KUCHING, April 23: It was a day to remember for 246 graduates of Swinburne University of Technology (Swinburne) Sarawak when they received their parchments during their graduation ceremony at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here this morning.
The occasion was graced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also Swinburne’s Pro Chancellor, who presented the graduates with their Bachelors and Masters scrolls, alongside Swinburne’s presiding officer Andrew Dix representing the University’s Chancellor Graham Goldsmith.
A total of 105 undergraduate students graduated with a Bachelor of Business (Accounting, Accounting and Finance, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Management, and Marketing); nine with a Bachelor of Design (Multimedia Design); 11 with a Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology; 11 with a Bachelor of Computer Science; eight with a Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology); and 86 with a 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 were 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 comprised 202 local students while the rest were international students from Bangladesh, lndia, 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 said he was honoured and humbled to be chosen as the student speaker as it was 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,” he said.
Swinburne University of Technology is one of Australia’s top universities based in Melbourne with an international branch campus here in Kuching.
The Kuching city campus, surrounded by many public and commercial amenities, was launched in the year 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 was rated 5-star for the fourth consecutive time last year by the Ministry of Higher Education’s SETARA ranking. — DayakDaily
