Prof Ken Heskin bids farewell to Swinburne Sarawak for second time

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Professor Ken Heskin

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 Jan 21.

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 and returned to Kuching early last year to head the University.

“It’s been a real pleasure this year to renew old friendships and make new ones here at Swinburne Sarawak,” said Heskin at a gathering attended by staff and members of the Board of Directors of the university.

He said Swinburne Sarawak staff could achieve as a team in the future, recalling 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.

He added that the university’s undergraduate and postgraduate students had also distinguished themselves in national and international competitions and conferences.

“We held the biggest single graduation ceremony in Swinburne’s history (including Melbourne), and we graduated Swinburne Sarawak’s first two PhDs,” said Heskin.

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 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.

“So keep up the good work. Swinburne Sarawak ‘Boleh’,” said Heskin, adding that he and his wife Sue regard Kuching as their second home and will visit the city whenever the opportunity arises.