It was such a surreal experience for some 30 on-campus learning (OCL) students from WOU’s School of Digital Technology (DiGiT) as they met and greeted one another at the faculty’s newly-established base in Bangunan Wawasan, during a study tour on 14 January 2022.
The occasion was the January 2022 intake orientation, and it saw the initial cohorts from the May and September 2021 intakes joining the inaugural visit. The students got to meet their lecturers for a lively chat and camaraderie, as opposed to previous virtual discussions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The renovated and refurbished Bangunan Wawasan, the University’s city campus, is located within the heritage precinct in the inner city of George Town. It houses the DiGiT faculty and the necessary facilities for on-site teaching and learning.
In his remarks, DiGiT Senior Lecturer Dr Lee Heng Wei talked about WOU’s plans to use the strategic location of the School and the building to transform the Creative Digital District (CD²) in the inner city. “CD² is an initiative to bring life and jobs back into George Town’s historic urban core and build an innovation-oriented district focused on digital and creative industries,” he added. He encouraged the students to seize whatever opportunities for learning and growth while at WOU.
He highlighted the unique study pathway for DiGiT’s two programmes – Bachelor of Digital Business (Honours) [BDBS] and Bachelor in Software Engineering (Honours) (Application Development) [BDSE]. The students will acquire intensive skills training and three years of work experience with industry partners. “Teachers can open the door, but you must enter it yourself,” he remarked.
Meanwhile Dr Andrew Tan Kian Lam encouraged the students to have a vision for their lives and to “dare to dream”. He stressed, ““The best way to predict your future is to create it.” Instead of merely beholding and admiring top technopreneurs/CEOs like Elon Musk of Tesla, Anthony Tan of Grab, and Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, he urged them to challenge themselves and create their own business unicorn.
Graduates of DiGiT can work as a web developer, web designer, digital business analyst, software engineer and in other digital-related jobs.
The orientation also saw the setting-up of the DiGiT Student Club, under the supervision of Lecturer Muhammad Norhadri Md Hilmi. The Club seeks to develop knowledge and skills, including communication, collaboration, leadership, organisational and problem-solving, in the students through various activities.
Among the events planned for the year are #Projectkasihlokal to help empower the community through training and other educational sessions; e-sports activities; and peer clinics for students to learn from their seniors about the challenges faced.
Below are the office bearers for the DiGiT Student Club:
President: Brenda Loo Wei Yi
Vice President: Shasmitha Seb Sebastian
Secretary: Roophashri Chandaran
Representatives (BDBS): Thiruchelvan Sures Kumar and Sean Foo Yee Pin
Representatives (BDSE): Kenneth Chong Yee Hang and Lim Yi Yang
