Among the mechanical engineering students who graduated on Monday 18 July 2016 were a group of University of Southampton Malaysia Campus (USMC) students who started their studies in 2012, when the Malaysia Campus first opened.
“This is indeed a milestone occasion for us all. We started teaching at USMC four years ago, and this pioneer group of students has been one of the most enjoyable that I have had the pleasure to teach in my 35 years at Southampton University. They’ve made me very proud,’’ said Professor Neil Stephen, Head of Academic Affairs at USMC.
Offering a unique international engineering experience, students based in Malaysia spend the first two years of their degree programme studying at USMC, before transferring to the UK Campus for the final two years of study.
“I am extremely pleased to note that our first batch of students from the Malaysia Campus did very well,’’ said Professor Mark Spearing, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International). ‘‘Between them, they obtained 10 First Class and eight Upper Second Class MEng degrees. I’m confident that this group of graduates will do phenomenally well.’’
Two of the graduates were also prize winners: Jeremy Fong was on the Dean’s List of Commendations (Certificate) as a MEng Part 4 candidate, and Jei See Tai won the prize for Best Student in MEng Mechanical Engineering with Mechatronics.
Having recently secured a place on Rolls Royce’s Graduate Development Programme, Jeremy will be working for the company over the next two years.
“This is just the start for me and I am really looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead,’’ Jeremy said.
A number of the graduates also benefited from prestigious Lloyd’s Register Foundation scholarships, which are awarded annually to top performing mechanical engineering students from the Malaysia Campus.
Professor John McBride, CEO of USMC, shared some words of wisdom with the graduates:
“Make the most of the education experience you’ve had and never forget that life is about continual learning, it’s a continuous process, you haven’t finished and it’s never over. Just keep striving and learn as much as you can.’’