The University of Nottingham conferred honorary degrees on Emeritus Professor Dato’ Dr Hassan Said and Tan Sri Emeritus Professor Datuk Augustine Dr Ong Soon Hock at graduation ceremonies held on February 20 at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC).
263 undergraduate and postgraduate students graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science at an event hosted by Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice Chancellor of The University of Nottingham and Professor Christine Ennew, CEO and Provost of UNMC.
Honorary graduates
“Tan Sri Augustine Ong and Emeritus Professor Hassan Said have demonstrated lifelong commitment towards the higher learning and their respective areas of research. Both have committed themselves to advancing knowledge for the benefit of others and in so doing they have had genuine and substantial impact in Malaysia and beyond, said Professor Christine Ennew.
“His love for science is not limited to research and development, but also in nurturing new scientists, technologists and inventors,” said Professor Graham Kendall, Vice Provost (Research and Knowledge Transfer) during the presentation ceremony.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Tan Sri Ong for a number of years. It is always a pleasure to meet with him, and listen to stories from his distinguished career. I inevitably learn something new,” Professor Kendall said.
The achievements of Tan Sri Ong include being awarded the nation’s Merdeka Award in 2012 for his outstanding contribution to the research & development in palm oil and for his significant role in promoting the Malaysian palm oil industry globally.
Tan Sri Ong holds a PhD in organic chemistry from King College, University of London and a master of science and a bachelors degree from University of Malaya.
He established the Malaysian Invention and Design Society, MINDS, in 1987 to assist scientists and technologists to develop their inventions, and to commercialise their innovations,
“The one thing that strikes me, every time I talk to him, is that there is no bad research. Even if something does not give the results you expect or want, there should be some insight that informs your future research,” Professor Kendall added.
At the graduation ceremony, Professor Greenway also conferred an honorary degree to Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Hassan Said a renowned academic in Malaysia having served in various positions at the Ministry of Education, Malaysia and in leadership roles in Malaysian institutions of higher learning.
“Professor Hassan played a leading role within the Ministry of Education, helping to steer the essential regulatory approvals for the establishment of UNMC. Since then he has been a great friend of the University and we have benefitted from his advice and guidance on so many occasions,” Professor Ennew said.
Currently the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi MARA, Professor Hassan has been conferred with the Chevalier de l’ Ordre National du Merite Award from the Government of France and DPMP (Perlis), DMSM (Melaka), DSPN (Penang) and PGBK (Sarawak) from each of the local State government.
As a leading mathematician in Malaysia, Professor Hassan’s contribution goes beyond academia with his services as a board member of Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF) of Security Commission, Malaysia.
“Today it gives us great pleasure to recognise two outstanding individuals who have contributed through world class research as well as through teaching and learning, inspiring and encouraging young scientists and in building a thirst for higher education amongst the youth of Malaysians,” Professor Ennew said.
Nottingham Advantage Award
The ceremony also witnessed Janet Khoo Nee Jian, graduating from bachelors in Finance, Accounting and Management degree and Linda Teng May Yee graduating from Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience receiving the Nottingham Advantage Award.
The Nottingham Advantage Award, which enables students to take extra-curricular modules alongside their academic studies, which builds skills and experience in areas such as PR, finance and career planning thorough activities with the University’s Career and Employability Service, Widening Participation and the Student’s Association.
Also present at the ceremony is Datuk Zainal Abidin, Board Member of University of Nottingham in Malaysia Berhad; Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, President of the International Association of Universities; Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Professor of Advanced Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering, University of Nottingham, UK; Sarah Deverall, Director of British Council and Professor Stephen Doughty, Vice Provost (Teaching and Learning) at UNMC.
(Article image caption: Emeritus Professor Hassan Said at the graduation ceremony.
Thumbnail image caption: Tan Sri Augustine Ong delivering a speech at the graduation cermony)
UNMC's 15th Anniversary
One of the world's truly global universities, with campuses in Malaysia, the UK and China, 2015 marks the 15th year since setting up as UK's first full-fledged international campus in Malaysia and all three campuses continue to enrich the lives of students across the world through global education, ground-breaking research and community engagement.
-ends-
More information is available from Patrick Joseph, Director of Academic Services, on patrick.joseph@nottingham.edu.my; or Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager on +603 8924 8746, josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my.
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of ‘Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK by research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for three years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future.
Posted on 29th February 2016