Dr. Leong Mun Chak emerged as the only PhD graduate at the OUM 10th Convocation

YABhg Tun Jeanne Abdullah delivering her speech

OUM held its 10th convocation from 18 June to 20 June 2011. 4356 graduates received their scrolls from the Chancellor of the university, YABhg Tun Jeanne Abdullah and Pro-Chancellor, YBhg Tan Sri Azman Hashim.

Leong Mun Chak

Dr Leong Mun Chak receiving his scroll from Tun Chancellor

Only 1 PhD graduate was conferred during this time around. Dr. Leong Mun Chak graduated with the PhD in IT, the first in OUM. His research is about automatically recognizing a painting which has been photographed or scanned digitally to extract relevant textual information of the painting from the painting database.

The pioneer batch of PhD graduates. From left: Dr. Patrick Wong, Dr. Baljinder Singh, Dr. Lum, Dr. Sia, Dr. Richard Ng, Dr. Wong and Dr. Aminah

According to Dr. Leong he was motivated by his peers who had already obtained their PhD. During the 9th convocation, 7 students became OUM's first batch of graduates who received their PhD in BA and Education.

According to Dr. Leong, the recognition process uses a new mathematical wavelet technique which is able to digitally encode a painting into a very small size called an index. This allows very fast recognition of the painting.

Dr Leong delivering his speech

Video clip of part of Dr Leong's speech Part 1:



Video clip of part of Dr Leong's speech Part 2:



Dr. Leong was given the honor to deliver the valedictorian speech on behalf of the graduates. In his speech, he thanked OUM for the opportunity to earn his PhD. He urged fellow graduates to climb the mountain of OUM if they intent to climb another mountain after this.

OUM grads thrive on PhD challenges - NST

Nov 21, 2010

Dr Baljinder (second from left) with 6 other PhD graduates from left: Dr Patrick Wong, Dr Lum, Dr Sia, Dr Richard Ng, Dr Wong and Dr Aminah

PURSUING a PhD qualification is not a spur-of-the-moment decision as it entails rigorous study and great persistence. Baljinder Singh, however, sees the endeavour as a normal progression in his career as an academic.

The senior lecturer with a public university in Sarawak says pursuing a doctorate degree was his way of proving a point to his students.

"In the life of an academic, there should never be a full stop when it comes to the pursuit of knowledge. To be an effective educator, keeping abreast with the latest development in one's field is essential and, there is no better way of doing so than to embark on a PhD journey."
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He acknowledges that it requires patience and fortitude to reach the finishing line. "I had my fair share of 'turbulence' in my PhD journey but I was lucky as it occurred mainly during the initial stage of my research," says Baljinder, who graduated with a PhD in Education at Open University Malaysia's (OUM) ninth convocation recently.

He was among the first batch of seven PhD graduates who received their scrolls from chancellor Tun Jeanne Abdullah. The convocation saw 5,931 graduates receiving their scrolls.

Baljinder says he was fortunate to have a capable supervisor who provided him with much-needed guidance and push whenever he lagged. "With his guidance, feedback and critical comments, I was able to complete my study in slightly less than four years."

Despite receiving offers from various universities for him to do his PhD, Baljinder opted to do his at OUM.

Majlis Kovokesyen OUM ke 9: 20 - 23 Nov 2010

YABhg Canselor OUM, Tun Jeanne Abdullah dan YBhg Pro-Canselor OUM, Tan Sri Azman Hashim

Majlis Konvokesyen OUM ke 9 dari 20 hingga 23 November 2010 menyaksikan seramai 5931 orang pelajar menerima ijazah mereka masing-masing. Pada konvokesyen ini juga OUM berjaya melahirkan 7 orang graduan pada julung kalinya dalam program Ijazah Doktor Falsafah di mana 4 orang akan menerima Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dalam bidang Pentadbiran Perniagaan, 2 orang menerima Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dalam bidang Pendidikan dan seorang lagi menerima Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dalam bidang Kejuruteraan.

Presiden OUM, YBhg Tan Sri Dr Anuwar Ali, sedang menyampaikan ucapannya.

Klip video ucapan YBhg Tan Sri Presiden:



Klip video ucapan YABhg Tun Canselor:



Kumpulan pertama penerima Ijazah Doktor Falsafah OUM dari kiri: Dr. Patrick Wong, Dr. Baljinder Singh, Dr. Lum Heap Sum, Dr. Malcolm Sia, Dr. Richard Ng, Dr. Wong Siaw Ming and Dr. Aminah Hashim

Klip video penganugerahan Ijazah Doktor Falsafah:



Pengarah OUM Perak, Richard Ng, menerima Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dari YABhg Tun Jeanne Abdullah, Canselor OUM

Sdra Yunus sedang menerima Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perakaunan dari Tun Canselor

Dalam majlis yang sama seramai 254 orang graduan akan dianugerahkan dengan Ijazah Sarjana, 5517 orang graduan menerima Ijazah Sarjana Muda dan 153 orang akan menerima diploma.

Gambar kenangan dari kiri: Sharizal, Richard Ng, Puan Murni dan Puan Zura

Seperti pada kebiasaannya, majlis konvokesyen dimulakan dengan perarakan graduan, diikuti oleh perarakan akademik dan perarakan besar. Ia kemudian disusuli oleh nyanyian lagu Negaraku dan lagu OUM. Bacaan doa kemudian menusul diikuti oleh ucapan YBhg Tan Sri Presiden merangkap Naib Canselor. Selepas itu Canselor akan mengishtiharkan pembukaan majlis konvokesyen.

Puan Zura dan Puan Murni bergambar bersama Peter Yacob dan Miss Tan

Bergambar bersama pelajar OUM Perak iaitu Cik Vasanthi

Majlis konvokesyen kali ini diadakan dalam 7 sidang mulai 20 November hingga 23 November. Pada hari pertama majlis ini seramai kira-kira 800 orang menerima ijazah masing di sebelah pagi iaitu sidang pertama dan seramai 800 lagi menerima ijazah mereka di sebelah petang dalam sidang kedua.

Puan Zura dan Puan Murni antara tetamu Majlis Konvokesyen ke 9

Graduan OUM Perak program MBA, Chow Kin Wai, bergambar dengan adik saudaranya

Graduan Ijazah Doktor Falsafah menerima ijazah mereka dahulu diikuti dengan graduan Ijazah Sarjana. Ia kemudian diikuti oleh graduan Ijazah Sarjana Muda dan diploma mengikut Fakulti masing-masing.

Salah seorang graduan BNS OUM Perak

Majlis konvokesyen ini merupakan konvokesyen ketiga yang diadakan pada tahun 2010 sahaja. Seramai 320 orang graduan telah berjaya dilahirkan oleh OUM Perak. Antara penerima ijazah pada konvokesyen ini ialah Pengarah OUM Perak, Dr Richard Ng yang menerima Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dalam bidang Pentadbiran Perniagaan.

Sebahagian dari graduan yang hadir

Beberapa orang pelajar dari OUM Perak yang menerima Ijazah Sarjana termasuk Peter Yacob, Chow Kin Wai dan Sdri Tan. Seorang pelajar dari Perak iaitu Hew Teck Soon berjaya menerima Ijazah Sarjana Teknologi Maklumat.

Bergambar bersama graduan BNS sebelum perarakan bermula

OUM Perak juga pada kali pertamanya melahirkan graduan dalam program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perakaunan dan Ijazah Sarjana Muda Sains Kejururawatan. Sdra Yunus dan Puan Siti Zaleha berjaya muncul sebagai pelajar cemerlang dalam program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perakaunan.

Perarakan bermula

Turut hadir pada majlis konvokesyen kali ini adalah 3 orang staf OUM Perak iaitu Puan Zura, Puan Murni dan Sdra Sharizal. Selain daripada menyaksikan majlis konvokesyen ini dengan lebih dekat lagi, kehadiran mereka sebenarnya adalah untuk memberi sokongan kepada graduan dari OUM Perak.

OUM awards posthumous doctorate to founder - NST

Allahyarham Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Haji Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR: Open University Malaysia (OUM) today presented an honorary doctorate posthumously to its founder, Tan Sri Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad.

The Doctor of Management degree, awarded at the university's ninth convocation beginning today, is for Abdullah Sanusi's excellence in his career in the public and private sectors and in the field of higher education.

OUM Chancellor Tun Jeanne Abdullah presented the award to Abdullah Sanusi's widow, Puan Sri Hashimah Ismail, at the convocation held at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

Abdullah Sanusi died on Nov 29, 2003 at the age of 67, leaving Hashimah and four sons.

After his appointment as the OUM vice-chancellor in April 2001, Abdullah Sanusi was instrumental in guiding the university into establishing itself as the pioneer open and distance-education institution in Malaysia.

His efforts towards the democratisation of higher education had enabled all levels of society to pursue courses at the university regardless of age, gender, geographical location and previous qualification.

Abdullah Sanusi, who was vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaya from 1994 to 2000, had earned recognition as the founder and pioneer in the establishment of the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) and the Malaysia Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu).

Also at today's convocation, teacher Low Suan Hua received the Chancellor's Award for excellence in attaining the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education) degree with honours.

The convocation, over four days until Tuesday, will see 5,931 graduands receiving their degrees in various disciplines. Seven of them will receive doctorate degrees, the first from the university. - BERNAMA

Details of Allahyarham Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Haji Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad can be viewed here: http://www.oum.edu.my/oum/index.php?c=oum&v=art_view&domid=1&parent_id=25&cat_id=40&art_id=55&lang=eng

OUM's First Batch Of PhD Graduates - Bernama

The first batch of seven PhD graduates from left: Dr. Patrick Wong, Dr. Baljinder Singh, Dr. Lum Heap Sum, Dr. Malcolm Sia, Dr. Richard Ng, Dr. Wong Siaw Ming and Dr. Aminah Hashim

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama)

For the first time since it establishment in 2000, the first batch of seven Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduates from the Open University Malaysia (OUM) will receive their scrolls at the university's four-day ninth convocation, beginning Nov 20.



OUM president and vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali said four graduates would receive their PhD in Business Administration, two (Education) and another in Engineering.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said a total of 5,931 would receive scrolls, with 254 graduating with a masters, bachelor's honours degree (5,517) and 153, diplomas.



"The highest are from the education and languages faculties which contribute 3,679 graduates, business and management (893), science and technology (865), information technology and multimedia communication (284) and 210 graduates from the School of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences," he said.

The Chancellor's Award will be presented to Low Suan Hua who obtained the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education) with honours, while Allahyarham Tan Sri Dr Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad will obtain a posthumous honorary degree of Doctor of Management for his contribution as OUM founder and president before his demise in November 2003.

OUM, which held its first convocation in December 2004, has since produced 32,601 graduates.

Meanwhile, eight new courses which will be offered by OUM for the January intake are post-graduate Diploma in Teaching, Bachelor (honours) in Early Childhood Education, Economics and Computer Science, Master of Public Administration, Master of Islamic Studies, Master of Information Technology in Network Computing and Master of English Studies.

-- BERNAMA

PhD for working mum, dad after the sacrifice and guilt - The Star

USUALLY, it’s the parents who beam proudly during their children’s convocation but for siblings I. Pavithran and I. Mritickah, it was the opposite.

The children were grinning widely when their parents S. Ilangko and J. Paramaswari, both 45, were conferred the Doctor of Philosophy degrees at the first session of the convocation ceremony yesterday.

“We are very happy and proud. At home my sister and I try not to disturb them when they are studying, otherwise, they will take a very long time to finish,” eight-year-old Pavithran said.

His sister Mritickah, 10, said they would sometimes ask about their parents’ studies.

“I want to do my PhD too but I wish to study abroad,” said Mritickah who speaks Man-darin.

Ilangko, who is a senior assistant (administration) at St George’s Girls School and Paramaswari, who teaches at Convent Datuk Keramat, obtained both their bachelor and master’s degrees from USM.

“I am from Selangor and my wife is from Kuala Lumpur. Since our undergraduate days in USM, we already decided to complete our postgraduate studies together in the same university.

“We received our master’s degrees in 2000,” Ilangko said.

Ilangko, who received a scholarship from the Education Ministry, did his research on co-curricular activities while his wife focused on the local community’s participation in helping those with HIV and AIDS.

“We dedicate this achievement to our children because our studies have taken so much of our time away from them. There are moments when I feel a little guilty and have even thought of giving up,” he said.

Describing the doctorate degree as a “very lonely journey”, Paramaswari said she was fortunate to be able to share the experience with her husband.

She said despite the different topics, the couple were able to discuss their work.

“Being a working mother, it was such a challenge. I had to take six months unpaid leave for my field work.

Asked about their future plans, Paramaswari said the family was planning a holiday.