New postgraduate students reciting their pledge.


SERDANG, 20 August – A number of 2,010 postgraduate students from the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) recited their new students pledge for the 2009/2010 first semester session and as a symbolic gesture of the beginning of their journey in the campus.

Vice Chancellor of UPM, Dr. Nik Mustapha R. Abdullah disclosed the enrolment for this semester as 8,585 where 6,025 are from the Master degree and 2560 are the PhD students.

“The number of 2,429 international students at the moment indicates that UPM continues to be the preference for postgraduate students,” he said during the oath taking ceremony held here.

During the event, new students had shown different reactions towards their choice of UPM in an interview conducted by reporters of Tribun Putra.

One the lot is Imas Sukaesih Sitanggang, 34, a PhD scholar in Computer Science who claimed that his choice is due to UPM’s repute as an international university.

“I am honoured that I’m one of the scholars and it is my hope that I’d be able to share the knowledge with my students back in Indonesia once I graduate,” said Sitanggang, who is also a lecturer with the Agriculture University of Bogor, Indonesia.

Rwaveno Bamaiyi, 36, hailed from Nigeria told a reporter that his sole reason for choosing UPM was credited to his friends’ numerous mention of UPM as one of the prominent research universities in the Islamic region.

“I’m undertaking PhD in Public Health at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UPM simply because of its state-of-the-art learning facilities. I also wish to give adequate exposure to the Nigerian about this matter,” said Bamaiyi, a degree holder from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.


Rwaveno Bamaiyi,36 an international student from Nigeria.


Aiman Dandi 29, from Libya stated that he has chosen UPM for its excellent quality education and for the fact that Malaysia is an Islamic country.

“I’m doing Applied Radiation at the Faculty of Science, UPM. Although having a degree in Nuclear Engineering from Al-Fatah University in Libya, it is still highly relevant with the course I’m taking in UPM,” he disclosed as he mentioned his aspiration to work in Malaysia.

Not to be left out is one disabled student, Nurul Atikah Salim, 22 who is furthering her studies in Business Administration. This comes as a surprise as she just received her scroll in the recent convocation.



Nurul Atikah Salim, 22 a disabled student.


“I feel that there’s a gap in me that need to be fulfilled. And I’m not ready to enter the career world as I’m still adjusting to this artificial limb for walking,” said she, who has successfully portrayed that one with disability should not let that weakness hinder them.

The reporters for Tribun Putra also had the opportunity to interview a brother and a sister team hailed from Sibu, Sarawak who undertake the MBA course.


Siblings rivalry, Annie Yong Ing Ing, 23 (left) and Yong Hua Long, 32.


“We have decided that we shall take MBA in UPM for its famous reputation,” said Annie, who fruitfully convinced her brother into doing the course together.

Prepared by Media and Publicity Section, Corporate Communication Division.