Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) today concluded its physical 20th convocation ceremony held in strict adherence to all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) - prioritising safety and health precautions as well as physical distancing. This was the first time that UTP organised the convocation in ten sessions, for five days beginning 18 December to adhere to the SOPs, as previously the event was held in only one day.
1,238 graduates (out of the total 1,732) in the class of 2020 were present and conferred scrolls. Of the 1,732, 1,466 were bachelor’s degree and 266 were postgraduate degrees. Of this total, 184 were international graduates from 30 countries which included Indonesia, India, Sudan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Yemen.
At this year’s convocation, Information Technology graduate Ayu Shahirah Salem was the recipient of the Chancellor Gold Award, whereas Petroleum Geoscience graduate Sathes Kumar Sandasegaran and Chemical Engineering graduate Toh Jian Heng received the Chancellor Silver Award and Chancellor Bronze Award respectively.
Receiving the Best International Undergraduate Student Award was South Sudanese, Joseph Mabor Agany Manyiel, an Information Technology graduate.
Ong Chong Cheen, an Applied Science graduate received the Postgraduate Student Award at the Doctor of Philosophy level, while Chua Siong Chin a Civil Engineering graduate was the recipient of the same award for the Master’s level.
The 20th convocation ceremony was also a meaningful one for UTP because of the appointment of two new Pro-Chancellors,PETRONAS President and Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik and Board Member Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim, who was previously Chief Judge of Malaya, on the first day of the ceremony.
The newly appointed Pro Chancellors and Chairman of Institute of Technology PETRONAS Sdn Bhd Board of Directors En Bacho Pilong took turns to hand the scrolls to the graduates in ten sessions of the convocation.
On the fourth day of the convocation ceremony, the University, graduates and parents observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the late Muhammad Irfan Nor Rahan of Mechanical Engineering programme who passed away in January this year due to a road accident. His parents, En Nor Rahan Jehat, Pn Laili Zulhaida Razali and his younger brother were present at the ceremony. The latter received the scroll on behalf of the deceased.
UTP Vice Chancellor Professor Ts. Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib as well as UTP Executive Management and Senate Members were also present at the ceremony.
