Address by Pro Chancellor on UTM 61st Convocation

ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE TAN SRI DATO DR. LIN SEE YAN PRO-CHANCELLOR OF UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 61th CONVOCATION CEREMONY UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA WWW.UTM.MY

SALUTATION The Honourable Tan Sri Dr. Salleh Bin Mohd Nor, Pro- Chancellor Of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Prof. Datuk Ir. Dr. Wahid Bin Omar, Vice-chancellor Of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Senate members and the management team of the university.

Graduates, parents and guests of honour.

Welcome‌.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO UTM GRADUATES

First of all, I would like to congratulate all the graduates. You have worked hard and have successfully achieved excellence. I believe your parents are extremely proud of you and thankful for your success. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you, the educated ones and intellectuals to today's convocation ceremony.

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HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS

Well Done and deepest congratulations to Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Dato Mohd Ramli bin Kushairi, the recipient of the Honorary Award and the recipients of the Professor Emeritus award : Professor Emeritus IR. Ishak bin Abdul Rahman, Professor Emeritus SR. Dr. Ayob bin Sharif, and Professor Emeritus IR. Dr. S. Kannan Krishna.

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SHARING THE SENTIMENTS

Ladies and gentlemen, Looking at the happy faces of the youngsters, I am happy to share my sentiments on this wonderful day. Please allow me to share my sentiments in English.

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QUALITY OF OUR TERTIARY EDUCATION Graduands, As I stand before you, I sense challenging times ahead for higher education in Malaysia. For the first time in my lifetime, people are seriously questioning the quality of our tertiary education. For the first time in my lifetime, people are wondering whether the billions spent on college & university education are worth “the bang for the buck.� Indeed, for the first time in my lifetime, people are expressing doubts about whether university education (as we know it today) is even good for the nation.

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QUALITY OF OUR TERTIARY EDUCATION

Make no mistake. I know many are in denial. Still, they make me think: are our universities so out of touch with the rest of the nation?

Seriously, we appear to care more about making our institutions great, rather than in making our student’s life better. Be that as it may, these are real issues needing real answers.

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THREE CRITICAL VALUES

For the first time in my lifetime, I feel a need to reaffirm that higher education is a public good, worthy of public support. That the nation really requires an educated citizenry. As for UTM, people here aspires it to be, as good as it seems great. To me, the goodness of UTM lies in 3 critical values: viz. its Excellence, its Diversity and its Opportunity.

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BE SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCELLENCE

Ladies & gentlemen, To remain successful, first, UTM has to be synonymous with Excellence.

However, this pursuit of excellence should never be interpreted as elitist; it’s certainly not a birth right. Its commitment to excellence remains a tireless pursuit. Its scholarship reflects grit & determination, preceded by years of early mornings & many late nights.

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BE SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCELLENCE

Its research generates new insights into the human condition as we expand its humanity, better understand the meaning of life, and really discover what it takes to make life truly worth living.

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DIVERSITY IN ALL ITS DIMENSIONS

Second, we embrace Diversity in all its dimensions. Diversity, like everything that’s worth having, requires effort. Effort to learn about & respect differences; to be compassionate with one another; to cherish our own identity; & to accept unconditionally the same in others.

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THE IMPACT OF DIVERSITY A diverse student body enables us to enrich, to educate and to challenge one another. As a university, our commitment to diversity offers students a steady diet of new ideas to expand their understanding; helps them appreciate that they can gain much from listening to others, especially those with whom they disagree; and teach them to be quick to understand but slow to judge. As a university community, we are bound across differences by a shared commitment to learning, to the pursuit of truth, and to embrace the rigor and respect of argument, and evidence.

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OPPORTUNITY TO DO GOOD

Third, we offer students the Opportunity to do good & serve the greater good as an engaged citizen. We strive to provide students who want to, a public service internship of some kind – an opportunity to see the world as it is, and to discover their own ability to help – even save, the world-warts and all! It is a powerful reminder that at the heart of this extraordinary institution, is its people. People with a strong appetite to learn.

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FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

In the pursuit of these challenging values, it is now up to you – our new graduands, to work & leave our nation (& indeed the world) a better place tomorrow than it is today.

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BE THE ARCHITECTS OF CHANGE Graduands, At this time of great technological disruption amid volatility and much uncertainty, I expect you to be the architects of change, not its victims.

As you leave this great university, I hope you will pause to remember what defines you. And how you have come through over the years: Hopefully, stronger & wiser. More resilient, More adaptable, and More prepared to lead fulfilling lives.

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WISDOM OF THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER Ladies & gentlemen, As I end, I am reminded of the wisdom of the great philosopher Mencius (Men-Tzi) the disciple of Confucius – who talks of: “The feeling of compassion as the beginning of benevolence; the feeling of shame and self-reproach, as the beginning of righteousness; the feeling of courtesy and modesty, as the beginning of propriety; the feeling of right and wrong, as the beginning of wisdom.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF FOUR ASPECTS

These four beginnings are like the four limbs of man, and to deny oneself of even anyone of these is to cripple oneself.� Ladies & gentlemen, in my public and private life, I have insisted on all these 4 things for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish them all for you.

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READY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY

Ladies and Gentlemen, With this success, you are prepared to serve the community and country. I believe, with your commitment, dedication and creative vision besides being positive, ladies and gentlemen, you will go far.

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CLOSING

As you look forward, my young friends, may your journey through life prove for you a joyous and amazing experience. I wish you Godspeed.

Thank You….

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