2,843 graduates all set to take on the world

Photo: Courtesy from Sin Chew Daily Perak 

Jubilant graduates at the UTAR 29th Convocation ceremony

It was a jubilant occasion for 2,843 graduates of UTAR when they received their respective postgraduate and undergraduate degrees at UTAR’s 29th Convocation. The graduates celebrated their academic achievement together with dignitaries, lecturers and staff from UTAR at Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik in Kampar Campus from 16 to 18 August 2019. The graduation ceremony was a three-day celebration of the graduands' perseverance, determination and their dedication to the ideals of UTAR. 

Graduands marching their way to Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik

A total of 2,843 (Session 1 – 699; Session 2 – 694; Session 3 – 722; Session 4 – 728) graduands from 97 programmes comprising 66 Bachelor (Hons) degree, 22 Master’s degree and nine PhD programmes, received their convocation scrolls in four sessions held over the three-day period. Of the 2,843 graduands, 13 received their PhDs, 107 received their Master’s degree and 141 received their Hons degree with Distinction, while the rest received their Bachelor Hons with Merit and Bachelor Hons degree. 

Tan Sri Ting declaring the opening of Session One and Two of the Convocation

Prof Chuah declaring the opening of Session Three and Four of the Convocation

 UTAR Registrar Yim Lin Heng leading the Chancellor’s procession

The Session One and Two of the Convocation were declared open by UTAR Council Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Ting Chew Peh; Session Three and Four were declared open by UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik. Also present at the ceremony were UTAR Chancellor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and other UTAR Council and Boards of Trustees members.   

Clockwise from top left: Chu, Ooi, Tan Sri Sak and Dato’ Paduka Keizrul

The guests of honour for the four sessions of the Convocation were Co-Founder/President & CEO of ViTrox Corporation Berhad Chu Jenn Weng for Session One, Certified Public Accountant and Director of Genting Berhad and British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad Eric Ooi Lip Aun for Session Two, Chairperson of Council of Wetlands International Malaysia & former Director General of Department of Irrigation & Drainage Malaysia Dato’ Paduka Ir (Dr) Hj Keizrul bin Abdullah for Session Three, and Chairman of Board of Trustees of UTAR Education Foundation Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Sak Cheng Lum for Session Four. The scroll presenters for Session One were UTAR Council Members Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn and Datuk Lim Si Cheng; Session Two were Tan Sri Ting and UTAR Board of Trustees and Council Member Datuk Lee Leck Cheng; Session Three were UTAR Board of Trustees and Council Member Datuk (Dr) Oh Chong Peng and UTAR Council Member Hew Fen Yee; and Session Four were Tan Sri Sak and Hew. 

Tan Sri Fong (right) presenting the scroll to Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Sciences) graduate Choong Pei Feng

Datuk Lim (left) presenting the scroll to Banking and Finance graduate Wong Kar Horn 

Tan Sri Ting (right) presenting the scroll to Business Administration graduate Cheah Khai Yeen

Datuk Lee (left) presenting the scroll to Materials and Manufacturing Engineering graduate Lee Jin Sheng

In his convocation address, Prof Chuah congratulated the graduands and explained to them that the graduation was the culmination of a long and challenging, however, ultimately rewarding journey. He said, “A quality education should be all-encompassing, looking beyond the development of an individual academically. With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is even more critical that students arm themselves with additional skills such as soft skills and life skills in addition to technical know-hows. There has been really a lot of attention on the acquisition of relevant technical skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There has been much focus on digitalisation, AI and Data Science as change agents. However, let us not forget that it is people who are the real drivers - inventors, scientists, researchers, engineers, technicians, managers and more. AI is really just a tool, not a brain. People are the drivers and the brains behind machines. However, people live in communities in different parts of the world and people have cultural differences because of race, religion, location, language and origins. Every community has its own culture and culture shapes our identity and it is really who we are. Therefore, while we focus on acquiring technological knowledge and skills, it is also crucial to have cultural intelligence, which is really the knowledge and understanding of culture and cultural differences, and the ability to relate and work across cultures. For machines to work hand in hand with people all over the world, the connecting link is cultural intelligence that will bond people together.”

Prof Chuah also inspired, “As you move on to your next chapter of life, it is important to keep your passion for learning alive. Strong interpersonal skills are essential for succeeding in today’s workplace.  Interpersonal skills include soft or life skills, emotional intelligence skills, employability skills, and people skills.  They are related to the way you communicate and interact with others.  A research conducted by Stanford Research Institute, Harvard University, and the Carnegie Foundation concludes that 85% of career success is derived from good interpersonal skills while only 15% comes from technical skills and knowledge. Technical skills and knowledge are important to get you your desired jobs. However, it is interpersonal skills that will lead you to advancement in your career and business success.” 

Datuk (Dr) Oh (right) presenting the scroll to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery graduate A. Meighalah 

Hew (left) presenting the scroll to Architecture graduate Chen Bing Wei

Tan Sri Sak (right) presenting the scroll to Financial Economics graduate Yeziel Komora Benedicto

Hew (left) presenting the scroll to Microbiology graduate R. Hemashini

Chu in his speech congratulated the graduands and motivated the graduands with his success stories. He quoted Confucius and described, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. This is exactly what I experienced in my first job. I spent days and nights, and many of my weekends, to learn and develop various machine vision solutions for use in the manufacturing floor, helping the MNC to identify defects automatically using machine vision and helped the company saved millions of dollars over a 4.5 year time. During my employment with the company, I never asked for any salary increment or promotion from my superior, but I always received the highest increment and was promoted to the most senior rank engineer in the company at the age of 26, the youngest specialist engineer ever in the history of the company.” He added, “Dear graduands, my advice to you about your career, is to follow your heart. Try to find a job that you love, not a job that will earn you a high salary, at least at the beginning of your career life.”

Ooi in his speech inspired the graduands by sharing his five golden themes, namely leverage friendships and networks, look at your career as a business, believe in yourself, strong values are important and leverage the power of the team and be a strong leader that graduands need to embark on their next chapter of life. He said, “Lifelong friendships are built during your earlier schooling years, but the best networks are developed in college. There will always be people who are smarter and have more experience than you, so don’t shy away from asking them for assistance or advice. The smartest people are sometimes outside the room. And it’s not a sign of weakness to ask. I do it all the time." He added, “Hard work is a must, but having said that, working smart is just as important. Even if things are going well, continue to invest, create and innovate. Always look for continuous improvement, whether it is the time taken to get something done, to do it a different way, to improve on quality or learning something new. However, if things are not going well despite your best efforts, consider cutting your losses, don’t procrastinate hoping that things will change or get better. That is for dreamers, you cannot afford to dream your life away. Truth be told, there will be disappointments and setbacks. How you handle them will define you.”

Dato’ Paduka Keizrul in his speech enthused, “I had graduated as an Engineer and I thought I knew everything about engineering. How wrong I was! I have now worked in water engineering for over 4 decades: the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. Each year, there are new developments, knowledge, techniques and processes; and it is important that we commit ourselves to life-long learning so as to enable us to stay abreast of all these new development and knowledge in our profession. During our university days, it is impossible for our lecturers to teach us everything about our field of study – there is so much knowledge to acquire, and the knowledge bank keeps increasing every year. We learn the basic principles and we learn how to apply these principles in solving real-life problems. Thus, the first lesson of life is: learning does not stop at graduation. Learning is a life-long process. As we move closer to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, changes will be inevitable and the pace of learning will be faster. We must embrace the culture of lifelong learning or we will risk being left behind while the world moves on.” 

Last but not the least, Tan Sri Sak in his speech congratulated the graduands and motivated them to take pride in their alma mater and always think of it with gratitude. He said, “University is a brand, alumni are its best ambassadors. I believe alumni are amongst the University’s most powerful assets and best brand ambassadors. Alumni have significant work to do in building their alma mater’s brand and it is a unique opportunity to leverage the lifelong brand advocacy for their alma mater." He added, “Dear graduating students, go out with your great potential to advance in your career, keep your learning going as a working professional and always serve as powerful and positive word-of-mouth advocacy for your UTAR brand. Continue to serve as the face of UTAR brand, strengthening its appeal with every passing generation and also help build useful links between the university and the industry.” He also encouraged the alumni to give back to the university which has nurtured them into what they are today. 

From left: Public Relations graduate Shaniera Seliman, Wong, Lim Siew Sin, Computer Engineering graduate Goh Jia Sheng, Tan Sri Ting, Prof Chuah, Master of Engineering Science graduate Vernon Lee Chun Jieh, Chong, Master of Engineering (Electronic Systems) graduate Ng Pei Chai, Finance graduate Christina Lee Shuet Zhen and Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences Dean Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng

From left: Electrical and Electronic Engineering graduate Lee Sheng Kai, Chemical Engineering graduate Aaron Koe Zhen Yao, Lee Jin Sheng, Prof Chuah, Entrepreneurship graduate Irene Cheong Singyee, Design and Multimedia graduate Loh Poh Yee and Cindy Heng

 From left: Chinese studies graduate Samantha Yap Chu Er, Chinese Medicine graduate Tay Ching Sheng, Prof Chuah, Chen Bing Wei, Communications and Networking graduate Yeaw Yuan Hang, Chai Hong and Global Economics graduate Choong Guan-Yi

From left: Agricultural Science graduate Soh Wei Chuen, Yeziel, Financial Economics graduate Chong Zheng Yang, Prof Chuah, English Education graduate Tee Xue Ting, Accounting graduate Kee Muh Shyan, Hemashini and Environmental Engineering graduate Lye Xin Yan

 Siew Sin sharing her memorable experiences with other fellow graduates

Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Public Relations graduate, Lim Siew Sin in her graduation speech said, “Today, as I stand here I am proud to say that I have made a right decision to come to UTAR Kampar. Kampar has certainly become my second home because I have met so many amazing people in Kampar. The learning environment in UTAR is conducive and the people are very helpful which made me feel welcomed. UTAR has provided the students with the well-structured curriculums and equipped us with both soft skills and hard skills. The lessons that I learned in Public Relations programme has given me exposure to event management and enabled me to understand the society. With these skills acquired, I am able to adapt to a fast-pace environment and make my unique contributions back to society. To my friends who are graduating today, we are no longer the leaders of tomorrow but we are the leaders of today. Remember to create a meaningful, purposeful and fulfilling life for yourself and learn how to use that to impact the life of others.”

Cindy Heng thanking her parents, lecturers and friends

Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Hons) graduate, Cindy Heng Xin Yee said, “Every end has a new beginning. Today might be the last day for some of us as students, but I believe our real-life learning actually starts today. UTAR has been truly a second home for me. I have met a lot of people and the journey was indeed a life-changing one. Thank you to the members of the Student Representative Council, thank you to my friends from the Orientation Committee, and thank you to my course mates and lecturers who had accompanied me through my thick and thin throughout my three years in UTAR. Every little experience that I gained from UTAR has been enriching and will remain in my memories forever.” 

Chai Hong thanking her professors for their endless guidance

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) graduate, Lim Chai Hong said, “First, I would like to congratulate all the graduating students. I am constantly grateful to those who were beside me throughout my five years journey as an MBBS student in UTAR. I would like to thank my parents for their constant support, my lecturers for their endless guidance and UTAR for giving us the opportunity to be equipped with the knowledge and practical skills needed for a brighter career in the field of medicine and surgery. Every end has a new beginning. To the graduates from the fifth batch of MBBS and the other courses from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, we finally did it and I would like to wish all of you the very best in your future endeavours. I hope we will all give the best to the society as we start our career in the field of medical and health sciences.”

Yasmin thanking UTAR for giving her the best platform to excel

Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English Language graduate, Nurul Yasmin binti Jal Shazidi said, “This is an exciting moment for all of us. Thank you UTAR for helping us develop the right skills and practical knowledge which have been proven of its use in our work. I would like to thank my family and friends, course mates, lecturers and professors for your unconditional support and guidance in making my journey possible.”

With the addition of 2,843 graduates from this 29th Convocation, the number of the University’s alumni now stands more than 61,600 since its inaugural convocation in 2005. 

A few lovely glimpses of graduates with their parents, families and friends

Mace bearers, clockwise from top left: Food Science student Soo Wee Meng, Public Relations student Sun Weihan, Communications and Networking student Vernon Chean Lynn Chii and Chemistry student Chen, Jiayi

From left: Alumna Rebecca Pang Sing Vun and Biochemistry student Ng Min singing Setia

From left: Rebecca Pang and Public Relations student Veronica Pang Syn Ni singing Dream it Possible

 From left: Rebecca Pang and Psychology graduate Xaviera Yih singing BFF 

Setia by Phoebe Yap Soong Yee, Yeo Yun Xuan, Tan Yung Sin, Then Sin Yee, Sherene Lau Siu Wei, Chew Kelven, Lim Zhi Ying and Wong Yoke Sum

The Climb by Rebecca Pang (left) and Statistical Computing and Operations Research student Tan Chong Eng

朋友 (Peng You) by Alumna Teo Jeng Yee, Biotechnology graduand Ong Yee Yang, Computer Science student Huang SongJiang and Ng Min

Setia by Wynnie Voon Hui Yin, Kau Hui San, Caleb Benedict Miranda, Lau Yong Ching and Ronald Ong Jun Jia 

How Far I'll Go by Rebecca Pang (left) and Ng Min 

Setia by Chemistry graduate Lim Vi Xuen, Teo and Ong

第三个心愿 (Di San Ge Xing Yuan) by Teo and Ong

 Chinese Orchestra performance

A mellifluous UTAR Philharmonic Orchestra performance 

Click below to view the videos of UTAR 29th Convocation.

UTAR 2019 August Convocation Session 1

UTAR 2019 August Convocation Session 2

UTAR 2019 August Convocation Session 3

UTAR 2019 August Convocation Session 4