The High Commissioner of Kenya to Malaysia His Excellency Francis Ndegwa Muhoro called on UTAR Kampar Campus on 07 August 2019. He was accompanied by the Head of Chancery of the Kenya High Commission Kuala Lumpur Dorcas Rukunga.
Group photo of His Excellency Francis Ndegwa Muhoro (middle), Head of Chancery Dorcas Rukunga (fifth from left), Prof Chuah (seventh from right), Deans and Deputy Deans of faculties with Kenyan students
Receiving the ambassador on his maiden visit to Kampar Campus was UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik. Also present were the Dean of Faculty of Information and Communication Technology Assoc Prof Ts Dr Liew Soung Yue, Dean of Faculty of Science Assoc Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng, Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Science Dr Lee Lai Meng, Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training of Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology Dr Tan Kok Tat and Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes of Faculty of Business and Finance Dr Lau Lin Sea.
Introducing UTAR as a young and not-for-profit private university offering over 110 programmes, Prof Chuah highlighted UTAR’s partnerships with some of the East African universities, especially in Kenya and Tanzania. He explained that the partnerships focused in the areas of science, technology, engineering and management that were essentials to advance progress in a developing continent like Africa. He also applauded the benevolent act of Tana River Life Foundation, a charitable non-governmental organisation set up by a Malaysian named Gabriel Teo in Kenya to assist the marginalised Kenyans through education and acquisition of livelihood skills. “To date, UTAR has graduated a total of 10 Kenyan students from Tana River Life Foundation and a new batch comprising 10 more Kenyan students will come in next year. Additionally, UTAR also had inked a partnership with the Institute of Finance Management (IFM) from Tanzania in the year of 2013. Since then, we have been engaging in many collaborative activities such as visits by faculty members, student exchange, and IFM staff attending training and postgraduate programmes at UTAR. To date, a total of seven graduates from Tanzania had graduated and they are mainly specialised in Accounting and Finance,” said Prof Chuah.
During his discussion, Prof Chuah also emphasised on the importance of cultural intelligence in today’s globalised world and explained how it could help a student gain a competitive edge in whatever cultural context they are in. He also urged the international students to recognise the advantages of living in Malaysia, as people living in this multicultural environment have been equipped with the capabilities to converse in different languages and the abilities to embrace different cultures.” Prof Chuah enthused that UTAR will be pleased to work together and collaborate with Kenya and other African economies.
Impressed by UTAR’s rapid growth in a short span of 17 years, Francis Ndegwa Muhoro expressed his keenness to learn about UTAR and its partnerships, and how the Kenya High Commission Kuala Lumpur may help to facilitate the collaboration process with Kenya and other African organisations. He said, “I am very impressed with the achievements gained by UTAR within a span of 17 years. UTAR is indeed a prominent university in Malaysia and in fact, Kenyan and African universities and organisations are very open to collaborating with others and are keen on intensifying collaborations in the areas of education.” He added, “We really wish to collaborate and to engage even more with UTAR in promoting international exchange programmes involving staff and students.”
The visit has been fruitful and discussions were about areas of possible cooperation, sharing of expertise such as staff and student exchange programme, visits, study tours and seminars among others.
Also present at the discussions were UTAR international students from Kenya, namely Batheif Abdallah Ali Abdalla, Aluwiya Salim AL Hamed, Mulandi Cindy Nduku, Solomon William Gwiyo and Evans Abaganda Haron.
His Excellency Francis Ndegwa Muhoro (left) and Prof Chuah sharing a light moment during their discussion
Prof Chuah (right) presenting a souvenir to His Excellency Francis Ndegwa Muhoro
From left: Batheif Abdallah Ali Abdalla, Aluwiya Salim AL Hamed, Mulandi Cindy Nduku, His Excellency Francis Ndegwa Muhoro, Solomon William Gwiyo, Evans Abaganda Haron and Dorcas Rukunga
His Excellency Francis Ndegwa Muhoro and Dorcas Rukunga accompanied by Prof Chuah, visiting the bronze sculptures of Confucius and Einstein
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