UWC Berhad’s Dr Matin Ng on how his DBA journey sparked a vision for upskilling his organisation.

For Dr Matin Ng, pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at Wawasan Open University (WOU) was more than a personal goal—it was a journey of growth, perspective, and purpose.

He realised that ambition as part of the pioneer batch of DBA graduates at WOU’s 2022 convocation, completing the programme in just three years after enrolling in 2019. All this was accomplished alongside his role as Deputy CEO of UWC Berhad, a Penang-based public-listed company serving the semiconductor industry.

Dr Matin Ng and his wife Dr Kelly, pictured in their graduation robes. Having supported each other through years of rigorous research, they celebrate completing their DBA and PhD journeys side-by-side.

A Journey Shaped by Learning and Leadership

“I’ve always believed in the transformative power of education, not just for the knowledge it gives but for how it shapes the way you think,” says the 33-year-old.

Educated in the UK with a background in accounting and finance, he entered the programme with a clear goal, but emerged with something more enduring.

“The biggest thing I gained wasn’t the qualification. What really set me apart was the critical thinking skills I developed throughout my DBA journey. You start to see things from many angles, not just one. It changes how you approach challenges, how you make decisions, and even how you understand people. That shift has stayed with me in both my career and my life,” Dr Ng reflects.

“This thinking out of the box has shaped my character and who I am today, especially in how I excel in my career.”
Dr Matin Ng
Deputy CEO, UWC Berhad

From Personal Growth to Organisational Impact

This shift in mindset has since extended beyond his own professional development.

UWC Berhad currently collaborates with WOU to provide their employees with opportunities to further their education while continuing to work. Reflecting its strong culture of continuous upskilling, nearly 20 employees have enrolled in programmes ranging from professional certification to postgraduate studies, four of whom have already graduated.

“I have experienced WOU’s learning model firsthand. It is designed with working adults in mind, and that was a key reason we chose to partner with WOU. I want my fellow colleagues to continue developing themselves, to go further rather than stop at a diploma, and to build towards a degree that can take them to the next level,” Dr Ng shares.

“WOU’s programmes allow our employees to pursue their degrees without significantly impacting their careers, as they are able to study during their own time, even with the personal sacrifices involved. That is why we are very confident and happy working with WOU.”

For industry leaders like Dr Ng, who are instrumental in shaping business operations in complex, high-tech environments, academia-industry collaboration aligns closely with his company’s talent development strategy and long-term capacity building.

A Shared Journey

Amid the demands of work and study, there were also moments that made the journey memorable. Dr Ng shares a personal highlight from his DBA years, when his then partner, now wife, Dr Kelly Lim Kah Yen, was also pursuing her PhD at a public university.

“Back then, our dates were mostly spent in libraries and cafés, each of us immersed in our own reading, papers, and thesis work. It was an enjoyable time for us, and I think moments like that, together with the flexibility WOU offers, enabled me to strike a good balance between my personal life, education, and work commitments,” he recalls with a smile.