Welcome to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar Campus on this glorious day for our 23 rd Convocation Ceremony.

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1 ADDRESS BY THE UTAR PRESIDENT/CEO YBHG IR. PROF. ACADEMICIAN DATO DR. CHUAH HEAN TEIK 23rd UTAR CONVOCATION, AUGUST 2016 SESSION 1 AT DEWAN TUN DR. LING LIONG SIK, UTAR KAMPAR CAMPUS A very good morning to all of you. Welcome to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar Campus on this glorious day for our 23 rd Convocation Ceremony. As an educator, there is nothing more satisfying than watching all of you, graduands, march into this hall, exuberant and splendid in your convocation gowns. This convocation ceremony not only signifies your success, but also the success of the University. I am truly filled with a sense of gladness and proudness seeing your accomplishments. My heartiest congratulations go out to each and every one of you! At every convocation ceremony, we are honoured to have a special guest to share this special moment with us. And for this session of the convocation ceremony, let us warmly welcome our Guest of Honour, YBhg Academician Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor. His life journey has earned him invaluable experiences that he will generously share with all of us today. After this Convocation, 2,399 graduands will join the ranks of the University s alumni which now numbers 45,427. This convocation ceremony marks the graduation of the University s first batch of students from the following programmes: Doctor of Philosophy (Social Science) Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Sciences) Master of Business Administration (Building Management) Master of Mathematics Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Honours) Also, in this 23rd Convocation Ceremony, we are proud to announce that UTAR Senate has agreed to confer Honorary Doctorate degrees upon two very distinguished persons, Mr Jay Yeunh and Datuk Lum Tuck Loy in recognition of their contributions to Architecture and Food Science, respectively. Mr Jay Yeunh is conferred the Honorary Doctorate in Architecture, while Datuk Lum is conferred the Honorary Doctorate in Food Science. My heartiest congratulations to Mr Jay Yeunh and Datuk Lum. Dear Graduands, PAGE 1 OF 8

2 On this special occasion, let us not forget your parents, family members and all the special people in your life. Their abundance of love and support has helped you in more ways than you will ever realize, enabling you to scale seemingly unconquerable mountains. They have nurtured you, reassured you and impressed upon you the values and ideals that have helped you to reach where you are today. And it is only befitting that you acknowledge them and show them your gratitude on this special occasion. Therefore, dear Graduands, please rise. Please bow to show gratitude and appreciation to your parents, family members and loved ones. [pause] Thank you. You may now be seated. As John F. Kennedy said, As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. Do keep in mind that every little thing that you do counts. Make it a point to show your gratitude and appreciation to your parents, family members and loved ones every now and then. I believe your actions, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, do matter and will definitely fill them with boundless joy. We have always been grateful for the support and contributions from all benevolent individuals and organizations. Their support and contributions are what made the UTAR dream a reality a dream to provide affordable higher education to people from all walks of life. Therefore, on this occasion, I would like to record my heartfelt thanks to the Board of Trustees of UTAR Education Foundation, UTAR Council members, and our Chairman, Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, the International Advisory Council, the Federal Government of Malaysia, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, various State Governments, Ministries and Embassies, MCA, our associates and partners (both local and abroad), the media community, industry players and professional bodies, Industry Advisors, External Examiners and all our supporters, contributors and believers. UTAR is here because of you. And as a move to further demonstrate our appreciation, we will continuously strive for quality in our programmes in line with the University s vision to be a global university of educational excellence with transformative societal impact. We vow not to let our supporters, contributors and believers down. Thus, the University has taken great care to ensure that all our academic programmes go through rigorous certification processes by professional bodies such as the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Society of Actuaries - US, Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors - UK, The Royal Institution of Chemistry - UK, Engineering Accreditation Council, Malaysian Institute of Accountants and Building Management Association of Malaysia, just to name a few. PAGE 2 OF 8

3 The winds of change have been blowing constantly and whether we realize it or not, according to a presentation in the World Economic Forum 2016, we are now staring right into the advent of a Fourth Industrial Revolution. This revolution is built on the Third Industrial Revolution with its development of digital systems, communication and rapid advances in computing power, which has been occurring since the 1950s. And in this Fourth Industrial Revolution, we will see technologies being embedded within societies and even human bodies in whole new ways. It will bring about advanced robotics and autonomous transport, artificial intelligence and machine learning, advanced materials, biotechnology and genomics, transforming our way of life and also way of work. This Fourth Industrial Revolution will affect our job or career in ways that are unprecedented. It is predicted that over one-third of the skills that are considered important in today s workforce will have changed. Current skills will become obsolete and new skills that are previously unheard of will leap into centre stage. Looking at the dawn of this new age, we should take heed and continue to upgrade ourselves and align our skills and capabilities to keep pace. Recognizing the importance of essential soft skills in addition to academic know-how, the University established the UTAR Soft Skills Development Certificate (USSDC) in This certification system recognizes the students' achievements and efforts to improve themselves in areas of essential soft skills. The carefully selected programmes offered under this system have been great complements to the students academic programmes. Thus far, a total of 5,859 students have already qualified and benefitted from it. Apart from ensuring the quality of the programmes, the University, which has been keeping abreast of current developments and changing requirements of industries, continuously strives to design and update our programmes, be them academic or soft skills, to suit changing requirements. The University currently has 116 up-to-date academic programmes, and this alone speaks volumes of the University s commitment to offer diversified and relevant updated programmes. I believe the University s commitment and efforts to equip students with academic knowledge and essential soft skills have indeed paid off. Time and time again, the University has been made proud by the outstanding achievements of students in numerous academics and sports competitions. For example, Loh Hong Khai, a student from the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, received the Penghargaan Khas Ketua Pengarah Pendidikan Tinggi award during the Anugerah Tokoh Siswa 2015 for his achievements on the international stage. He has previously represented the University and the country on five different occasions. PAGE 3 OF 8

4 Wong Hong Wen, a final year Entrepreneurship student from the Faculty of Business and Finance achieved outstanding accomplishment by winning the second place in the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Summit 2016 (AYES) Pitching Competition organized by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. With their innovative streak, teams from the Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology won a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal in the category of Agriculture, Environment & Renewable Energy at the National Innovation and Invention Competition through Exhibition 2016 (icompex 16) organized by Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Mu adzam Shah (POLIMAS). Additionally, a team from the Department of Mechatronics and Biomedical Engineering of the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science achieved glory by winning the Hack-a-thon competition organised by Materialise Sdn. Bhd. in the track of Innovative use of 3D Printing Technologies with their project titled Biological Scaffold Printing using 3D Print. Apart from academic excellence, our students have also stood out in the arena of sports. Chong Zhuang Kit, accounting student from the Faculty of Business and Finance, won the gold medal in the 57-kg male kickboxing event at the Unleashed Fight Night 2016, the first inter-university martial arts competition jointly organized by Asia Pacific University s Muay Thai Club and Global Elite Gym, which saw participants coming from nine countries. Most times, the challenges and tribulations that plaque society, nation and humanity will also impact us as individuals and a case in point is the much said and published adverse condition of the earth which has led to frequent occurrences of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters. I would say that the future for the mitigation of those challenges and tribulations lies in research. Through research, we can begin to understand the challenges and tribulations plaguing society, nation and humanity, and resolve to find the root causes and solutions to them. In addition, we can also aim to find ways to enhance the efficiency of our human activities to reduce their damaging effects. Thus, fully understanding the importance of research, the University has taken on the task to create an all-encompassing research culture in our two campuses in Kampar and Sungai Long. The multi-pronged approach undertaken by the University includes the setting up of numerous research centres. A research centre, which consists of a substantial group of scholars whose integrated research addresses a set of problems of significance, may often involve collaboration across disciplines and departments. This concerted effort greatly enhances the effectiveness of the research activities. And to date, the University already has a total of 28 research centres, and they include Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction, Centre for Applied Psychology, Centre for Cyber Security and Centre for Environment and Green Technology Research among others. PAGE 4 OF 8

5 In an effort to assist our young researchers in kick-starting their viable research endeavours, the University has thus far disbursed a total of RM 37.4 million in internal funding. This move will go a long way in the build-up of experience and confidence for our young researchers to progress and delve deeper into their research activities. Additionally, in accordance with the University s commitment to create an all-encompassing research culture, the students research initiatives are also given a similar boast. A scheme called UTAR Undergraduate Research Scheme (URS) was established and through it, students can undergo a structured programme designed to expose and train them in various aspects of research project implementation and participate in active researches in their respective fields of study. The research scene in the University is one of robustness, and currently there is a total of 290 on-going research projects in various fields which will, either directly or indirectly, aid in the betterment of society, nation or humanity. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, The dedication shown by the University s group of experienced researchers and the quality of their research work have earned them the trust and recognition from external organisations and industries, which subsequently play a critical role in determining their success in securing external funding for their research initiatives. I am glad to say that thus far, our fine group of researchers have successfully garnered RM 37.3 million in external funding from agencies and organisations which include Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science & Technology Center (CREST), The Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD), Newton- Ungku Omar Fund, Think City Sdn. Bhd., Centre for Strategic Engagement Sdn. Bhd. (CENSE) among others. And we thank these agencies and organisations for placing the trust in us. In addition, our researchers excellence in their own fields is also evident in their winning of numerous competitions and awards. At the recent 2 nd World Invention Innovation Contest (WiC) 2016 held in Seoul, the University s Centre of Immersive Technology and Creativity (CITC) received a silver medal and a special award for their VR Malay House Walkthrough project. And before that, a team of six researchers from the Department of Computer and Communication Technology, under the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology won a silver prize at the 27th International Invention and Innovation Exhibition (ITEX 2016). Our researcher from the Faculty of Arts and Social Science has even received the Outstanding Asian Researcher Award by the Philippine Association of Institutions for Research (PAIR), in conjunction with the 4th International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research. This award is given to researchers who had their research cited often by other academics. All the success and accolades that one receives are, most often than not, made possible by hard work. However, at times, you may experience a sense of misdirection, leading you to wonder where your efforts and hard work will lead to. At this point, I believe it is time to go back to the basics and be reminded once again of the simple lessons of life. PAGE 5 OF 8

6 Many of you would have been familiar with Aesop s fables, having read them in your growing up years. And on this day, let me share with you one of those fables: The Ant and The Grasshopper. It is my hope that this familiar fable, which extols the virtue of focused hard work, will provide you food for thought and guide you back to the path of self-reflection and action. The following is the fable: In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need. In real life, there is no substitute for focused hard work. Guided by a moral compass, which dictates the righteous path that should be taken, hard work is the only real key to long-term success. Cutting corners will bring you temporary respite but in the long run, your reputation will suffer, leading to significant losses. Take for example companies which cut corners by sacrificing quality over profitability. This move will of course bring them increased profits in the short run. But over time, consumers will learn and start to avoid these companies. Sales will then plummet. Suffering significant damages in reputation and profitability, if these companies do not clean up their act, they will undoubtedly be forced to foldup. Therefore, do not shy away from work hard when it is due. You will definitely reap the harvest of your labour in due course. Even in this age, the old adage No pain no gain still rings true. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, For some families, making ends meet may be a challenge that they have to face on a daily basis, and putting their loved ones through college or university is an added strain. The University believes that the key to alleviate life s challenges and to turn life itself around is through education, where one acquires the essential knowledge and skills. By removing the financial hurdles in obtaining an education, those families will then get a fair opportunity to work towards turning their lives around. Further to this belief, the University has been disbursing internal scholarships and loans to deserving students. To date, RM million worth of PAGE 6 OF 8

7 internal scholarships and RM 6 million worth of internal loans have been disbursed to a total of 12,226 deserving students. At this juncture, please allow me to say a few words in Mandarin. 在座的各位嘉宾 各位师长 各位家长及各位同学 : 大家早上好! 欢迎大家出席拉曼大学第廿三届毕业典礼 每当毕业典礼的脚步一步步逼近, 我的心越是百感交集 心中兴奋的是寒窗苦读多年的学生即将完成学业, 带上四方帽 ; 而另一方面心中却是担心着学生们踏入社会后面对的种种挑战 但是我相信在座的毕业生经过大学数年的洗礼, 早已蓄势待发, 准备在社会里大展拳脚 而我期盼着拉曼大学的毕业生能够爬上巅峰, 成为有抱负 有信心的未来主人翁 同学们, 人生就如登山, 当我们憧憬那高处的无限风光时, 不要忘记身旁还有万丈深渊 我们来学校读书, 这是知识与技能的积累 离开学校, 走入社会, 人生的学习才刚刚开始 所谓读万卷书, 行万里路, 只有在工作和生活当中不断的学习, 才能真正学到更多的知识与技能 要抱着活到老, 学到老的志向, 珍惜光阴, 珍惜体验, 不骄不躁, 稳步向前, 绝不能想着一步登天 英国剧作家莎士比亚说过 不要因为一次失败, 就放弃你原来决心想达到的目的 空中飞人 也是 篮球之神 的迈克乔丹亦说过 我能够接受失败, 因为每个人在某些方面都会发生失败, 但我不能接受没有尝试 两位名人对失败都有着很深的心得, 那是因为他们都经历过失败, 也知道失败是成功唯一的途径 在此, 我希望同学们能够学会面对失败 接受失败, 并以失败为训, 好好地鞭策自己努力向前 拉曼大学的创立, 也是许多人共同努力的成果 拉曼大学作为一所民办的私立大学, 一路走来经历不少风风雨雨, 坎坎坷坷 不過, 就凭着大家共同的理念, 不分你我, 坚强不息的精神, 拉曼大学才能有今日辉煌的成绩 如今拉曼大学的学生人数高达 26,000 人, 和当初创校时的 411 人相比, 拉曼大学的成绩绝对令人鼓舞! 再次恭喜眼前带着四方帽 披着毕业袍的毕业生们, 努力不懈了那么多年终于毕业了 希望你们在往后的日子里能够展翅高飞, 勇闯出一片属于你们的天空! Dear Graduands, As you step out from the confines of this University, never leave the desire to learn and upgrade yourself behind. Carry that desire with you wherever you go. Let learning be your lifelong process. I can t stress enough how crucial it is in the current world that we live in, where PAGE 7 OF 8

8 things are moving at an incredible speed. As Albert Einstein said, Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. It s never too late to learn or start something new. Go out and explore the world, and in the process, learn to find your own niche in this great big world. And I wish you a fulfilling journey ahead. Before I end my speech, I would like to, once again, express my gratitude to our Guest of Honour, YBhg Academician Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor, all our distinguished guests, parents and friends for taking time to be here with us today for this special and meaningful occasion. Thank you and have a great day ahead. PAGE 8 OF 8