PUTRAJAYA, 10 February 2022 — Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) celebrated a decade of creating positive impact in the country, beyond quality education, at its 10th year anniversary celebration, held at its green campus in Putrajaya today.
The UK University celebrated its #WattaDecade anniversary in an intimate ceremony with its students, academic leaders, and staff members. Also present were the University’s Pro Chancellor, Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood; the University’s Chair of the Board of Directors, Datuk Yasmin Mahmood; and its Board members.
In line with Heriot-Watt’s ‘Strategy 2025’, the University continues to forge ahead with its people at the heart of everything it does.
In his welcoming speech, HWUM Provost and Chief Executive Officer Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi, said: “Our University was established in Edinburgh in 1821, with 200 years of heritage and principles that will always be rooted deeply in the belief that education and science should be used for the betterment of the wider society. This is reflected in our core values, which are: Inspire, Collaborate, Celebrate and Belong, and supported by our conviction that our students should be ‘FutureMade’ to meet the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead of them.”
“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary on this beautiful green campus in Putrajaya and reflect on a decade of our impact, we are reliving an era of continual creation of positive impact in Malaysia, one that goes beyond quality education,” added Mushtak.
Promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
To commemorate the special occasion and as part of its efforts to widen access to education, HWUM unveiled two new scholarships: HWUM 10th Anniversary Global Citizenship Scholarship and HWUM 10th Anniversary Impact Scholarship.
The WattaDecade Scholarship aims to recognise the outstanding global citizens / international students around the world who are role models, inspiring personalities who have demonstrated leadership quality and achievements. The IMPACT Scholarship aims to recognise Malaysian youth with outstanding leadership capabilities, who have positively impacted communities.
To date, HWUM has provided over 4,199 scholarships to bright and deserving students through its range of scholarships and other financial assistance programmes, providing equal access to high-quality UK education to all.
Heriot-Watt University also has a rich and significant heritage of widening participation and empowering women. HWUM Chair of the Board of Directors, Datuk Yasmin Mahmood, said: “Heriot-Watt University is proud to be a University that fosters the ethos of inclusion and education for all since its inception. It thrives on promoting inclusivity, embracing differences, and encouraging opportunities.”
As part of its efforts to promote gender inclusivity and support the 30% Club in Malaysia, HWUM’s senior leadership team and Executive Management Committee consist of 50 per cent and 40 per cent female participation respectively. In addition, to promote the widening participation of women in education, the University also offers scholarships through its Edinburgh Business School (EBS) in partnership with the 30% Club, to female scholars pursuing an MBA at the University’s three global campuses.
Further, Heriot-Watt was the first institution in Scotland to introduce women into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes. Since opening its doors in Malaysia, it has enabled women in the ASEAN region to gain access to quality teaching and learning in the field of Engineering and Science. To further promote gender inclusivity in this field, HWUM had introduced the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Scholarship, especially for female students who seek to pursue Engineering and Science as a career path.
Pioneering the Global Education Landscape with World Class Programmes
Since its inception, the University’s world-class accredited programmes have always been developed based on the genuine needs of the business community and the industry; ensuring career-relevant education and an environment that helps to foster purpose-driven leaders who are able to positively impact the communities in which they live.
In Malaysia, HWUM works closely with accreditation bodies such as Engineering Council, UK, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and many more to promote industry-relevant curricula.
Currently, HWUM caters to a global network of students from over 62 countries worldwide. It has produced over 2,000 graduates through its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. To date, a total of 1,395 undergraduate students have received their scrolls from HWUM. In 2021, 45 per cent of its students graduated with First Class honours degrees.
The University’s unique GoGlobal inter-campus transfer programme has been well received with 700 Malaysian students transferring and studying at the University’s UK and Dubai campuses, and 300 students from UK and Dubai transferring to Malaysia.
Positive Education Approach for the Future World of Work
Through HWUM’s unique positive education approach that was introduced in 2017, students are supported in their efforts of realising their potential, and in becoming holistic and purpose driven, future-ready graduates. Post SPM students who join its Foundation programme are exposed to and guided by this approach, which focuses on the development of students’ emotional intelligence and a sense of purpose.
Since its inception, a total of 2,137 students have actively participated and benefitted from over 124 of the University’s community outreach programmes via its EmPOWER programme.
Heriot-Watt University’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard A. Williams, said: “I would like to congratulate our campus in Malaysia for this remarkable milestone of achieving 10 years of impact and for being part of the university's rich heritage. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia has been making great strides in empowering the young generation to be global purpose driven leaders with its unique positive education approach.”
Way Forward Plans
Moving forward, the University, through its portfolio of programmes carefully tuned to the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its graduates, will continue to promote education, research, and innovation. They will continue the University’s research in areas such as purpose-driven leadership, data science, robotics, and achieving Net Zero emission, among others. The University’s graduates will continue to push the limits of knowledge acquisition, resulting in breakthrough discoveries with practical impact on the world.
HWUM’s EmPOWER programme will be further enhanced towards advancing a sustainable, just, and equitable landscape in Malaysia and internationally, with feedback from employers.
In conjunction with the 10th anniversary celebration, HWUM’s Student Association organised a blood donation drive and Fiesta-O-Rama Charity bazaar. They will be donating a portion of their profits to the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA).
For more information on HWUM’s 10th Anniversary Global Citizenship Scholarship and HWUM 10th Anniversary Impact Scholarship, please visit https://www.hw.ac.uk/malaysia/study/scholarships/heriot-watt-scholarships.htm
This content is provided by Heriot-Watt University Malaysia.
