KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (Swinburne Sarawak) recently hosted a visit by the Danish Ambassador to Malaysia His Excellency Jesper Vahr.
Accompanying His Excellency was the Danish Honorary Consulate in Kuching Aw Tai Hui. Present to welcome His Excellency at the university campus were Swinburne Sarawak’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Professor John Wilson, Director of Academic Associate Professor Enn Ong Siok Ean, as well as Executive Group members and senior staff of the university.
In his welcoming remarks, Professor Wilson touched on the history of the university’s Study Abroad programme initiated in 2007 that has since opened the door to international students to study at Swinburne Sarawak. The programme, he said, enrolled its first student from the US, followed by Denmark in 2008.
“Swinburne Sarawak works closely with its recruitment partner EDU based in Copenhagen. EDU organises the Study Abroad fair called the EDU Days twice a year, covering cities such as Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg where students can find out more about opportunities to study at Swinburne Sarawak.”
“A total number of 31 Danish students enrolled at our campus in 2016, and last year we enrolled 46 students. At present, we have 15 Danish students and we expect the number to grow to 50 in Semester 2 which will commence in September,” said Professor Wilson.
He further elaborated that the Danish and other European students are a welcome addition to the university’s student community as they provide a unique perspective and are very independent and actively engaged in class, which many local students aimed to emulate.
Under the Study Abroad programme, international students can enrol in Semester 1 (February – June) or Semester 2 (September – December) where the latter receives the biggest cohort. The next group of Danish students are expected to arrive in August, comprising undergraduate and postgraduate students from Copenhagen Business School, Aarhus University, University of Southern Denmark, Aalborg University, Via University and University of Copenhagen.
Meanwhile, Vahr remarked that Swinburne Sarawak records the most consistent and highest number of Danish students yearly among Malaysian universities, partly due to the Danish government’s commitment in sending undergraduate students abroad for at least one semester to enrich their learning and perspectives.
Vahr added that Denmark is keen to explore real-world applications of thought technology with technologically advanced countries. While in Kuching, Vahr will also be meeting with the Chief Minister of Sarawak and may further discuss the state’s venture into digital economy.
Swinburne Sarawak is the only international branch campus of Swinburne University of Technology Australia. It is the highest ranking international university in Borneo based on the inaugural Asia-Pacific University Ranking 2017 by Times Higher Education (THE).
The university is located in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak in Malaysia. Also known as the most racially diverse city in Malaysia, Kuching is a rapidly growing city that is shaped by a unique blend of sophisticated development and cultural appreciation. It is easily accessible through direct flights from major cities in Malaysia including Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor, Kota Bahru and Kota Kinabalu, as well as international destinations from Pontianak, Singapore and Shenzhen.
At present, Swinburne Sarawak is home to approximately 4,000 students from over 50 countries including Indonesia, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, Egypt, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Mauritius, Maldives, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Tanzania and Yemen, ensuring a rich learning experience with an international flavour that helps create a broader outlook among students and staff alike.
For more information about Swinburne Sarawak, visit the university’s website (www.swinburne.edu.my), Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter page (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).