Villa College has celebrated the graduation of 1,488 students this year, marking a milestone in its role as a key higher education provider in the Maldives. The ceremonies, held across six sessions at the Villa College QI Campus, showcased the institution’s continued contribution to developing skilled professionals across diverse fields.
Of the graduating cohort, 843 students, or 58 percent, completed programmes developed by Villa College, while 645 students, representing 41 percent, graduated from programmes delivered in partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Women formed the majority of this year’s graduating class, making up 70 percent of graduates.
The graduates are now poised to enter critical sectors such as education, health sciences, law and shari’ah, business, information technology, engineering, and accounting and finance. This year’s event also highlighted the first cohorts from several new programmes, including the Bachelor of Teaching in Chemistry and Biology, Bachelor of Aviation Management, Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, and Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering. Additionally, the Master of Counselling and Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture and Design saw their first graduates.
The ceremonies were attended by senior government officials and partners, including Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works Adam Shareef Umar, Minister of State for Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development Ahmed Shafeeu, and Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim. The UWE Bristol session featured the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Steve West, who underlined the strength of the partnership with Villa College and welcomed the graduates into UWE’s global alumni network of over 300,000 members.
Villa College Rector Dr Ahmed Anwar reminded graduates of their responsibility to contribute positively to society, while Vice Rector Dr Ali Najeeb noted a 10 percent increase in the number of graduates compared to last year. He also highlighted that many Villa College students continue their academic journey at the institution, with 21 percent of graduates returning for a Master’s degree within a year, and over 30 percent of foundation students enrolling in degree programmes.
Since its establishment in 2009, Villa College has graduated 24,173 students, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s leading higher education institutions.
