KUALA LUMPUR: Banking figure Tan Sri Azman Hashim was installed as the new chancellor of Open University Malaysia (OUM) during the first session of the university's 30th Convocation Ceremony Thursday (May 7).
Azman, who previously served as pro-chancellor of the university for about two decades, will present scrolls to some of the 7,030 graduates at the convocation.
In a statement Thursday, OUM said the four-day convocation celebrates graduates from various backgrounds, including elderly students in their 70s as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate from Kajang Prison.
Among the graduates who drew attention were the oldest graduate, Muhammad Tasan, 75, who received a Master of Management, and medical doctor Dr Loh Yunn Hua, 72, who obtained a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours.
Their achievements were recognised through the Lifelong Learning Award, which highlights the university's emphasis on continuous education.
The first session also honoured Siti Hadjar Mansor Awang Hitam, a female bodybuilder who completed a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours.
Meanwhile, OUM president and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Izanee Awang said the diverse backgrounds of the graduates reflected the university's mission to expand access to higher education regardless of age or personal circumstances.
"From teachers, nurses and other professionals to celebrities, athletes and even prison inmates, our students are the best example of OUM's motto - University for All.
"Our open, distance and digital education model has enabled many individuals to work and study at the same time. We hope OUM will continue to be embraced by more Malaysians in the years ahead," he said in the statement. - Bernama
