The future of education demands reinvention. Learning must become lifelong, flexible, experiential, interdisciplinary, and deeply connected to real-world challenges, says HELP University chancellor and co-founder Prof Datuk Dr Paul Chan.
Emphasing the importance of rethinking how learning is approached in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving world, he said the institution aspires to become not merely a university, but an ecosystem of humane innovation and lifelong transformation.
He said that is why the varsity pioneered APEL.Q which recognises experiential learning and enables adult learners and working professionals to pursue higher education later in life.
Prof Chan was speaking at the varsity’s 36th convocation ceremony on May 10. Held at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with HELP University’s 40th anniversary celebrations, the event brought together local and international graduates from diverse academic disciplines and backgrounds, including working professionals, adult learners, postgraduate students, and first-generation university graduates.
Among the cohort were Topvision Eye Specialist Centre executive vice chairman Datuk Kenny Liew Hock Nean and Malaysian Investment Development Authority sustainability division director Syed Kamal Muzaffa who received the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission senior assistant director Datuk Izani Wan Ishak who is APEL.Q Master of Science in Economic Crime Management programme’s first graduate.
Encouraging graduates to move forward with courage, resilience, and adaptability amid rapid technological and societal change, HELP vice-chancellor Prof Dr Andy Liew Teik Kooi said education is not just about what you know - it is about what you now believe is possible.
For many in attendance, the occasion represented years of perseverance, personal growth, and ambition. The ceremony also highlighted the evolving nature of higher education, where learning increasingly extends beyond traditional pathways and age boundaries.
The ceremony also reflected the growing importance of lifelong learning, with many graduates pursuing education not only for professional advancement, but also for personal growth, reinvention, and contribution to society.
My decision to pursue the DBA was rooted in lifelong learning and the desire to bridge practical experience with academic knowledge. As an entrepreneur leading a global technology company, much of my learning came from building businesses, managing crises, innovation, and global expansion. APEL.Q recognises that experience also carries academic value. For me, the DBA was never about a title, but about translating years of entrepreneurial lessons into knowledge that can benefit future leaders and the broader ecosystem.”
Founder and Aerodyne
Group CEO Datuk Dr Kamarul A. Muhamed (DBA)
The value of an entrepreneur is not just about generating profit, but about creating opportunities and making an impact on more people. I hope to nurture more new-generation entrepreneurs with responsibility, leadership, and an international outlook. Because true success is not about how far one person can go alone, but about how many people can be brought along to grow together.
MK Curtain Berhad and OE EduGroup founder Datuk Wira Dr Calvin Khiu (DBA)
