The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sindh Professor Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbati distributed NEST scholarship cheques worth Rs 4.45 million among 85 students of the Institute of Art & Design during a ceremony held on Friday.

The ceremony held at the Senate Hall of the VC Secretariat, where the Vice-Chancellor gave away the cheques to the eligible students if the Institute of Art & Design.

This distribution marks a significant step in advancing creative and technology-integrated education. 

The NEST initiative, originally offering only 40 scholarship slots up to the year 2023, has expanded its reach in 2024 by adding 35 new slots—raising the total number of beneficiaries to 85. Importantly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been included this year as a new area of academic focus within the program, reflecting a strategic alignment with evolving educational and industry needs.

According to official data provided by the Students’ Financial Aid Office of the University of Sindh, the year-wise scholarship distribution sows that in 2021, ten students received a collective amount of Rs. 519,000; in 2022, forty students were awarded a total of Rs. 2,144,000; in 2023, twenty students benefitted from a disbursement of Rs. 906,800; and in 2024, fifteen students received Rs. 835,500 under the NEST program.

Addressing the gathering, Professor Dr. Khoumbati commended NEST for its continued support in cultivating young talent across diverse disciplines. He emphasized that the expansion of the scholarship program not only signifies a deep commitment to creativity but also demonstrates responsiveness to the growing demands of technology-driven design and innovation sectors.

The students and faculty members expressed their sincere gratitude to NEST and the university administration for their persistent efforts in promoting higher education in the creative and emerging technological fields.

Also in attendance at the ceremony were Pro-Vice Chancellor of Sindh University Main Campus Professor Dr. Abdul Sattar Shah, Registrar Professor Dr. Mushtaque Ali Jariko, Director of the Institute of Art & Design Professor Saeed Ahmed Mangi, Mr. Qamar Nangraj, Mr. Abdul Rafay Memon, and other distinguished faculty and administrative staff.