University years are often said to be the best time of your life. And to be a Swinburne Sarawak student (or fondly known among our students as being a ‘Swinbee’), we’d definitely say it comes with its own share of perks. We asked our Instagram followers to shout-out what they love best about being a Swinbee and this is what our students had to say.
1. SARAWAK. ‘NUFF SAID.
“Just being in Sarawak is pretty heavenly” – @iqbalabutalib
Photo courtesy of S. Ratanak
If you read our previous blog post about why Kuching is a great location to pursue your higher education, you’d get a rough idea on the way of life in the largest and most culturally diverse state in Malaysia.
Sarawak itself is a popular destination for eco-tourism and is blessed with plenty national reserves, mountains, beaches and tropical rainforests. Being a student who loves the great outdoors, living in Sarawak will be a dream for any nature lover.
What’s more, we’re home to Sarawak’s iconic Rainforest World Music Festival which is ranked among the ‘Global Top 10’ of the Transglobal World Music Chart (TWMC) Festival Awards alongside other world-famous festivals.
2. FOODIE FAVOURITES
“Nice food almost all around uni!” – @joe_060301
Photo courtesy of Sarawak Tourism
Kuching is a rapidly growing cosmopolitan city. The good news for our tummies is that we have a thriving international cuisine scene fit for any taste-bud. Whether you’re craving for a crowd-favourite Sarawak ‘laksa’, a spicy Korean BBQ, or to get your sweet boba fix, you can find plenty of international food franchises and local ‘kopitiams’ located all around the campus.
3. IT’S A HOP OR SKIP TO GET TO ANYWHERE
“Strategic location! You can go to the town, mall, and airport within a short duration” – @euniceyounice_7
Photo courtesy of Instagram: @jacksonpang5077
Being a city campus, one of the perks you get as a Swinburne student is the convenient access to lifestyle, healthcare, transport, and commercial hubs. Moving about is easy as taxis, car rentals, and ride-sharing apps are all available at reasonably low fares. The campus itself is surrounded by a hospital, police station, post office, public amenities, and not one but THREE shopping malls.
(Did you also know that Kuching is one of Southeast Asia’s most liveable cities?)
4. LIFE HACK: GET STUDENT DISCOUNTS
“Student discounts at cafes, movie theatres, as well as hiking trails😂” – @jason_dan.iel
Love getting discounts? We all do!
Flash that Swinburne student ID card of yours to get some student discounts on your next cup of coffee. But don’t just stop there! You can get some nifty discounts at the cinemas, tourist attractions, bookstore, gyms, and yes, even your next hiking trip!
5. FREE ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD
“Access to Adobe Creative suite. Free Adobe Acrobat Pro to combine notes in a PDF! 🎉” – @ak.syazwan
Excuse me, I have a question. What is Adobe Creative Cloud?
Being the first and only university in Malaysia to achieve Adobe Creative Campus status, our Swinbees have free, god-like access to 20 apps including Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign and more so they can hone their skills in graphic design, video editing, web development and photography, just to name a few.
As a Swinburne student, it doesn’t matter if you’re studying on-campus, online or outside Malaysia, it’s your chance to take your digital literacy up a notch and get creative on any device, anytime, anywhere.
Click here for the Swinburne student installation guide for Adobe Creative Cloud.
Check out Adobe Labs 2021 Workshops for Swinburne students
6. FRIENDS LIKE FAMILY
“Getting to know more friends” – @wah_kahli_kong
Photo courtesy of Swinburne Sarawak Student Council
The University is home to 3,500 students from more than 45 countries. Meeting culturally-diverse people from all walks of life is another awesome advantage of being a Swinbee. And with plenty of events such as our student-run Swinburne International Festival and Cultural Night, it’s a chance for Swinbees to build lifelong friendships within a colourful campus community.
7. BELONG TO A GREATER STUDENT LIFE SCENE
“Student Ambassador Programme, SSSC, SLVP, etc.” – @felixvcwong
Photo courtesy of Swinburne Sarawak Rowing Club
Although the campus life at Swinburne offers the vibe of a small, tight-knit community, there are still ample of student clubs and societies for you to find your clan.
Programmes such as the Student Life Volunteering Program (SLVP) offers opportunities to volunteer in events in and outside campus with the greater Kuching community. While the Swinburne Sarawak Student Council (SSSC) helps new students adjust to student life through various activities.
With over 30 recreational and academic clubs and societies, fill your university experience with memories and connections that will define you as an individual and empower you for a lifetime.
Swinburne is also home to the best Student Chapter/Student Sections of engineering professional bodies including Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), Engineers Australia (EA), and Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) UK.
8. AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION WITHOUT LEAVING HOME
“Really fun community and high-quality education. Lecturers and staff are really helpful🌟” – @tensan8
Of course, it goes without saying that quality and affordable education remains at the forefront of our university. Swinburne Sarawak has a long and proud heritage as an Australian university with over 180,000 graduates worldwide since its first class in 1909.
At the end of the day, a degree from Swinburne means you’ll have the prestige of a globally renowned university and you can go anywhere in the world.
The question is, are you ready to start with us?
Swinburne will hold its Uni Discovery Month from 15 March to 15 April 2021. Here’s your opportunity to speak to our course counsellors, meet our students, and explore your educational journey with us. For more information, visit swinburne.edu.my/openmonth/.