Aga Khan University Chancellor Urges Graduates to Improve Human Life

NAIROBI, February 14, 2026: His Highness the Aga Khan, Chancellor of the Aga Khan University (AKU), today urged the Class of 2025 to harness the “extraordinary opportunity” of modern knowledge to address global challenges. He emphasized that education is the most powerful tool for changing lives and societies. Presided over by AKU Pro-Chancellor, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, the ceremony saw 134 graduates receive degrees in medicine, nursing, midwifery, journalism, and media leadership. These professionals join a global alumni network of over 22,000 leaders across 59 countries. AKU was also deeply honoured to welcome to the Convocation Prince Amyn Aga Khan, who plays a central role in the Aga Khan Development Network, overseeing agencies focused on social governance and economic development. In his address, the Chancellor described education as an “enduring conviction” that sits at the heart of the Aga Khan Development Network. "When we educate an individual, we do not merely confer a personal asset that can never be taken away; we set in motion a powerful ripple effect that extends to families and communities," His Highness stated. He noted that with tools ranging from artificial intelligence to climate science, the graduates bear a unique responsibility to apply knowledge in ways that improve the quality of human life. The event also highlighted the University’s growing impact in Kenya. Vice Chancellor Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin noted that five Kenyan faculty members were ranked among the top two percent of scientists globally. Some are working with more than two dozen public hospitals in Kenya to improve care for newborn babies and conducting one of the largest studies of aging in sub-Saharan Africa. “Kenya’s future will not be shaped by policies and capital alone,” said Dr Shahabuddin. “It will be shaped by professionals like you – the Class of 2025 – who embody integrity, competence, and humility in the vital work of serving the public good.” Awards were conferred to faculty and students who have demonstrated exceptional impact and scholarship. Chowoo Willy from the Graduate School of Media and Communications received the Global Student Award for Impact and Innovation and Monicah Njeru Macharia from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa received the Academic Excellence Award in Nursing. “We are entering spaces where we can influence policy, redefine leadership, and contribute meaningfully to our respective industries of health, education, media and communications,” said Doreen Wainaina, Valedictorian, Class of 2025. “The true measure of opportunity is not what it gives us, but what we choose to give back as a result of it.” On Friday, His Excellency President William Ruto conferred on Princess Zahra Aga Khan the honor of the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart, one of Kenya’s highest distinctions, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the country's development and public service.