Singapore attracts diverse graduates

Graduations

About 130 students from 12 different countries graduated from the University of Adelaide at two offshore ceremonies in Singapore on Saturday 25 April.

Included in the line-up was a member of the Singapore Armed Forces, a Filipino pharmaceutical executive and an Indonesian IT specialist, demonstrating the international mix of students that the University attracts.

One of Singapore's most celebrated women and also a University of Adelaide alumnus, Ms Lim Soo Hoon, addressed graduands at the morning ceremony at the Ngee Ann-Adelaide Education Centre.

Ms Lim is Singapore's first female Permanent Secretary, working in the Public Service Division of the Prime Minister's Office. She has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Adelaide and also a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University.

The Colombo Plan Scholar was named "Woman of the Year" in 2006 by Her World, Singapore's top-selling female magazine.

The graduands included MBA mace-bearer Halmie Bin Hussein Mattar, a Major in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) who is responsible for training cadets to become SAF officers.

Bachelor of Computer Science graduand Chan Yaoxian, who earned five high distinctions in her degree, carried the University mace for the afternoon ceremony, which also featured an address by Professor Iain Reid, the Academic Director of the Singapore campus and also Dean of Postgraduate Coursework Studies at the University of Adelaide.

Countries represented at both ceremonies included: Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, Great Britain, India, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam and Australia.

The Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Professor James McWha, attended the Singapore graduation ceremonies, accompanied by distinguished Asian alumni.

Two days prior to the ceremony, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Professions, Professor Pascale Quester, led a business forum in Singapore on the value of sports sponsorship, which attracted about 180 people. The forum included a panel of some of Singapore's leading marketing and advertising executives.

The University of Adelaide also held its second Open Day in Singapore on Sunday 26 April, attracting more than 200 people and featuring information booths and a series of talks from faculty representatives.

Story by Candy Gibson