Kota Kinabalu: The over 4,000 latest batch of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) graduates have been advised to transform their old "life script" ways to a new one by equipping themselves with the latest skills and knowledge.
Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin said the new 'life script' includes learning to enhance their interpersonal skills, communicating skills and personality in preparing themselves for the real world.
He said it is never too late to learn anything new as there is availability of Information Technology Centres (ICT) where the sources of knowledge are just at their finger tips.
"Consciously, the challenges are for the graduates to discard the feeling of complacency and not being over confident.
"An important aspect that these graduates must pay extra attention is to enhance their soft skills which I believe is among the main issues that must be acquired in any local universities either directly or indirectly," he said, in his keynote address at the 15th UMS Convocation at its Chancellory Hall, Saturday.
He also presented Honorary PhD. (Management) to former and first UMS Board of Directors Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Egoh, awarded Professor Emeritus Award to Vice-Chancellor Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin in Physics from School of Science and Technology and Professor Dr Sabihah Osman in History from School of Social Sciences.
A total of 4,533 graduates would be receiving their degrees, master degrees and PhD scrolls in a three-day convocation beginning Saturday. Of these, 3,604 were degree holders including those completing their diplomas and the remaining PhD holders in various fields.
Also present were UMS Pro Chancellor Tan Sri Dr. Yeoh Tiong Lay, UMS Board of Director new chairman Tun Zaki Azmi and UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah.
Juhar said the Key Performance Index (KPI) of the 10th Malaysian Plan (10MP) is to produce marketable graduates and human capital that could meet the labour force.
He said they must able to prepare themselves to face competition of getting jobs and market their field of interests as well as soft skills.
He said the employers are not only looking for job seekers who have academic qualifications but also mastering in various skills and good personality such as having communication skills, teamwork spirit, discipline, able to think fast and resolve work problems.
Juhar also advised undergraduates to acquire additional skills in the campus as an additional asset when facing real challenges in seeking jobs.
Meanwhile, UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah said universities do not have magic wands to transform their undergraduates that could meet industrial needs within three years.
"Even Harvard and Oxford University maintain relevant to be top universities in producing quality graduates without being concerned on industries needs for certain manpower.
"The reason is because these two prominent universities have strong belief and faith in education at primary and secondary levels.
Nonetheless, tertiary education level is different from high school education," he said in his speech at the event.
Dr Mohd Harun said learning tertiary education is a platform to build better character and personality of the students to be mature in their thinking, competent in communicating, possess various living skills and sensitive to current issues and information.
Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin said the new 'life script' includes learning to enhance their interpersonal skills, communicating skills and personality in preparing themselves for the real world.
He said it is never too late to learn anything new as there is availability of Information Technology Centres (ICT) where the sources of knowledge are just at their finger tips.
"Consciously, the challenges are for the graduates to discard the feeling of complacency and not being over confident.
"An important aspect that these graduates must pay extra attention is to enhance their soft skills which I believe is among the main issues that must be acquired in any local universities either directly or indirectly," he said, in his keynote address at the 15th UMS Convocation at its Chancellory Hall, Saturday.
He also presented Honorary PhD. (Management) to former and first UMS Board of Directors Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Egoh, awarded Professor Emeritus Award to Vice-Chancellor Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin in Physics from School of Science and Technology and Professor Dr Sabihah Osman in History from School of Social Sciences.
A total of 4,533 graduates would be receiving their degrees, master degrees and PhD scrolls in a three-day convocation beginning Saturday. Of these, 3,604 were degree holders including those completing their diplomas and the remaining PhD holders in various fields.
Also present were UMS Pro Chancellor Tan Sri Dr. Yeoh Tiong Lay, UMS Board of Director new chairman Tun Zaki Azmi and UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah.
Juhar said the Key Performance Index (KPI) of the 10th Malaysian Plan (10MP) is to produce marketable graduates and human capital that could meet the labour force.
He said they must able to prepare themselves to face competition of getting jobs and market their field of interests as well as soft skills.
He said the employers are not only looking for job seekers who have academic qualifications but also mastering in various skills and good personality such as having communication skills, teamwork spirit, discipline, able to think fast and resolve work problems.
Juhar also advised undergraduates to acquire additional skills in the campus as an additional asset when facing real challenges in seeking jobs.
Meanwhile, UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah said universities do not have magic wands to transform their undergraduates that could meet industrial needs within three years.
"Even Harvard and Oxford University maintain relevant to be top universities in producing quality graduates without being concerned on industries needs for certain manpower.
"The reason is because these two prominent universities have strong belief and faith in education at primary and secondary levels.
Nonetheless, tertiary education level is different from high school education," he said in his speech at the event.
Dr Mohd Harun said learning tertiary education is a platform to build better character and personality of the students to be mature in their thinking, competent in communicating, possess various living skills and sensitive to current issues and information.
