Throughout history, higher education has played a crucial role in fostering tolerance, driving innovation, and transforming communities, both within Pakistan and globally. Its impact extends beyond personal growth, contributing to stronger economies, healthier nations, and a better world.
Despite the recent economic challenges faced by Pakistan and the world at large, the importance of higher education remains unwavering. Individuals fortunate enough to receive a quality university education recognize its ability to empower them, provide independence, and open doors to new horizons. In essence, education acts as a key that unlocks the world, offering opportunities, success, and freedom.
For nearly 160 years, Forman Christian College, A Chartered University (FCCU), has been committed to these ideals, with the additional objective of making higher education accessible to individuals from all social, economic, and religious backgrounds.
In this context, FCCU’s financial aid programs play a vital role, offering financial assistance to deserving students while fostering a vibrant and diverse campus community in Pakistan. This assistance often provides students with the opportunity to pursue higher education that would otherwise be out of reach. Beyond attending classes and earning degrees, these students gain access to internships, research opportunities, and various student societies. Through hands-on experiences, they develop skills and shape their personalities, preparing them for lifelong success.
In recent years, Pakistan has faced significant challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, devastating floods, political uncertainty, and economic upheaval. In response, immediate relief efforts were undertaken, including targeted fundraising initiatives to assist affected students and their families. Simultaneously, Forman has worked diligently to expand the funding pool available for deserving students through its general scholarship fund.
These efforts have yielded positive results. For instance, during the 2021-2022 academic year, Forman provided scholarships worth PKR 241 million to nearly 2,000 students. Similarly, in the current academic year (2022-2023), Forman has allocated PKR 329 million in scholarship funding across all levels, including Intermediate, Undergraduate, and Post-Graduate programs.
Support for these scholarship programs comes from various sources, driven by the interest, generosity, and dedication of numerous donors. Examples include contributions to the general Scholarship Endowment Fund, the establishment of Named Scholarships in honor of loved ones, Zakat donations, particularly during Ramadan, and individual contributions with specific beneficiary communities in mind, such as women or minorities.
With the resources gathered through these initiatives, the aim is to ensure that academically qualified applicants can pursue a Forman education, regardless of their family’s economic circumstances, which may sometimes appear challenging or impossible. The collective dedication of “Friends of Forman” worldwide, including alumni, faculty, staff, foundations, philanthropists, and corporate responsibility programs, enables the existence of these financial aid programs.
In summary, FCCU is dedicated to providing multiple pathways to success, ensuring that students from economically disadvantaged families have the opportunity to receive an education at one of Pakistan’s most esteemed institutions of higher learning. As in the past, we anticipate that this generation of Forman students will join the ranks of over 30,000 alumni, leaving a positive impact on their families, communities, country, and the world at large, all while exemplifying Forman’s enduring motto: “By Love Serve One Another.”
