Eastern University VC speaks at South African University Convocation
Professor Dr Farid Ahmad Sobhani, Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University, delivered a keynote address as an invited speaker at the graduation ceremony of Sol Plaatje University, a prominent South African public institution.
The ceremony occurred on 17 April 2026 at the university's auditorium in Kimberley, often called the Diamond City of South Africa.
Notable attendees included Chancellor Dr Thebe Ikalafeng, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Debra Meyer, faculty, and both local and international dignitaries.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Degrees were conferred on around 1,500 students from diverse faculties at this year's convocation.
In his remarks, Professor Sobhani expressed heartfelt gratitude to university leaders for the invitation and recognition.
Addressing the graduates, he encouraged them to embrace their responsibilities to family, alma mater, and society, and to showcase their talents globally.
He urged students to find inspiration in Nobel Peace Prize winner and former South African president Nelson Mandela, recalling Mandela's landmark 1997 visit to Bangladesh.
He exhorted graduates to remain steadfast in their pursuit of truth, oppose injustice, and champion justice.
The invitation of a Bangladeshi vice-chancellor as keynote speaker at a preeminent South African university's graduation is a notable honour for both Eastern University and Bangladesh.
Such international distinction is uncommon in Bangladesh's higher education sector and, according to the university, has elevated the country's global standing.
