Wawasan Open University held its Orientation Day on January 13th for new students who had enrolled for the January 2013 semester.
STUDENTS ATTEND ORIENTATION AT THE MAIN CAMPUS.
The University registered about 1,000 new students this semester, with hundreds turning up for the day-long orientation simultaneously organised by the five Regional Centres – Kuala Lumpur (KLRC), Penang (PGRC), Ipoh (IPRC), Johor Bahru (JBRC) and Kuching (KCRC).
The KLRC together with the Support Offices of Subang, Klang and Bandar Utama (BURSO), had the highest participation of about 300 new students, followed by Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching, and Ipoh.
On hand to welcome the new students and share about WOU’s rules and regulations were the Directors of the respective Regional Centres, along with the Deans and senior academic staff of WOU – Prof Tham Choy Yoong at Johor Bahru, Prof N V Narasimham at Ipoh, Dr S Nagarajan at Kuala Lumpur, Associate Prof Dr R Santhiram at Kuching, and Prakash Arumugam at Penang.
WELCOME ADDRESS FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR.
The new students viewed the recording of the maiden Orientation speech by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Dato’ Dr Ho Sinn Chye, who took office last October. They were then briefed on WOU’s open distance learning (ODL) model and introduced to the learning management system (WawasanLearn), submission of assignments (OAS), library services, and the anti-plagiarism software, Turnitin.
The Orientation also witnessed the presentation of certificates to students named to the Dean’s List for achieving excellent academic results during the January 2012 semester. Of the total 50, Penang recorded the highest recipients with 25, while Kuching had 11, Johor Bahru seven, Ipoh four and Kuching had three.
PRAKASH PRESENTS THE DEAN’S LIST AWARD AT THE MAIN CAMPUS.
WOU recognised three student Star Ambassadors with certificates and a RM200 gift voucher for referring five or more people to WOU under the Friends and Family Programme during the July 2012 intake. The ambassadors – Lim Kai Sheng (PGRC), Siaw Poh Mee (KLRC) and Abdul Muim Awang Saidi (JBRC) – are entitled to tuition rebates as well.
Prizes were also presented for the MyEnrolment lucky draw promotion. Students Shashipal Singh (PGRC), Khiew Fei Lin (JBRC) and Saw Li Yoong (BURSO) each won an iPad, while the 20 iPods went to 12 students from PGRC, three from JBRC, two each from IPRC and BURSO, and one from KLRC.
At the IPRC, 73 of the total 109 students turned up for a warm reception by the staff, tutors and student helpers. Prof Narasimham, Dean of the School of Business and Administration (SBA), spoke on ‘Study Skills’ and WOU’s postgraduate programmes, and handed out the Dean’s List award. Meanwhile Wong Kam Fatt, a freshman embarking on his Commonwealth Executive MBA degree at WOU, led in the oath-taking of the new students.
NEW STUDENTS TAKE THE OATH DURING ORIENTATION IN IPOH.
About 80 of the 127 new students from KCRC attended Orientation at the Sarawak State Library. Dr Santhiram, Dean of the School of Education, Languages and Communications, presented the Dean’s List awards to Bong Joon Lian and Lee Yen Ling, who are pursuing their Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Accounting degrees. Student Ariffin Jemulidin, who enrolled for the Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Management programme, delivered the welcome speech and led in the oath-taking.
DR SANTHIRAM (FOREGROUND, RIGHT) STANDS NEXT TO KCRC DIRECTOR JIMMY CHAI FOR A GROUP PHOTO WITH THE NEW STUDENTS.
At the main campus, 215 new students from PGRC participated in the Orientation Day activities. SBA senior lecturer Prakash Arumugam represented Prof Ho in giving out the awards and prizes. CeMBA student Chan Yen Fung led in the oath-taking while Tan Poow Suan, the student representative, encouraged the freshmen in her welcoming speech.
Overall the new students had an informative orientation session and looked forward to the start of their academic journey with WOU.
