KUCHING – It was a day to remember for 246 graduates of Swinburne University of Technology when they received their parchments at the Sarawak’s campus graduation ceremony held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching yesterday.
The event was attended by the Chief Minister of Sarawak and Pro Chancellor of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus YAB Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, Sarawak State Secretary YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Mohamad Morshidi bin Abdul Ghani, Presiding Officer Mr Andrew Dix representing Swinburne University’s Chancellor Graham Goldsmith and Swinburne University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Linda Kristjanson.
Also present were Swinburne Sarawak’s Council and Board members, Swinburne Sarawak’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Professor John Wilson, and Executive Group and senior management members of the Sarawak campus.
The awards to the graduates were presented by Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari, witnessed by Mr Dix.
A total of 105 undergraduate students graduated from the Bachelor of Business (Accounting, Accounting and Finance, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Management, and Marketing), nine from Bachelor of Design (Multimedia Design), 11 from Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology, 11 from Bachelor of Computer Science, eight from Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology), and 86 from Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical and Electronic, Robotics and Mechatronics, and Robotics and Mechatronics/Computer Science double degree).
Meanwhile, six graduates received their scrolls for the Master of Business Administration (International), two for Master of Construction Management, one for Master of Engineering (Research), and three for Master of Science (Research). The Master of Construction Management graduates are the first cohort to graduate from Swinburne’s Sarawak campus. In addition, three Doctor of Philosophy degrees in engineering and science were also conferred. Swinburne’s Sarawak campus has produced 26 PhD graduates since 2012.
The graduates consist of 202 Malaysians and students from all around the world including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Mauritius, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Oman and Saudi Arabia. For the first time in its graduation history, the event also witnessed students from Lebanon and Tajikistan graduating. At present, Swinburne’s Sarawak campus is home to approximately 4,000 students from 50 countries.
Valedictorian Yusuf Buwanguzi from Uganda who graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) with Honours, was given the honour to deliver the closing speech. Yusuf said he is honoured and humbled to be chosen as the student speaker as it is yet another opportunity for him to represent his fellow students having been part of the Swinburne Sarawak Student Council for the past three years.
“My university journey has enabled me to grow and expand my knowledge, nurture my technical and leadership skills and interact with a vibrant multicultural community. I look forward to gaining more experience as I grow in my career and becoming a leading engineer specialising in computer aided product design and development in future,” remarked Yusuf.
Swinburne University of Technology is one of Australia’s top universities based in Melbourne with an international branch campus in Kuching, Sarawak. The Kuching city-campus, surrounded by many public and commercial amenities, was launched in 2000 and is equipped with modern teaching and learning facilities such as campus-wide high-speed internet access, a 24/7 library, world-class engineering, research and science labs as well as tutorial rooms and computer labs with cutting edge equipment.
Swinburne’s Sarawak campus offers foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate studies in business, engineering, science, information and communication technology (ICT), and design. Providing tertiary education that is uniquely Australian but at 1/3 of the cost of studying in Melbourne, students are able to graduate with degrees that receive worldwide recognition. Both campuses deliver identical programmes and teaching materials, and testamurs are awarded by the Australian campus.
Swinburne’s Sarawak campus is the highest ranking international university in Borneo based on the inaugural Asia-Pacific University Ranking 2017 by Times Higher Education (THE). It is rated 5-star for the fourth consecutive time last year by the Ministry of Higher Education’s SETARA ranking.
For more information about Swinburne’s Sarawak campus, visit the university’s website (www.swinburne.edu.my), Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter page (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).