Curtin University graduates should be proud to be graduating from a university that is recognised as being among the top two per cent in the world, a university which has progressed more rapidly in major international rankings than any other Australian institutions in recent years.

Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University, Professor Deborah Terry said this when addressing graduating classes of 2015 from the Faculty of Business and Humanities and Faculty of Engineering and Science of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) here recently.

Curtin Sarawak, she said, is Curtin University’s largest international campus offering courses and degrees identical to those of its Australian parent. It further provides an undifferentiated student learning experience and strong student learning support mechanisms.

Professor Terry added that Curtin University’s recent achievements have been many, among which are Australian federal government approval of the Curtin Medical School; launch of Cisco’s Internet of Everything Innovation Centre which is only the eighth of such centre in the world; membership of edX the prestigious global consortium of universities established by Harvard and MIT to deliver online courses to students all over the world; and major new partnerships to enhance students and research opportunities with Hockey Malaysia and Jimmy Choo.

She commended Curtin Sarawak for some of its recent achievements, such as the establishment of the Curtin Sarawak Graduate School to advance postgraduate education; being the first foreign branch campus to host the National Engineering Symposium and the first institution in Malaysia to host the Global Communication Project involving 15 universities worldwide; and the establishment of strategic partnerships with the National Sports Institute, Sarawak Energy and the Sarawak Agriculture Department.

She went on to say that Curtin has benefited hugely not only from the reputation and profile of Curtin Sarawak but also from the achievements of its graduates like communication graduates Keeshaanan Sundaresan and Renee Loretta Foong, and mechanical engineering graduate Chukuwuma Menakaya and chemical engineering graduates Lee Ren Jie, Lim Shih Chiang, Sam Tze Mun and Loo Ying Ting.

Keeshaanan has been active in the world of sports writing since 2011 and is now chief editor of the sports news website FourthOfficial.com while Foong is a newscaster for Radio Television Malaysia.

Chukuwuma now works in New York where he is a global affairs researcher for the Peace Island Institute and the United Nations, while Lee, Lim, Sam and Loo were winners of the international Honeywell UniSim Design Challenge, a first for a Malaysian team.

Commenting on Curtin’s role in Malaysia, Professor Terry said she was very proud that the university’s mission to produce graduates of global calibre aligns closely with the country’s aspirations to build a skilled and educated workforce.

She added that in Sarawak, its courses, research and campus community work help to build the social and economic fabric of the state, including helping to meet the manpower and technical requirements of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

Professor Terry said graduates who make their way out of university life are joining nearly 210,000 Curtin graduates from over 165 countries in Curtin’s diverse alumni network.

Separate graduation ceremonies were held for the two faculties. The ceremony for the Faculty of Business and Humanities saw the graduation of 249 students with degrees in arts, business administration and commerce, and 31 postgraduate students with degrees in policy sciences, project management and Internet communications.

A further 228 students of the Faculty of Engineering and Science graduated with degrees in engineering, science and technology, and six postgraduate students with MPhil and PhD degrees in chemical, electrical and computer, and mechanical engineering.

Others present at both graduation ceremonies were Curtin University Acting Chancellor Sue Wilson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Seth Kunin, Curtin Sarawak Pro-Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan, and Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski.

Also present were chairman of Curtin Sarawak Management Board Datuk Lee Kim Shin; Chairman of Curtin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd, Datu Dr. Hatta Solhi and members of the Curtin Sarawak Council, Board of Directors and Management Board.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Jacqueline Raphael

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