International alumni grow and give
There are probably no events in the University calendar that more sharply focus UniSA’s commitment to an international outlook than the annual awards ceremonies for graduates held across Asia each year in July.
This year at ceremonies in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong more than 1100 students received their parchments and celebrated their academic success in studies as wide ranging as nursing, commerce, IT and social sciences.
For UniSA’s Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Høj, meeting new international and domestic graduates is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.
"We place great importance on global perspectives and partnerships," Prof Høj said.
"A third of our students are international, studying either in South Australia or through a number of successful partnerships in the region.
"The opportunity to share in the graduates’ celebration of their success is a privilege."
And beyond the official events, UniSA’s active alumni chapters took the opportunity to celebrate their networks at special events in each city.
More than 100 Malaysian graduates and UniSA managers and staff,
including Chancellor Ian Gould and Prof Høj, had the chance to walk
with elephants, giraffes and tigers at the Kuala Lumpur Negara Zoo.
The day at the zoo involved games and special performances from the
Eco Drum Circle (pictured below), a youth heritage foundation group
playing on instruments constructed entirely of recycled material,
and the Street Hound Syndicate, a local percussion and didgeridoo
group.
The annual event, this year tagged ‘the UniSA Goes Wild alumni family day’, raised RM 2000 for the Malaysian Kiwanis Society of Taman Tun Dr Ismail.
Prof Høj congratulated the chapter and their new President Raj Kumar for consistent engagement with the wider community through charity work.
"It has been wonderful to see the strong community work
undertaken by the chapter in supporting those less fortunate and to
see our graduates continue to promote the values that characterise
our University," he said.
Alumni President Raj Kumar said the event was designed as something novel, interactive and most importantly one that would encourage people to support the charity.
"Our objective was to create an opportunity for people to interact in a fun way in a different environment while also giving back to society. Looking at the response I believe we reached our objective. The team work and effort put in by the alumni committee certainly paid off."
In Hong Kong more than 130 alumni were entertained at the annual alumni reunion dinner by a youth trio playing traditional Chinese instruments. The gathering also heard from the MBA club president Edward Lam who reported on the club’s work in mainland China raising funds for new facilities and improvements in schools.
The Vice Chancellor congratulated the chapter on its thriving range of activities, again drawing attention to the important charity work of the chapter.
A special cocktail function and AGM in Singapore drew a strong attendance of more than 150 alumni keen to contribute to the development and future of the chapter.
This important meeting completed formal registration of the chapter and saw a range of new officers elected to senior positions and the election of the new President, Andrew Woo.