Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be among 6,442 graduates celebrated at Universiti Utara Malaysia’s (UUM) 39th convocation ceremony, scheduled to take place from Nov 15 to 19.
Ismail Sabri is set to receive a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) after completing his studies in Political Science.
UUM Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Martadha Mohamed said the ceremony would be held at Dewan Mu’adzam Shah on the university’s campus, featuring nine sessions.
The first session will be officiated by UUM Chancellor, Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, who will also present degrees to graduates.
Of the 6,442 graduates, 5,296 are undergraduate students, while another 1,082 are postgraduate graduates receiving qualifications in PhD, Doctor of Management, Doctor of Business Administration and master’s programmes. The remaining 37 graduates completed the Executive Diploma in Business Management.
Ahmad Martadha said the graduating cohort comprised 5,952 Malaysians and 490 international students.
Among the international graduates are 172 from China, 108 from Indonesia, 31 from Pakistan, 21 from Iraq, 16 from the United Arab Emirates, 15 from Nigeria and 14 from Somalia.
The university will also confer an Honorary Doctorate in Technology Management, Operations and Logistics on Weststar Group managing director Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim, 66.
Meanwhile, founder of Pusat Tuisyen Akademik Darul Bakti Kubang Pasu, Zainol Abidin Mohamad, 68, better known as Cikgu Non, will receive an Honorary Master of Science in Educational Management.
UUM will also recognise Prof Dr Rosna Awang Hashim with the title of Professor Emerita following more than 35 years of service at the university, including 21 years as a professor.
Actor Datuk Idris Md Yusof, popularly known as Eizlan Yusof, has also successfully completed his Master of Science in Management programme.
On academic achievements, Ahmad Martadha revealed that 1,104 out of the 5,296 undergraduate graduates had earned first-class honours.
Of these, 106 graduates with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 3.67 will receive recognition for their overall excellence, covering academic performance, leadership, character and involvement in university and community activities.
UUM has allocated RM225,000 to reward outstanding students.
The Royal Education Award will go to 24-year-old Irfan Umar Mohd Nor Fazly from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and 24-year-old Ooi Sze Qin from Cheras, Selangor.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor’s Gold Medal will be awarded to 24-year-old Aina Najihah Safaruddin from Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
Each Royal Education Award recipient will receive RM7,500 and a certificate, while the Chancellor’s Gold Medal recipient will receive RM5,000 and a certificate.
For the first time, 46 recipients of the Vice-Chancellor’s Gold Medal will also receive RM2,000 each, alongside their medals and certificates, involving a total allocation of RM92,000.
