher education for women across Asia and beyond.
The ceremony, held in the port city, brought together global academic leaders, policymakers, diplomats, journalists, development partners, students, and families to celebrate the achievements of the graduating class.
Those awarded honorary doctorates were: Akie Abe, former First Lady of Japan (Doctor of Humane Letters); Baroness Janet Royall of Blaisdon, Member of the House of Lords, UK, and former Principal of Somerville College, University of Oxford (Doctor of Arts for Leadership and Educational Equity); Dr M Osman Farruk, former Minister of Education, Bangladesh (Doctor of Sciences in Educational Development); Dr Teruo Fujii, President of the University of Tokyo (Doctor of Sciences); Ambassador Ito Naoki, former ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh (Doctor of Sciences); and Matiur Rahman, Editor of Prothom Alo (Doctor of Arts for the Advancement of Peace and Courage in Journalism).
Of the 235 graduates, 152 were from Bangladesh and 51 from Afghanistan. The graduating cohort also included students from India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and Yemen.
AUW Chancellor Cherie Blair, who presided over the ceremony, congratulated the graduates, describing the occasion as "a day of celebration and pride".
AUW Vice-Chancellor Dr Rubana Huq said the graduating class exemplified what makes the university unique.
The Financial Express (FE) was the media partner of the event.
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