Villa College's 2026 graduation ceremony opened on Wednesday with three sessions for graduates of the college's own programmes. A total of 1,237 students are graduating this year across the two-day ceremony at Villa College's QI Campus. On the first day, degrees were conferred on students who completed their studies at the college's faculties and schools.

The first session was dedicated to graduates of the Faculty of Educational Studies. The second session conferred degrees on graduates of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and the Qasim Ibrahim School of Business, while the third session celebrated graduates of the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Centre for Postgraduate Studies, the Faculty of Shariah and Law, and the School of Psychology and Counselling.

According to this year's figures, 60 percent of the graduates completed Villa College's own programmes. The remaining graduates, from programmes Villa College offers in partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE), United Kingdom, will receive their degrees on the second day of the ceremony on 1 October 2026. Women make up 70 percent of this year's graduates.

This year's graduation also marked several milestones for higher education in the Maldives. For the first time, students in the Maldives graduated from the Master of Engineering in its Electrical, Mechanical and Mechatronics specialisations. The first cohorts also graduated this year from the Master of Organisational Psychology, the Bachelor of Pharmacy, and the Master of Teaching in Inclusive and Special Education, evidence that the opportunities to earn a higher education without leaving the Maldives continue to grow.

Government ministers graced each of the sessions. The chief guest at the first session was the Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon. Heena Waleed. The second session was graced by the Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources, Hon. Ahmed Shiyam, and the chief guest at the third session was the Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, Hon. Geela Ali.

Speaking at the first session, Minister Heena Waleed said that ceremonies at which young Maldivians graduate in fields important to the country bring joy to the whole nation. Noting that a nation's life depends on how far it produces scholarly and intellectual minds, she said the greatest responsibility for keeping the nation grounded in innovative and intellectual thinking lies with the teachers who nurture and educate its children.

The Minister said the purpose of acquiring knowledge is not simply to secure a job, as knowledge brings light to the human heart. When educated people go out into society, she said, people look not only at what they know but also at their academic integrity and character, and she reminded the graduates that the future of the Maldives lies in their hands.

Speaking at the second session, Minister Ahmed Shiyam said the vision of a fully developed Maldives can only be realised by training Maldivians in the key fields the country needs for its development. He praised Villa College's work in identifying the fields that matter for national development and providing quality higher education and training in them.

The Minister said the biggest challenge facing the Maldives is the absence, or small number, of Maldivians in senior positions in key industries, and he called on the graduates to rise to the top of their fields. He also stressed the importance of prioritising environmental protection and sustainable practices, as the Maldives is an environmentally fragile island nation.

Speaking at the third session, Minister Geela Ali said Villa College has for years been training professionals across many health disciplines needed to serve Maldivians, and that many of those now working in the country's hospitals and health centres completed at least one stage of their higher education at Villa College.

She noted that Villa College has produced more than 2,000 graduates for the health sector and has made major investments in modern teaching facilities. She urged graduates in fields such as nursing and pharmacy to uphold professional ethics at all times and to continue in national service with sincerity and dedication.

Addressing the graduates, Villa College Rector Dr. Ahmed Anwar said the ceremony was not merely a celebration of completing studies, but a recognition of what the graduates have achieved and of the hard work and determination behind it.

“What we celebrate in this hall today is the achievement of the hard work you, our graduates, have put in over these past months or years, while also carrying family duties and the responsibilities of your jobs,” the Rector said.

The Rector added that the graduates embody their families' hopes and the courage and sacrifice it took to pursue knowledge. Noting that Villa College is a centre that trains capable people for industry, he advised every graduate, at a time when the world is advancing at an unprecedented pace, to be an honest Maldivian, steadfast in the Islamic faith and respectful of Maldivian culture.

In his address, Villa College Vice Rector Associate Professor Dr. Ali Najeeb announced that, with this year's graduates, the total number of Villa College graduates has passed 27,000. Describing them as a strong network spread across the Maldives and beyond, he said the numbers show that the vision of Villa College's founder, Honourable Dr. Qasim Ibrahim, to provide Maldivians with quality education in their own country is becoming a reality.

Highlighting Villa College's international achievements, the Vice Rector said that, of all the universities, colleges and institutes in the Maldives, Villa College is the only one to hold a QS Five Star rating. In the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, Villa College moved up from the 401–600 band last year to the 301–400 band this year. Dr. Najeeb noted with pride that Villa College is among the world's top 100 institutions for Quality Education (SDG 4).

He also noted that Villa College was selected last year as a host university for the Association of Commonwealth Universities' King's Commonwealth Fellowship and Graduate Pathway, the only institution in the Maldives to be given this opportunity.

“The purpose of all of this is to add value to the certificate you receive today, and to earn trust in that certificate,” the Vice Rector said. “A Villa College graduate will be different. You will show that difference.”

The Vice Rector also highlighted two initiatives introduced this year: the Graduate Impact Semester, which gives graduates the opportunity to make a practical contribution to society and industry, and the Graduate Learning Profile, which records, alongside academic achievement, the experiences and activities students gain outside the classroom.

Speaking at the third session, Dr. Najeeb also outlined new programmes planned for the future:

• Law: policing, criminology, criminal investigation, and the CLTP programme, which paves the way for students to obtain a licence to practise law in the Maldives.

• Health: nursing specialisations, physiotherapy, speech therapy, laboratory science, and a Master of Clinical Pharmacy.

• Psychology: master's specialisations in forensic psychology and health psychology, and a social work programme.

Speaking on behalf of the graduates were Fathmath Shereleen (Master of Education in Teaching) at the first session, Mohamed Zidhan Hassan (Master of Engineering – Mechanical) at the second, and Mohamed Fazeen (Bachelor of Pharmacy) at the third.