Over 300 alumni attend Curtin Malaysia’s 25th Anniversary Homecoming and Alumni Awards event

Miri, Sarawak – 15 July 2024 – Curtin Malaysia’s recent 25th Anniversary Alumni Homecoming was a spectacular two-day event celebrating the campus’s quarter-century milestone. Over 300 alumni and guests attended the Alumni Homecoming and Awards Dinner at the Miri Marriott Resort & Spa, honouring six outstanding alumni and the campus’s team of Curtin Lost Alumni Ambassadors.

The following day, a ‘Back-to-Campus’ event at the Curtin Malaysia campus brought together over 50 alumni, staff and guests, rekindling old memories and forging new connections.

University leaders from Australia and Malaysia, along with Curtin alumni from Malaysia and Singapore, and guests, gathered to commemorate Curtin Malaysia’s 25-year journey and the strong bonds between alumni and their alma mater.

Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Hayne described the event as a true celebration of global Curtin alumni, highlighting Curtin Malaysia as the university’s first and largest international campus.

“Twenty-five years ago, Curtin Malaysia transformed the higher education landscape in Malaysia, establishing a permanent Australian university presence overseas,” Professor Hayne remarked. She praised the campus’s rapid development, and the significant growth of the Curtin alumni community in Malaysia, now over 22,000 strong.

Professor Hayne also lauded the alumni teams at Curtin Malaysia and Curtin Perth, as well as the Curtin University Alumni Malaysia Chapter, for their dedication in building a vibrant alumni network in Malaysia. Their one-and-a-half year long Curtin Lost Alumni Project, which started in January 2023, successfully reconnected with over 1,000 Curtin alumni in the country, thanks to the efforts of an outstanding team of Curtin Lost Alumni Ambassadors recruited from among the alumni.

During the dinner, the winners of the 2024 Curtin Malaysia Alumni Awards were announced, recognising six exceptional alumni who have made remarkable achievements in their fields and are showcasing the transformative power of higher education. The 2024 Curtin Malaysia Alumni Awards winners were:

• Professional Achievement in Business: Kid Chan, renowned photographer.
• Professional Achievement in Engineering and Science: Dr. Michelle Lu, power system protection expert.
• Professional Achievement in Humanities and Health: Mary Tang Sing Mey, marketing innovator.
• Young Achievement Award: Julius Tan Lim Dick, journalist and AI researcher.
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award: Ng Wei Li, founder of Global Cerah.
• Community Achievement Award: Prof. Muhammad Sadruddin Mohd. Saidfudin, environmental conservation leader.

When introducing the winners, Curtin Malaysia Pro Vice-Chancellor President and Chief Executive Professor Simon Leunig praised the awardees for their remarkable achievements, noting the high calibre of nominations received. The awards were presented by Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global, Professor Xiaotian Zhang.

In his welcome speech, Curtin Malaysia Pro-Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan commended all the alumni for their accomplishments, emphasising their contributions to society and their embodiment of Curtin’s values. He highlighted the importance of maintaining strong ties with their alma mater, fostering a network of support, opportunity, and lifelong learning, as well as the importance of their connection to broader community.

Key attendees at the event included Sarawak Transport Minister and chair of Curtin Malaysia’s Management Committee Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin; Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Datuk Sebastian Ting; Miri Mayor Adam Yii; Western Australia Investment and Trade Commissioner for ASEAN Bryce Green; and other dignitaries from Malaysia and abroad.

Also in attendance were members of Curtin Malaysia’s Council and Board of Directors, Curtin University Deputy Vice-Chancellor R&D Professor Melinda Fitzgerald, Chief Advancement Officer John Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer David Menarry, and a number of Curtin Malaysia’s founders.

Prior to the event in Miri, an alumni celebratory event was also held in Kuala Lumpur, to which over 70 alumni attended.

Information on Curtin Malaysia can be found on its website at curtin.edu.my, or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne welcoming guests

Recognition of Curtin Lost Alumni Ambassadors

Alumni award winner receiving an award from Professor Xiaotian Zhang

Guests from Malaysia and abroad at the dinner

Professor Hayne, Dr Chan, and other dignitaries during the dinner

Large gathering of university leaders, alumni, and guests