TAR UMT: Academic Excellence for Generations

 Mr Ling (left) receiving the President’s Award on behalf of his daughter from Prof Ir Dr Lee (right).

TAR UMT’s September 2023 Convocation Ceremony on 9 - 10 September 2023 was conducted in its usual celebratory fashion, but this time it was capped with a special moment that exemplifies TAR UMT’s strong legacy of providing top-notch tertiary education to countless Malaysians over five decades.

In a heartwarming and proud moment, Mr Ling Ee Yew, an alumnus of the then TAR College (TARC) went on stage to accept the prestigious President's Award on behalf of his daughter, Ling Li Ya, who graduated from Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) in Software Engineering but could not attend her convocation in person as she is pursuing her Master of Science in Computer Science at University College Dublin in Ireland.

TAR UMT’s President’s Award is the most prestigious award that is given by the University that signifies the highest honour bestowed upon a student that recognises their exceptional academic achievements and contributions to the University and its community.

Although she was unable to be here in person, Li Ya still managed to express her astonishment and excitement regarding her achievement via an email interview. 

“I had set my eyes on the award all the way back during my foundation year at TAR UMT, and to finally receive the award felt so surreal, like a dream come true, and I couldn't have done it without the help of my close friends and the supportive and inspiring lecturers that have made a great impact on my academic journey,” said Li Ya.

Like his daughter, Mr Ling was also unable to attend his own convocation ceremony after he completed his Diploma in Technology (Electronic Engineering) in 1995. So being able to attend a convocation at Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman, especially in honour of his daughter, was a lifetime experience he will cherish.

“To be able to experience standing up on the stage for the first time was quite amazing, I can almost feel like I am graduating again! I always have faith in this institution being a top quality higher education provider, which is why myself, my children, and even my nieces and nephews are students and graduates from this wonderful institution,” he said.

Mr Ling and his family are living testimony that TAR UMT continues to be a beacon of excellence, nurturing talent and shaping the future of countless individuals. 

The convocation ceremony witnessed 2426 graduates receiving their scrolls, out of which 48 graduated with Masters degree, 875 graduated with Bachelors degree and 1,503 are Diploma graduates. 

Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, President of TAR UMT, in his speech echoed the important role TAR UMT plays in continuously shaping examplenary graduates. “It is within these campus grounds that I have seen our students breaking boundaries, discovering new things, and most importantly, demonstrating qualities of becoming future leaders every day. It is TAR UMT's lifelong mission to continue guiding our students towards this promising future,” he said.