"These skill sets have greatly benefited my current organisation and me, ensuring that we look beyond boundaries in exploring new areas. This in turn has helped create opportunities to convert ideas into business prospects."
Looking back, the petroleum engineer says the university indirectly contributed to the development of survival and behavioural skills, and character building.
"My behaviour and thinking processes, to some extent, are the result of my five years of learning, interacting and growing up within the UTP environment."
"We aim to provide enriching, rewarding and transformative learning experiences that nurture our students to become responsible leaders and model global citizens." says Associate Professor Dr Nor Hisham Hamid UTP’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs and Alumni.
UTP plays a key role in shaping a student’s life and character. Achieving the balance between the university being a place to discover knowledge and not just getting a good job upon graduation is a matter of harnessing students’ potential. It is more important for them to find their purpose while keeping the world at large in their view.
He further elaborated that, through the inculcation of UTP Core Values – Collegiality, Adaptability, Accountability, Integrity and Respect, UTP promotes and supports personal, social and ethical needs and practices so that the university and campus community feel safe, welcomed, and empowered.
UTP has an inclusive learning ecosystem that maximises the opportunities for students to work with, learn from and develop meaningful relationships with the faculty. As a result, they gain memorable learning experiences that educate and inspire them to be agents of positive social change.
He further highlighted that UTP also offers the country’s longest internship programme, boosted by its strong links with renowned national and international corporations. Students return after their stints with renewed respect for work ethics, practical knowledge and valuable experience.
"We strive to provide a conducive learning environment and ethos that is more inclusive, aware, responsible and compassionate; recognising and celebrating diversity on and outside campus." says Hisham.
On-campus student activities and involvements play a significant role in providing students with opportunities to develop their interpersonal and personal skills, capabilities, talents and interests.
Their participation in clubs and organisations will foster deeper collegiality between fellow students and create lifelong memories that will build strong bonds as proud alumnus.
UTP students are given opportunities to pursue a range of extracurricular activities such as music, martial arts, entrepreneurship and debate. Every year, there are more than 500 student-led activities one-third of which are community service programmes under UTP’s University Social Responsibility (USR) initiative. These include regular maintenance of old folk’s homes, youth outreach programmes as well as communication, science and mathematics activities in adopted schools.
Engaging alumni
TO seriously engage with alumni, UTP established an Alumni Relations Office. The Head is Jennifer Freely, formerly an Associate Director of International Alumni Relations at Columbia University.
Freely notices that developing alumni relations programmes is gaining prominence in Asia Pacific and ASEAN. She admires her university’s foresight, "... as this will open up a whole new world of opportunities. UTP is creating professionals with a global mindset who will be going out in the world to leverage a global network."
According to Freely, the ultimate aim of any alumni programme is to draw in alumni voluntarily to engage in a space that provides transformational growth for them. "They have to want to come together to share their experiences and engage with alumni across the university."
To her, alumni relations is both an art and a science; she hopes to merge these disciplines into the events they are currently programming. Her department will also run with a start-up model, nimble and open to innovative ideas and suggestions.
Cross-generational and cross-disciplinary spaces will allow for effective networking and benefit leveraging.
"We are very much involved in trying different events to get alumni to engage on a social level, but with real substance. We are committed to helping our alumni have the tools they need."
UTP will engage with alumni through various appropriate social media platforms, as well as by highlighting their members’ successes. A strong alumni community also serves as an advocate for the University’s integrity. "The connection between the university and its alumni is very strong. And it can grow in many different ways...a shared experience that can be very fruitful in creating a legacy with a sense of purpose."
