DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE AT IUMW 4TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY

International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW) recently held its 4th Convocation Ceremony at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre. The convocation ceremony also saw the proclamation of Tan Sri Dr Tony Fernandes as Chancellor of IUMW.   IUMW Chancellor Tan Sri Tony Fernandes addresses the audience in the convocation ceremony   257 graduates received their degrees across a range of disciplines, including professional communication, business administration, accounting, psychology, project management, internet engineering, computer science, and biotechnology. IUMW has produced nearly 531 graduates since it started its operations in 2014.   As a leader of various globally and locally recognised organisations, Fernandes has been an inspiration to many people. As Chancellor, he will inspire IUMW's students, leaders, and the future generation with his spirit of entrepreneurship. In his speech to the convocation, Fernandes said that education in the 21st century is about embracing digital technology. The Government's aspiration for the future generation is for them to be tech-savvy. Technology is moving rapidly and educators are required to keep up with the fast pace and endure it as part of their teaching and learning. It is imperative that students are equipped with ICT and collaborative skills and be interested in lifelong learning.   They also need to have critical, creative thinking, and communication skills, to survive in this ever-challenging world. This allows IUMW to offer programmes that are truly multi-mode, and blended. Moving forward, IUMW will be offering many new specialisations to catalyse Industry Revolution 4.0 that are addressed in relation to the Malaysia Education Blueprint for Higher Education 2015-2025.   Fernandes urged, "Whether you are already in the public, private, or teaching sectors, or intend to be your own boss, I wish to share with you my famous quote: Believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take no for an answer".   "Whatever your dream or aspirations may be, IUMW will always be proud of you and when you have made your mark, remember that it is not just about utilising the technical skills we have taught you but more of the soft skills such as personal qualities, habits, leadership, teamwork and attitude, which are necessary for the job market today".     Michelle Foong receiving her Best University Student Award from IUMW Chancellor Tan Sri Tony Fernandes   Doctor of Philosophy (Project Management) graduate Jeffrey Yap Boon Hui was recognised as IUMW Valedictorian in the convocation, while Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Marketing Michelle Foong Ern Cher was recognised as IUMW Best University Student. The best students from various faculties were Wan Adib Bin Azaman (Faculty of Business and Law), Sarah Alia Binti Ahmad Affendy (Faculty of Arts and Humanities), Lim Yen Theng (Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Lim Yen Theng), and Nur Syafiqa Balkis Binti Md Din (Faculty of Health and Social Science).   Yap said, "Life is a series of passageways, and we are leaving one and moving on to the next. We will meet new people, make new friends, and learn new things. We will grow older, more responsible, and independent. Hereafter, our lives will hold many surprises for us, but I'm sure that we will approach challenges with the same boldness and equanimity with which we tackle problems currently. The unknown of our future may seem frightening now, looming over us like a dark thundercloud, but we might find that it is just a light, spring rain that brings the tidings of a rainbow". "So, rather than a young student, who at times failed in exams, I see the next Einstein, making revolutionary discoveries. The next Tony Fernandes, a man who made impossible dreams to be possible. I know that this amphitheatre holds the next decade’s great business leaders, social scientists, and stars, and that all of these graduates will contribute to the fabric of the future in some way by bringing IUMW’s name to soar high above", Yap added.   The event was attended by IUMW board of directors chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Annuar Zaini, IUMW board of governors chairman Datuk Ir Abdul Rahim Hashim, University of Wales Trinity Saint David chair of council The Venerable Randolph Thomas, IUMW vice chancellor Tay Kay Luan, and University of Wales Trinity Saint David vice chancellor Medwin Hughes.   IUMW Institution Profile One Fee, Two Degrees, and Three Universities With just One Programme fee, you can gain Two Degrees, and study in Three Universities.   International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW), founded by University of Wales and University of Malaya, has over 200 years of academic excellence. Our experts are international industry and research leaders.   In addition to IUMW, you can study at our attractive campuses of our parent universities, University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and UM. They are located in Carmarthen, Lampeter, Swansea, London, Cardiff, and Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia’s national capital.   IUMW’s Dual Award programmes will grant you the opportunity to spend a semester in UWTSD and UM respectively, without additional fees from UWTSD, and receive your degrees from both IUMW and UWTSD. Get the best learning experience in Malaysia and UK without the financial strain of an overseas education.   IUMW offers affordable good quality education and internationally recognised degrees that are relevant to industries. Within six months of graduation, 94% of our graduates were employed or enrolled in other academic programmes (Graduate Tracer Study, MOHE). The IUMW experience transforms students into lifelong learners, dedicated to service with knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed domestically and internationally.   IUMW Chancellor Tan Sri Dr Tony Fernandes Tony Fernandes has been Chancellor of International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW) since 2018.   He has been instrumental in bringing world-class education to Malaysia and Asia, investing RM150mil with partners in a 20.2 hectare campus in Bandar Enstek for Epsom College in Malaysia (ECIM). Fernandes was also a founding board member of the Asia Business School. Through Fernandes, AirAsia has also adopted Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) as the airline’s official university, helping to create an internship programme for students and facilitating aerospace-centred executive and research collaborations.   Fernandes studied at Epsom College and the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK, and qualified as an Associate Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 1991, then as a Fellow Member in 1996.   He is best known for co-founding AirAsia, Asia's first low-cost airline, growing it from a Malaysian domestic carrier into Asia’s largest low-cost carrier by passengers carried, with operations in five countries serving some 260 routes to more than 120 destinations across Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East, and the US.   He is also Co-Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia X Berhad. He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia in 2001, before being redesignated as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer in 2013.   An accountant by training, Fernandes began his career in Richard Branson’s Virgin Group before returning to Malaysia as Warner Music Group’s Vice President for Southeast Asia. Subsequently, he ventured into the airline business.   He has received numerous honours and awards over the course of his career, including the Honour of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, conferred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2011, and the Commander of the Legion d’Honneur, awarded by the French Government for outstanding contributions to the economy of France through the aviation industry.   In 2010, Fernandes was named Businessman of the Year by Forbes Asia - the first person from Malaysia and ASEAN to receive the honour - for democratising air travel and transforming AirAsia into a successful global brand. TIME Magazine included him in the 2015 TIME 100 list, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world which included Chinese President Xi Jinping, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and hip-hop artist Kanye West. In 2016, he was recognised by the US-ASEAN Business Council with the Fourth Pillar Award for his extraordinary contribution towards the growth of ASEAN, the second recipient of the award after the Administration of US President Barack Obama.   In 2017, Fernandes published an autobiography, Flying High, which recounts his journey from a young boy growing up in Malaysia all the way to his time at Warner Music and finally as AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer.   IUMW Vice Chancellor Tay Kay Luan MSc, BA(Hons) Tay Kay Luan has been the Vice Chancellor of International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW) since 2018.   The vice chancellor has more than 30 years of leadership experience from his managerial roles in various organisations. Prior to his current role, he was the Executive Director of Australia New Zealand Institute (2016-2018), Chief Executive of Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (2010-2016), and Regional Director for ACCA (2003-2010).   Tay Kay Luan is the author of the recently published book entitled Perspectives on Social and Business Sustainability. He believes strongly that real change can take place through strong resilient and adaptable cultures. He also believes in technology will continue to be the major disruptor and hence the need to proactively manage the consequences. He is a strong advocate for a more sustainable and responsible society.   Tay Kay Luan is a Certified Training Professional in training strategy and delivery. He obtained his MSc Industrial Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (1984) and BA(Hons) in Social Science from Kingston University London (1983). He belongs to the INSEAD alumni, as he completed the Advanced Business programme.   He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Yayasan Astro Kasih and the Past President for the Business Council for Sustainable Development Malaysia. He has served in a number of steering committees for the government and professional bodies, and more recently for Bank Negara Malaysia where he was a member of the committee that reviewed professional education and standards for conventional banking and Islamic finance.