Students celebrate their graduation with family members

KUCHING: More than 230 students were joined by their family members to celebrate their success at a graduation ceremony of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here yesterday.

Vice-chancellor of the Australian university based in Melbourne, Professor Linda Kristjanson presented the scrolls to students graduating from engineering, business, computing, design and science programmes.

A doctor of philosophy and four master degrees graduates also received their scrolls.

Among the graduates was a 74-year-old entrepreneur from Penang, Barry Lim Sun Heng, who had graduated in absentia from Swinburne in Melbourne, Australia in 1972.

Lim, who is also Swinburne Sarawak Faculty of Business and Design adjunct professor, was delighted to finally walked across the stage to accept his diploma certificate 45 years after completing his course.

The heartwarming moment was witnessed by his old teacher Associate professor Bruce McDonald,who is a senior philanthrophy advisor for Swinburne in Melbourne and wife Leong Lyne Ching.

“I came home before my course finished and in fact I completed through correspondent. I won’t waste money flying to Melbourne just for the graduation and my father won’t let me either,” he said about being absent from the graduation.

“The idea for this (a formal graduation ceremony) came about last year while we were joking about it but they (Swinburne Sarawak) said they will arrange it so I asked them to bring my old professor here,” he said.

To Lim, Swinburne was a place where people form lasting friendships.

Lim has played a role in supporting Swinburne through his generous donation of AUD10,000 per year for the past five years.

His contribution enabled eight young indigenous men to study in Swinburne TAFE from 2012-2015, and two young women from Darwin the following year.

In Swinburne Sarawak, Lim provided generous support through Melolisa Scholarship to eight students currently pursuing business, engineering and computing studies.

“So far after coming back and making round with Swinburne students here, the Research Department and myself have come up with one engineering pattern that could benefit the palm oil industry. We are working hard and hopefully two more innovations will be patented this year,” he elaborated.

McDonald pointed out that Swinburne prides itself in linking practical with the academics to produce good outcome for the environment and economy.

“We are special in a sense that there are no separation between teachers and students. And the alumni also plays a significant role, especially where Swinburne helps them and they help the university in return,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kristjanson in her speech, emphasised that Swinburne prides itself on the quality of its teaching and learning, and the excellence of its research.

“Swinburne is committed to being a nationally and internationally recognised university in the fields of science, technology, design, business and innovation. Our education programmes and our research are relevant to the world community and not just one country,” she said.

“We have a significant commitment to international education and take pride in seeing our graduates from around the world find meaningful careers. Our researchers routinely collaborate with scholars from around the world for greater social impact,” she added.

Quoting Micheal Blommberg, the former mayor of New York, Kristjanson urged graduates to “study, cooperate, listen carefully, think critically, and resolve conflicts through reason.”

She added that these were the most important skills in the working world, and the reason universities expose students to challenging ideas.