Making lifelong friendships and lifelong networks are very important because the university experience is “not all about studies”.
WOU Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Prof Dr Lily Chan was delivering her welcoming remarks to 33 freshmenattending the on-campus learning (OCL) orientation at the main campus on 9 May 2022. Seventeen of the new students for the May semester were from the School of Digital Technology (DiGiT) and the rest mainly from the School of Business & Administration (SBA).
She said, “Making friends and forging network; that is very important. Since you are a small group, I hope you build lifelong friendships and lifelong networks as you move along in life. This is what WOU can offer you.”
She highlighted that their 2-3 years of studies at WOU represents the first stage of their lifelong learning experience, which willcontinue after graduation.
She said the course contents and assignment, even for the OCL students, are easily downloadable and virtual because WOU is known as an open distance learning (ODL) university. “We hope that you will learn and feel comfortable doing things online. Why is this important?At WOU, we impart you with virtual learning skills sets so that you can continue to take on classes, certificates, degrees, after you graduate, and are able to do it for life, in a distance learning mode. This is lifelong learning,” asserted Prof Chan.
She said WOU has a seaside main campus and another campus downtown in the George Town heritage area for the DiGiT School. She encouraged the course leads and programme leads of the other faculties to take their students there to get a feel of the place.
She also called on all the new students to take part in the activities organised by the OCL Student Council and the DiGiT Student Club.
Prof Chan later presented certificates to the Dean’s List recipients. A total of 67 students were named to the Dean’s List for their excellent results in the September 2021 semester.
Meanwhile, Penang Regional Centre Assistant Manager Rina Julian Nazrin Julian introduced her team of education counsellors to the students,and SBA senior lecturer Yap Li Lian, who is the OCL coordinator,acquainted them with their respective Academic Advisors.
The new students were also exposed to the various WOU learning support and services, including the student portal, helpdesk, and FlexLearn (learning management system).
Among those present were Associate Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Lee Chew Ging, SBA Dean Prakash V Arumugam, DiGiT Senior Lecturer Dr Lee Heng Wei, and other course coordinators.