UTAR held its 37th Convocation at Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik in UTAR Kampar Campus, Perak, from 18 to 20 August 2023. A total of 2,575 graduands received their convocation scrolls in four sessions held over three days.

They graduated from 105 programmes comprising 70 Bachelor (Honours) degree, 26 Master’s degree and nine PhD programmes. This convocation also celebrated the graduation of the first student cohort for the Master of Engineering (Civil).

Session One and Session Two of the Convocation were declared open by UTAR Chancellor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, and the presentation of the graduands for the conferment of the degrees was read by UTAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees member and Chairman of the UTAR Council Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Ting Chew Peh. Session Three and Session Four were declared open by UTAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Sak Cheng Lum. UTAR President Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat presented his convocation speeches in all four sessions.

The guests of honour for the four sessions of the convocation were Former Deputy Speaker of Parliament in Malaysia Datuk Lim Si Cheng, 8th Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Muhammad bin Ibrahim, President of The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia YB Senator Tan Sri Dato’ Low Kian Chuan, and Chairman of Malakoff Corporation Berhad Academician Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ir Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, FASc.

Also present at the convocation were members of the UTAR Education Foundation (UEF) Board of Trustees Datuk (Dr) Oh Chong Peng, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lee Oi Hian, and Datuk Lee Leck Cheng.

UTAR Hospital Board Chairman and UTAR Council member Ir Academician Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik also attended the convocation together with UTAR Council members Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Chor Chee Heung, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn, Dato’ Ng Wan Peng, and Mr Hew Fen Yee.

Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe, in his convocation speech said that, “A good education helps to shape your ethical and moral compass, develop a growth mindset, and foster empathy and a sense of social responsibility. It prepares you to engage meaningfully in your communities, contribute positively to society, and lead fulfilling lives. Your education really prepares you for the journey of life. Do treasure and respect your family, and your loved ones; live every day with a meaningful purpose.”

Datuk Lim, in his speech, congratulated the graduands and spoke on his personal career experience to exemplify the importance of given opportunities, gratitude and giving back to society. He said, “I must say that I envy you all for having the chance to go through university. During my time, and it is the same for many of my friends and peers, we did not have the opportunity to attain a university degree. Life was hard and we had to work very hard to be successful. In those days, local tertiary education opportunities were very limited. Local private universities were unheard of, and studying abroad was beyond the reach of most people. While I did not get the chance to attend university, I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to utilise my experiences and capabilities to serve the community and contribute back to society. And I owe this to a remarkable man, Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who gave me the opportunity, platform and guidance to perform, excel and help people at the same time. I am truly grateful to him for opening up the opportunity and showing me the path to be involved in serving the community and the nation.” He added, “Similarly, your journey ahead may be filled with opportunities. So, you should be prepared and be ready to seize the opportunities that come your way, and when you are given, you have to do it well sincerely. Be humble, be diligent, be respectful of others, and always be a person of integrity. Always remember to help others in return and share the charitable spirit.”

Tan Sri Muhammad, in his speech, inspired the graduands and said, “From this day onwards, you will embark on a journey of a lifetime, a journey full of crossroads, opportunities and challenges.  A journey that will fulfil your ambition. The transition from college to the workforce may look daunting, but it is also an exciting time of growth and opportunities. It will be the most fulfilling experience you may encounter in a lifetime. It is a time of change and discovery.” He added, “As you begin your career, I encourage you to continuously reinvent yourselves, be flexible and explore opportunities that may not be similar to your earlier expectations. Change. Embrace risks.  Do not be afraid to take risks. With risks, come the affiliated opportunities. Successful people become one because they navigate risks with confidence and purpose. Outstanding and successful people treat mistakes as part of life and a source of learning and growth. The next time mistakes come and visit you, laugh it off. Don’t be too hard on yourself. A mistake is the price of experience. Keep moving. Keep ploughing. Keep moving forward.”

YB Senator Tan Sri Low, in his speech, motivated the graduands by emphasising the golden virtues of resilience, continuous learning and empathy. He enthused, “Resilience, continuous learning and empathy are important core values for us to make a lasting positive contribution to society and positive impact on the people around you. While the skills and knowledge you have gained are valuable assets in your quest for a better career path, it is important that we actively seek out new skills to keep pace with current and future needs so as to remain competitive and relevant. In today’s evolving job landscape and changing industry dynamics, rapid advancements in technology and increasing demands for specialised skills make continuous learning and upskilling more critical than ever. For instance, the rise of automation and artificial intelligence is leaving many traditional jobs at risk and shifting employers’ expectations.” He continued, “In this regard, staying competitive requires dedication and innovation. Learning should be lifelong, not end at graduation. Our graduates need to inspire curiosity, be proactive to new trends and thrive in their careers with critical thinking and adaptable and flexible skills. We have to embrace a growth mindset, continuous learning, a commitment to upskilling by acquiring or improving technical skill set, and gaining advanced knowledge.”

Last but not least, Tan Sri Tajuddin in his speech, congratulated the graduands and enthused, “Today’s graduation is the beginning of your adult life. It is the end of the formal educational journey, from school to university. It is now the beginning of a new phase of your life, a road that will lead to opportunities for your career growth, success and glory. Now that you’ve graduated, remember to continue learning because the world around us is dynamic and changing all the time, including the people, systems and processes. You have to continue to learn and grow as the world around you expands.” He continued, “In this VUCA world, the world is full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity; fear and uncertainty can prevent you from working toward your career goals, especially when you face failures, setbacks, and challenges. Please remember that failure is not about ‘falling down’. Whenever you face a setback, the challenge is to get back on your feet and push on. It is helpful to remain flexible and continue learning to adapt to any changes that may happen. Keep yourself updated and accept new challenges at work to grow and improve your work knowledge and interpersonal skills.”

M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Honours) graduate Muhammad Shafiq 'Izzat Zaruddin, who spoke as the representative of the graduands, said, “Today, as we gather to celebrate our academic achievements, let us take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we have embarked together. Throughout my time at UTAR, I’ve encountered countless learning experiences other than our day-to-day academic lectures and tutorials as I am the only Malay student studying Chinese Medicine at UTAR. I’ve also learned how to grow as a person and equip myself with soft skills. I still remember when I was placed in charge of events on campus, I learnt how to lead my team; how to take the initiative to start a discussion; how to be more rational in making decisions and how to negotiate between both parties for a win-win outcome. Throughout my time on campus, my coursemates and I studied together, and many of them helped and guided me, especially those classes in Chinese, helping me to improve my Chinese language.”

Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science Bachelor of Chemical Engineering with Honours graduate Yong Suh Cia said, “First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the lecturers, family members, and friends who have supported us throughout this incredible journey. Your unwavering support and belief in us, and your endless encouragement and understanding during these challenging times have been truly invaluable to us. These years of studying have been filled with moments that we will cherish forever. From the traditional classroom experiences to the sudden shift towards online learning, we navigated through it all with resilience and determination.”

Faculty of Information and Communication Technology Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours) Communications and Networking graduate Foong Theen Wui said, “Throughout the degree years, the people who influenced me the most are my family members, friends and lecturers and tutors, and I think it is the same for many of you. Our friends and coursemates are our support. We gave each other encouragement and motivation to move forward, and thus we have memorable times together. Our lecturers, tutors and supervisors always did their best to guide and inspire us throughout our academic studies. For this, we are thankful as we went through challenges together to complete the educational objectives during the pandemic. Finally, our family members who have been our backbone and our moral support and who have always been there for us; We thank you for your love, care and guidance all this while.”

Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology Bachelor of Science (Honours) Environmental, Occupational Safety and Health graduate Hang Zhong Yu said, “Fellow graduands, after all our hard work and sleepless nights, we are finally here, attending the ceremony that marks the completion of our academic studies in the university. Unlike previous batches of graduates, we are quite unique since most of us started our degree studies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking back at our freshman year, it was not easy for us to adapt to the new learning environment during the movement control order. The study mode changed from physical to online; we had to take classes with course-mates whom we could not meet in person to mingle, and we faced difficulties in conducting group discussions to complete our assignments. These were some of the challenges we encountered. Fortunately, we were still able to come back and experience campus life in our final year. Meeting our lecturers and tutors, attending their classes face to face, and meeting our course-mates in person gave us the complete experience we needed.”

The UTAR 37th Convocation also featured musical interludes, showcasing special singing performances by UTAR students. Among the student singers who performed were Loy Ka Xing, Gan Yu Nyuk, Chong Jack An, Chen Zi Yi Livia, Tan Shee Yang, Khor Jia Cheng, Foo Hoo Yao, Chee He Wid, Lott Cheng Yew, Siew Wai Poh and Tay Hui Xin.

With the addition of 2,575 graduates from this 37th Convocation, the number of the University’s alumni now stands at more than 82,000 since its inaugural convocation in 2005.