Farheen Qasim Nizamani receives her scroll from Taib, as Unimas Board of Directors chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Sulong Matjeraie looks on.
KOTA SAMARAHAN: A total of 407 Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) graduates received their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master’s degrees during the first session of the university’s 22nd Convocation ceremony here yesterday.
Of the figure, 250 are from Sarawak while the others are from Peninsular Malaysia.
Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is also Unimas chancellor, officiated at the ceremony and presented the scrolls to the graduates.
The convocation is to be spread over five sessions, throughout which 4,103 students will be receiving their scrolls.
The remaining four sessions will be spread out over the course of today, involving Bachelor’s degree graduates.
A section of the graduates waiting to receive their scrolls during Unimas’ 22nd convocation.
This year’s graduates include 83 international students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ghana, India, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, the US and Vietnam.
Yesterday’s ceremony also saw Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is Unimas pro-chancellor, being conferred an ‘Honorary Doctorate in Economic Development’.
Unimas vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi said since Abang Johari’s appointment as chief minister, he has shown high commitment in developing Sarawak’s economy for the benefit of the people.
Meanwhile, he said Unimas, which is celebrating its 25th ‘Silver Jubilee’ anniversary, has achieved successes at national and international levels since 1992.
“I am confident that the success we have today is the result of the commitment and support of all our university staff in putting the Unimas brand in the world.
Graduates pose after receiving their scrolls.
“As the eighth public university in Malaysia, Unimas this year has created history in the country, when it was crowned among the 1,001 best universities internationally.
“At national level,
Unimas now is among the top 10. The proudest moment for Unimas is when it became the first university in Borneo to be listed in the World University Ranking,” he said.
Earlier, Unimas and Fusionex Sarawak Sdn Bhd announced the establishment of the Fusionex-Unimas Research Grant.
This signifies the two parties’ intention of enhancing efforts in big data and artificial intelligence; thus supporting the Sarawak government’s digital economy initiative.
Fusionex is an established data technology provider specialising in analytics, ‘Big Data’, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning.
The organisation aims to help clients capture, store, process, analyse and make sense of vast amounts of structured and unstructured data.
The establishment of Fusionex-Unimas Research Grant aims to incubate research
projects, nurture talents in Unimas and promote industrial-related research projects in Sarawak.
To commence the research grant, Fusionex contributed RM300,000 for collaborative efforts in research, publications, commercialisation, intellectual property as well as teaching and learning.
The grant was handed over by Fusionex Sarawak Sdn Bhd founder and group
chief executive officer Dato Sri Ivan Teh to Mohamad Kadim, witnessed by Abang Johari.