KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus recently bid farewell to Professor Ken Heskin, its outgoing Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive.
Heskin, who took over the helm at the branch campus in early 2012, has completed his term and will be returning to Australia.
Taking over from Heskin is Professor Anthony Cahalan who reported for duty on 21 January.
Heskin first came to Kuching in January 2000 to help with the setting up of what was then Swinburne Sarawak Institute of Technology and was its first CEO and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
He left in 2002 but returned to Kuching early last year to head the University here once more.
“It’s been a real pleasure this year to renew old friendships and make new ones here at Swinburne Sarawak,” Heskin said in his speech at the gathering which was attended by staff and members of the Board of Directors of the University.
Saying that there is much Swinburne Sarawak staff can achieve as a team in the future, he referred to some of the accomplishments of the past year.
“We had the Schools reconstituted as Faculties, Heads of Schools became Deans, and Associate Heads of Schools became Associate Deans, reflecting the progress that the staff here have made in bringing Swinburne Sarawak to its current size, complexity and maturity,” he said.
“We held the biggest single graduation ceremony in Swinburne’s history (including Melbourne), and we graduated Swinburne Sarawak’s first two PhDs,” Heskin said, adding that the university’s undergraduate and postgraduate students had also distinguished themselves in national and international competitions and conferences.
The year also saw Swinburne Sarawak retain its Tier 5 (Excellent) rating in the Malaysian Qualifications Agency’s 2011 Rating System for Higher Education Institutions (SETARA ’11), and the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud opened the Swinburne Sarawak Research Centre for Sustainable Technologies in December.
The University received its first major private donation in 2012 including RM100,000 to support research and a further RM150,000 to support student scholarships.
“I could mention a lot more about the progress we made in 2012 but this is enough to make my point. And my point is – that we were able to pull together as a team and do great things against all the odds. That is a lesson for the future.”
“So keep up the good work. Swinburne Sarawak ‘Boleh’,” Heskin said, adding that he and his wife Sue regard Kuching as their second home and will visit the city whenever the opportunity arises.
