KUCHING – As their family and friends applaud, more than 700 Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus students stepped onto the stage when their names were called to receive their scrolls at the university’s graduation ceremony, today (27 October).
Chief Minister of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Adenan Bin Haji Satem, who is also the Pro Chancellor of the university, and Swinburne Chancellor Graham Goldsmith presented the parchments to the graduating students at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.
The students, who comprised Malaysian and international students, have completed diploma, undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs in the field of business, computing, design, engineering, and science.
The ceremony also witnessed the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree on the State Secretary of Sarawak Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Mohamad Morshidi Bin Abdul Ghani in recognition for his contribution to Sarawak’s civil service, economic development and education.
Morshidi, who is also chairman of the Swinburne Sarawak board of directors and university council, was bestowed with an honorary Doctorate of University.
Yayasan Sarawak awards were presented to two Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management) graduates: the Anugerah Graduan Cemerlang to Adeline Liaw Sing May, and the Anugerah Galakan Bumiputera to Siti Aishah Maulad Jainudin who was also the valedictorian of the ceremony.
The CPA Australia Book Prize Award went to Bachelor of Business (Accounting) graduate Wong King Yeng, while the ACCA Academic Excellence in Auditing was awarded to Bachelor of Business (Management) graduate Foo Wai Yan.
Bachelor of Business (Management) graduate Loh Winzhi took the KPMG Academic Excellence in Taxation award.
The Ernst & Young’s Best Graduate Award winner was Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) graduate Christina Chin Mei Chuin.
Bachelor of Business (Accounting and Finance) graduate Sarah Yeo Kai Syuen bagged the Crowe Horwath Best Graduate Award.
Three Gorges Development Company’s (Malaysia) Best Graduate Award went to Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) graduate Lee Siaw Hong, while Bachelor of Business (Management) graduate Sharon Thian Hui Ying was MIDF’s Best Graduate Award winner.
Afifa Hanifa Binti Arba’eni @ Arbaen, who graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing), took Pansar Company Sdn Bhd’s Best Graduate Award.
NAIM Holdings Berhad named Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) graduate Jong Siaw Chian as its Best Graduate.
The Sarawak Energy Berhad’s Best Graduate Award went to Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) graduate Ling Ting Yang.
Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd’s Best Graduate for the Bachelor of Information and Communication graduate was Allen Wong Ha Siong, while its Best Graduate Award for the Bachelor of Computer Science was Churchill Lee Chang Chean.
Today’s graduation ceremony was the 12th for Swinburne Sarawak since its establishment in 2000. The Australian university in Kuching offers a range of courses in business, design, engineering, computing and science from foundation, degree to postgraduate studies.
Its parchment is awarded by its home campus in Melbourne. In the past few years, tracer studies show that more than 90 per cent of Swinburne Sarawak graduates have found employment within six months of graduating.
The university, currently headed by Deputy Vice-Chancellor and CEO Professor Janet Gregory, has a student population of 4,000. International students hail from 63 countries.