Curtin Malaysia marking 20th anniversary with largest graduate cohort

Miri – 23 April 2019 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) will be marking a significant milestone as it hands out Curtin University testamurs to 735 graduating students – its largest-ever graduate cohort – at its 2019 graduation ceremonies this Saturday.

This milestone is especially significant as Curtin Malaysia marks its 20th anniversary this month. Its inaugural graduation ceremony in its founding year of 1999 was for its first cohort of foundation students. Its first degree graduation was held in 2002 for its pioneering batch of commerce students.

2002 also saw the graduation of its first cohort of MBA students and the official opening of its permanent campus in Senadin. Curtin Malaysia had been operating at a temporary campus in Riam Road here until then. Meanwhile, in 2003, its first engineering students graduated.

The number of graduates has been growing steadily each year since, and last year, Curtin Malaysia saw the graduation of its second-largest graduate cohort of 682 students.

This year’s graduates will comprise 310 undergraduate and postgraduate students from its Faculty of Business, 39 from the Faculty of Humanities, 380 from the Faculty of Engineering and Science, and six from the Curtin main campus in Perth who have chosen to receive their scrolls in Malaysia.

The graduates will be attending two ceremonies - a combined ceremony for the Faculty of Business and Faculty of Humanities in the morning, and a ceremony for the Faculty of Engineering and Science in the afternoon. Both will be held in the 1,500-capacity event hall at the university’s Recreation and Event Centre.

Attending the ceremonies will be the graduates’ family members and a long list of dignitaries, including Andrew Goledzinowski AM, the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, and a high-level delegation from Curtin Perth comprising Curtin University’s Chancellor Dr. Andrew Crane, Curtin University Council members Vanessa Guthrie and Sue Wilson, Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor International Professor Seth Kunin, and others.

Representing Curtin Malaysia will be Pro-Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam, Curtin Malaysia Council members, Chair of Curtin Malaysia’s Board of Directors Datu Ose Murang, Chair of the Curtin Malaysia Management Board Datuk Lee Kim Shin, and Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski.

305 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Business will be receiving Bachelor of Business Administration degrees, and Bachelor of Commerce degrees with single and double majors in accounting, finance, banking, entrepreneurship, marketing, management, public relations, and tourism and hospitality. Meanwhile, two postgraduate students will receive Master of Philosophy degrees in management and three will receive Doctor of Philosophy degrees in business.

18 students from the Faculty of Humanities will be receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in mass communication while 21 students will be receiving Master of Science degrees in project management.

From the Faculty of Engineering and Science, 358 students will be graduating with Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degrees in chemical, civil and construction, electrical power, electronic and communication, environmental, mechanical and petroleum engineering. 32 students will graduate with Bachelor of Science degrees in applied geology, and nine with Bachelor of Technology degrees in computer systems and networking.

In addition, six postgraduate students will graduate with Master of Engineering Science (Electrical Engineering) degrees, and 10 with Master of Philosophy degrees in petroleum, civil, electronic and computer, mechanical and chemical engineering, and three with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in engineering.

This year’s graduation ceremonies will see one of the highest numbers of postgraduate graduates ever, 48 in total. Curtin Malaysia has produced over 7,000 graduates over the past 20 years, including 47 PhD graduates.

True to Curtin Malaysia’s status as a global campus with a strong international focus, the graduates this year come from countries across the region, including Malaysia, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Myanmar, India, Indonesia, Iran, Maldives, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. They also come from the Middle East and Africa, from countries like Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sudan and Zimbabwe, as well as from Australia and the United States.

The graduation ceremonies will be preceded by Curtin Malaysia’s 20th Anniversary Dinner at a leading hotel here on Friday. It will attended by Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib bin Mahmud, Sarawak Minister of Education Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin anak Jawong, university leaders from Perth and Sarawak, and over 100 invited guests from government and industry.

Following the graduation ceremonies will be the 2019 Curtin Malaysia Awards Ceremony in the evening where high-achieving students will be presented university and industry-sponsored awards for academic excellence, outstanding extracurricular activities and community service. 23 companies and individuals including Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan and Datuk Lee Kim Shin are among the sponsors this year

According to Professor Mienczakowski, while the graduation and awards events are always occasions to celebrate Curtin Malaysia’s achievements, its 20th anniversary this year makes the celebration of its accomplishments over the years all the more significant.

They include an ever increasing number of awards being won academics and students; its continued campus expansion, growth in student and academic staff numbers; the continued enrichment of the student experience through enhancements in facilities and campus life; and new developments in teaching and learning and research.

Curtin Malaysia has also been highly successful in the renewal of the professional accreditation of its courses and its Tier 5 (Excellent) rating in the SETARA rating system for the fourth consecutive time.

The introduction of new learning technologies and spaces in line with Curtin’s transformative learning initiatives, and an expanding regional footprint as Curtin’s largest international campus and global hub in Asia through strategic partnerships and collaborations, have also been key to success.

Established in 1999 as a joint venture between Curtin University and the Sarawak government and local stakeholders, Curtin Malaysia is sited on a 1,200 acre campus with the conducive environment and comprehensive facilities to provide a full university campus experience.

With over 4,000 students from over 50 different countries, it is a very international and culturally-diverse campus, and academic staff from over 15 countries further strengthen its global focus.

This aligns well with Curtin University’s image as a global university with campuses in Western Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius, and strategic links with over 130 partner institutions across the world.

Curtin is recognised as being in the top one per cent of universities worldwide in the 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), as well as the university which has progressed more rapidly in major international rankings than any other Australian institution in recent years.

Curtin Malaysia offers the same world-ranked and internationally-accredited courses and degrees as its Australian parent. Its engineering courses are accredited by professional bodies nationally and internationally, including Engineers Australia and the Engineering Accreditation Council of Malaysia, and its business offerings are accredited by the elite Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and other international bodies.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit its website (www.curtin.edu.my), its Facebook page (CurtinMalaysia), Twitter profile (curtinmalaysia), Instagram (curtinmalaysia), YouTube channel (Curtin Malaysia) or LinkedIn page (Curtin Malaysia).