First Geshema Nuns

"Twenty Tibetan Buddhist nuns became the first in the history of Tibetan Buddhism to receive the Geshema degree, the highest academic title in Tibetan Buddhism. The degree was conferred by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the nuns at a ceremony held at Drepung monastery in Mundgod, South India. The conferment of Geshema degree to Tibetan Buddhist nuns was a longstanding aspiration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and reflects a historic milestone, as the degree was awarded only to male monks earlier.

At the conferment ceremony, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke about the immense contribution of education towards gender equality in the world. His Holiness also emphasised the need for secular ethics to make modern education more holistic.

“Through the power of education, women have been able to rise up to prominent roles including leadership in various societies.  Education has played a big role in the advancement of gender equality and material development. However, when you think about secular ethics like compassion, modern education is still not sufficient,” His Holiness said.

“Science tells us that women are biologically more compassionate. Education should instill compassion. We should focus on secular ethics.  The world needs a uniform outlook at compassion and women are innately inclined to instill compassion,” His Holiness remarked...

Geshema or Geshe when awarded to male monks, is comparable to a doctorate in philosophy. The degree is conferred after at least 21 years of rigorous study of the five main Buddhist texts, combined with a regular session of prayers and recitations.

“I am extremely happy and proud to be one of the first Geshema degree holders in history. I am grateful to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for making it possible for us to attain this degree on this historic occasion,” Namdol Phunstok, a nun from Kopan nunnery, Nepal, and one of the twenty nuns who received the degree, remarked after the ceremony."

- http://tibet.net/2016/12/his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-awards-historic-geshema-degree-to-tibetan-buddhist-nuns/