A Flame of Hope Burns for Community Scholars

The Sunway University College (Sunway) Tun Omar Ong Yoke Lin community scholarships are a lifeline for the needy. These scholarships for study at Sunway are reserved specially for those who come from charitable Homes or the financially disadvantaged community. There are 38 community scholars, past and present, and Sunway keeps in close contact with all of them through various activities. During a lunch get-together recently, there were a few who shared their thoughts on being community scholars.

Matthew Sheu is from Rumah KIDS in Klang and is currently pursuing a Diploma in Information Engineering. He shared “I feel most privileged to be supported by Sunway through this scholarship”. Matthew has one sister and is very close to his mum who works at Nanyang Press, whom he sees twice a week. Matthew plans to be a Network Engineer.

Nanthini A/P Ramras who hails from Bahau, Negri Sembilan is pursuing the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT), lives with mum and four siblings. Nanthini shared, “I feel very thankful and very happy to be receiving this scholarship. I now have a specific goal in life”. Nanthini would like to pursue the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification after CAT.

Azerena Nediba A/P Zainal Abidin is grateful to be studying a Diploma in Hotel Management and does not have to burden her family. Azerena is ethnically orang asli and is very close to her community. She returns very often to her village to encourage the younger ones in her community to study. She feels there is talent there but not many know what to do to develop that talent. Azerena said, “I really want to make the most of my opportunity so that I may be able to motivate my community later”. One of Azerena’s ambitions is to open a restaurant someday and she would love to specialize in pastry.

Out of the 38 community scholars, nine have graduated with degrees and diplomas in various fields. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah the founder and chairman of the Sunway Group set up the Sunway Education Trust in 1997 with the purpose mainly of providing assistance to students in the form of scholarships. The community scholarships are one of the scholarships funded by the Trust and 10 of these scholarships are presented yearly. RM42 million in various scholarships has been disbursed so far by the Trust since 1997.

Advanced Networking Workshop Gives A Taste Of New Master's To Come From Sunway

Sunway University College recently held a 4-Day intensive master’s level workshop in Advanced Networking conducted by Dr Chris Edwards, a lecturer from Lancaster University’s Computing Department. Dr Edwards teaches and researches in the field of telecommunications, networking and operating systems and has been with Lancaster since 2001. Dr Edwards was joined by his Lancaster University colleague, Dr Nicholas Race who was one of the facilitators.

This workshop is part of the ongoing collaboration between the School of Computer Technology at Sunway University College and the Computing Department at Lancaster University aimed at strengthening undergraduate and graduate level courses at Sunway. One of the first fruits of this collaboration is a Master's in Network and Mobile Systems which is slated to be launched in early 2009 pending approval from the Ministry of Higher Education and accreditation from the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). The Master’s is a two-year part-time programme aimed at IT professionals in the industry.

The Advanced Networking Workshop will be one of the 6 modules in the Master's. Some of the other modules are in the area of fixed and mobile communications, mobile computing and ubiquitous computing. “The Advanced Networking workshop looks at practical perspectives such as actual computer networks in the UK and Europe and how they may evolve in future” said Dr Edwards.

Professor Rodger Lea, a visiting research fellow from Lancaster University, who has been attached to Sunway since January 2008, is assisting Sunway to build on its research and post-graduate programmes at the School of Computer Technology. Prof Lea has been the consultant and initiator of this new Master's programme which will combine lectures, coursework and a mini thesis. Students of the Master's will be jointly supervised by academics from Lancaster and Sunway and is an example of academics from the two institutions working closely together.

Lancaster’s Computing Department has an international reputation for systems research, was given a 5* rating in the last UK Government research assessment exercise and is currently ranked 7th in the UK for Computing research.

A Pledge For Hope For A Violence-Free World

November 25 was declared as “The White Ribbon International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women” by the United Nations. For the first time in Malaysia, computing students of Sunway University College developed the pledge module on the www.journeytowardshope.com website to enable Malaysians to make a personal pledge from 10 am on November 25. This event was also held around the world particularly in Australia and the U.S.A

During the period surrounding this date men and boys especially, are encouraged to undertake the White Ribbon pledge “not to commit, condone or remain silent on violence against women and children”. This event is an initiative of Dr Valli Batchelor (a Malaysian residing in Australia). A similar pledge which was pioneered in Perth by Dr Batchelor last year was highly commended internationally.

The aim of this event is to raise awareness for the U.N White Ribbon campaign and to create safer and sacred places for all Malaysians of diverse culture, religion, gender and ages to celebrate lives free from violence.

A paper pledge can also be done by filling in a palm paper pledge, e-copies of which are also available from Christopher Ong (016-2061580). The palm paper pledges will be collected from now to be displayed on a “tree” for 16 days of activism for elimination of violence against women and children, at Sunway University College from November 25.

Sunway students were asked what they thought of the pledge. Kevin Zachary, a first year computing student said “This is a very good initiative. Violence should be stopped and it is great that this awareness is created at the level of students”. Kumaran A/L Reventhran, also a first year computing student said, “I hope more people will come forward to pledge and more people should be made aware of violence particularly domestic violence which can go unnoticed”

This project is presented by Sunway University College in association with Journey Towards hope Dance Projects, Australia, World Council of Churches and the Guru Dharma Society.