By Azman Zakaria
Photo by Marina Ismail and Noor Azreen Awang & Mohd Hasrul Hamdan
SERDANG, 4 Nov - Graduates should continue to enhance their knowledge and skills and make the success in getting a degree or diploma a track to contribute more meaningfully to the shaping of society and rising of human civilisation.
Pro Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr. Nayan Ariffin said that the learning process should not stop after graduates complete their studies at the university.
He said that this is because quality graduates desired in the country are not just excellent in academic achievement, but also excellent in a holistic and balanced manner in all aspects of life.
‘Graduates with knowledge, moral, behaviour, mindset and manners are very crucial in becoming noble people,’ He said during the second session of the 41th UPM Convocation Ceremony here.
He mentioned that it coincides with the concept of Ihsan as the pillar of excellence at UPM which stressed on quality, perfection and excellence which in turn will produce graduates contributing to the transformational effort of the country.
He also added that the university can no longer act like an ivory tower taking an elitist or exclusive approach.
Conversely, he said that the university should expand its role to be inclusive and its responsibility goes beyond the boundaries of the campus to build a community.
He said that higher education institutions particularly university need to be at the level of excellence because the sector is the most critical sector in the development and progress of the country.
He further added that this is because the sector prepares human and workers who are knowledgeable and highly skilled for the need of the country’s transformation. – UPM.
