KUCHING – The successful relationship between the campuses of Swinburne University of Technology in Sarawak and Melbourne shows that Malaysia and Australia are good partners in education.
Swinburne Chancellor Graham Goldsmith made this statement at an alumni dinner hosted by the university for its graduates, alumni, family and friends in conjunction with Swinburne Sarawak’s recent graduation ceremony.
“The strength and success of the relationship between our campuses in Melbourne and Sarawak show that Australia and Malaysia make excellent educational partners,” he said.
“Both nations are keenly aware that the provision of high quality education lies at the heart of our ability to bring about the economic and social changes we both see.”
Goldsmith said that Swinburne is delighted to be part of the provision of higher education in Sarawak and the growing student number at the Sarawak campus is testimony to the strong acceptance of the university’s high quality programs in Malaysia.
“Our campus continues to build on its reputation as a university of choice in Southeast Asia.”
Swinburne Sarawak, established in Kuching in 2000, is the university’s only international campus and offers programs identical of those of its home campus in Melbourne.
With 2015 marking the 60th anniversary of Australia’s diplomatic presence in Malaysia, he said it is not surprising that both countries can work together on such important initiatives.
He said Swinburne’s 2020 goals are to provide a high quality, career oriented education; focus on research with tangible impacts on national and social objectives; and engage with the communities they serve.
“We are building bridges through partnerships with industry, our community, and other universities in Australia and internationally to achieve outcomes that benefit our economy and society.”
Swinburne Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Linda Kristjanson said that the university has a strong history of providing quality, career oriented education.
“Our graduates have the skills and knowledge that will help them find success in their careers,” she said, adding that the university aspires for its graduates to achieve great outcomes that have the potential to transform their lives and the lives of others.
“Swinburne graduates are valued for their creativity as well as their ability to innovate and adapt to a variety of situations and circumstances.
“We see education not simply as a form of learning, or the transfer of knowledge and skills from one generation to the next, but as a path to empowering individuals to enter the workforce, build a future and contribute to a nation’s growth and success,” she said.