The weather was kind as the inaugural Beach Party kicked off at the main campus seafront today with some 110 staff turning up for the promise of fun, good food and the opportunity to connect with colleagues.

REGISTRATION AND DIVIDING INTO THE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
After registration, the staff were divided into four groups of 15 members each. The first activity was the zumba dance routine led by WOU’s very own in-house talent, Robin Cheah Kai Yang, the Penang Regional Centre marketing and admissions officer. The zumba exercise managed to get the staff to loosen up and let their hair down somewhat.

ROBIN CHEAH (FOREGROUND, RIGHT) LEADS STAFF IN A FEW SIMPLE ZUMBA DANCE MOVES.
Then was time for the beach telematch that required filling a bottle with water. The race saw the group members taking turns to run to a bucket of water with a sponge, dip it into the bucket, and then run back to squeeze out water into the bottle. Colleagues cheered their group members and worked together to accomplish the task at hand.

WORKING AS A TEAM TO FILL THE BOTTLE WITH WATER.
After all the running around, the staff were able to cool off and replenish their exhausted bodies with cold drinks, coconut jelly, pasta, egg sandwiches, chicken skewers, fruits and other foods.
The Beach Party was put together by an organising committee comprising members from the respective academic/academic support and operations units and led by the HR Department.

THUMBS-UP TO THE TEAM THAT CAME IN FIRST.
In line with 2018 being declared as the ‘Year of Staff Engagement’ by Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Zoraini Wati Abas in March, this Beach Party is supposed to be the first of three planned for the year to promote interaction and foster better working relationships at WOU.
Among those present at the Beach Party were Prof Zoraini, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Outreach) Prof David Ngo Chek Ling, along with the Deans, Prof Santhiram Raman, Assoc Prof Dr S Nagarajan and Assoc Prof Dr Wendy Bong Chin Wei.

(FROM LEFT) PROF ZORAINI AND PROF SANTHIRAM HELP THEMSELVES TO SOME FOOD.