Villa College has held the "Student Achievement Award" ceremony, meant for students who achieve top marks in their various programs.
54 students were presented with the award this year. University of the West of England Vice Chancellor Professor Steven West, college senior management, faculty leaders, senior representatives of 29 Maldivian industry partners, graduates and parents took part in the ceremony.
Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef attended as the guest of honor. While giving a speech, he said that Villa College has been achieving success in various sectors that Maldivians should be proud of. He also said that Villa College founder Qasim Ibrahim made great sacrifices for the citizens of Maldives, and is a national service hero.
The Vice President stated that while the approximately 27,000 graduates from Villa College are serving across Maldives, the college being an institute for Maldivians in Maldives is a great source of pride for the college and for the country.
During the ceremony, Villa College Rector Dr. Ahmed Anwar highlighted that graduates achieved this success while tending to both their familial and professional responsibilities, and that Villa College is proud to have helped the graduates reach their goal and having aided them in showing the way.
During the ceremony, Vice Rector and Associate Professor Dr. Ali Najeeb said that 29 famous business companies, associations, professional bodies and foundations issue industry prizes for students who are presented with the College Medal.
Najeeb went on to say the previously mentioned parties taking part in the college's efforts greatly symbolizes the professional relationship they have with important industry figures, and that it shows the industry has complete trust in those who graduate from the college's programs and those who make their way to the job market.
Additionally, students having achieved high marks in University of the West of England programs is proof they are proceeding at the same quality as students studying from Bristol, United Kingdom, said Najeeb, and continued by saying that of the students who achieved these results worth being proud of, it includes many students who were studying while upholding their professional and familial responsibilities.
While speaking on the college's vision during the ceremony, Dr. Najeeb said the college always prioritizes building graduates who are absolutely prepared for the obstacles they will face in the future. He highlighted that Villa College has completed the final stage of the International Accreditation process from the United Kingdom's Quality Assurance Agency (QAA UK) and that they are the only academic institution in Maldives that has been given a 5-star rating from the QS Stars Rating System.
He also highlighted two new programs from the college, the "Graduate Impact Semester", a program that facilitates an environment where beneficial acts for society and industries on the efforts of Villa College graduates, and the "Graduate Learning Profile", a program that highlights academic capabilities, and the activities and experiences students take part in outside of the classroom.
36 students achieved the Qasim Ibrahim Award for Excellence for scoring the highest marks from the programs they studied while meeting the requirements set by the college during this year's ceremony. Students who place first in each batch receive the College Medal and Industry Prize, with 53 students receiving them. While all of the students who receive the Qasim Ibrahim Award for Excellence got the College Medal, and along with the student who received the Special Academic Performance Recognition award, the success of a total 54 students were celebrated.
Graduates from Villa College receive their most esteemed award, the Qasim Ibrahim Award for Excellence, by getting First Class or Distinction, the highest CGPA from the program they studied or by scoring the highest average marks. The College Medal and Industry Prize, which began being awarded in 2019 in collaboration with industry leaders, is given to students from each batch who achieve First Class, Distinction or the highest grade. Additionally, the Special Academic Performance Recognition is a Certificate of Achievement from the college in recognizing the achievement of scoring the highest marks in Maldives within international examinations.
This is an award ceremony series that has been held since 2021, and is the sixth year it has been held.
