AKU Medical College Graduates

AKU School of Nursing Graduates

AKU Institute for Educational Development Graduates

Alumni are defined as "graduates of the University programmes of Education and Training of at least one year leading to a certificate, diploma or degree." Aga Khan University (AKU) in Pakistan and East Africa includes graduates of:

• Medical College including Masters in Health Policy Management, Epidemiology and Biostatistics programmes and Postgraduate Medical Education;
• School of Nursing;
• Institute for Educational Development including individuals who have completed at least a one year certificate from AKU-IED or the Centre of English Language.

Background and Structure
His Highness the Aga Khan, Chancellor Aga Khan University (AKU) and AKU Board of Trustees endorsed the suggestions in 1989 that AKU Alumni Association be formed so that the University could keep track of its alumni especially those who left for USA/UK/Europe for postgraduate training, and to record the career pathways of the returning alumni. Hence, AKU Alumni Association came into being in 1993.

The Alumni Association consists of the North American Chapter in USA and the European Chapter in UK with its base and Central Office at the Karachi Campus. As the number of alumni continued to grow and surpassed the total number of students on roll, the 'Alumni Affairs' was separated from the'student Affairs' and a senior member of the faculty, Professor Amir Ali Shoro, was appointed Director Alumni Affairs in July 1994, in addition to his duties as Chairman Anatomy Department, and served in that role until his retirement in 2002. A Central Executive Committee consisting of representatives from various sections of the University alumni looks over the affairs of the AKU Alumni Association.

The Alumni Association operates as a charitable, benevolent and philanthropic institution and does not operate for profit or pecuniary gain.

Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of AKU Alumni Association is to encourage alumni to maintain links with the University and with each other, in order:

• To promote more effectively the welfare and interests of the University and its alumni.
• To support the University's aims and objectives and uphold its reputation as ambassadors of the University.
• To establish mutually beneficial relationship between the University and its alumni and to bind the alumni more closely together.
• To assist in developing financial and other resources for the University and the Alumni Association.
• To support the development of University services through advice, consultancy, assistance with recruitment of students and faculty or any other means.
• To develop linkages for mutual benefit (such as research) with other professional alumni bodies.

Alumni Reunions
Alumni reunions at the national level have been held in Karachi (near the convocation time) and of the North American Chapter in USA as part of the Annual Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) meetings. There are also periodic reunions of the European Chapter in UK, which are held in London. These reunions have proved to be of great success in maintaining links between alumni and the Alma Mater, as well as with each other and with the faculty who make every effort to join the alumni at such reunions. The President of the University, some members of the Board of Trustees, Deans of AKU-MC and AKU-SON, Director of AKU-IED and the Director General Resource Development and Public Affairs (or his representative) also attend and address the alumni at these reunions.

Alumni Contributions
Senior alumni have made important contributions to the Alumni Endowment Fund and to the Alma Mater Fund. The first graduating class of 1988 had donated the much-needed books/medical journals to the AKU Library, as part of their 'Decade' celebrations. The second graduating class of 1989 is contributing $35,000 in the next few years. The money collected will go towards assistance with repayment of student loans of those alumni who are in Pakistan and cannot afford to pay back their loan amount owed to the institution.

The Medical College representatives of the Central Executive Committee of the Alumni Association organises annual Career Counselling seminars for the fourth and final year medical students, interns and residents. This is done to help guide our students, interns and residents in choosing the most appropriate field suitable to them. It has proved to be very popular and useful.

The overseas alumni, when visiting AKU, deliver lectures in their field of specialty. A number of Medical College and School of Nursing alumni have delivered such lectures or have provided assistance with training procedures at the University. Such participation by alumni is very beneficial and is greatly encouraged.

Alumni Association Membership Benefits
The Alumni Affairs office processes membership to AKU Alumni Association and helps provide the following services:

• Facilitating transcript issuance/verification for alumni based in Pakistan or abroad who have taken up new jobs/positions.
• Providing Library/LRC identification cards to alumni who wish to use this facility at AKU.
• Verification of Alumni Association membership for the use of AKU Sports and Rehabilitation Centre.
• Processing invitations for special alumni seating at AKU Convocations.
• Alumni Association members are eligible to purchase internet hours from AKUNET.
• Facility to make purchases at the BASIC Shop.