ENROLMENT: Staff of Unimas attending to new students at a registration counter. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) registered 4,939 new students yesterday, making it the highest intake since its inauguration nearly two decades ago.
Seventy per cent of the total intake for 2012/13 is students from outside Sarawak, said Unimas vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid.
“We had 3,900 new students for the last intake, and this year’s 4,939 is the biggest of all. It goes to show that people are learning more about Unimas following our aggressive branding and publicity.
“Significantly, Unimas has an excellent and quality campus as well as academic programmes and relevant courses,” he said when met at Kolej Cempaka, Unimas here.
Khairuddin believed the university’s special package launched in conjunction with its 20th anniversary had to a certain extent helped hike up the intake.
Newly accepted students who had listed Unimas as their first choice would be granted 20 per cent off for accommodation, he said.
He pointed out that some seniors of Unimas had also played a vital role in promoting the university among non-Sarawakians.
“They spread good words about Unimas all because they have enjoyed studying here.
“Today, a lot of parents have come to the campus with their children. As far as Unimas is concerned, distance is not an issue,” Khairuddin said.
He added that the university made an ideal place to inculcate values such as national unity and integration in the younger generation.
Unimas currently has some 12,000 students while its full capacity is 20,000.