KPJUC Nursing And Health Sciences Students Honoured

A new generation of health care professionals, educators and researchers graduated from KPJ University College (“KPJUC”), KPJ International College of Nursing and Health Sciences (“KPIJC”), and the Malaysian College of Hospitality and Management (“MCHM”) recently.

For the first time in two years, the 24th convocation ceremony was held physically. The ceremony saw 1,750 graduates from the institutions under the KPJ education group for graduating classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 receiving their scrolls in person, marking the successful accomplishment of their tertiary education.

Graduates comprised individuals who completed their studies at KPJ’s higher learning institutions after undergoing programmes including those from the Graduate School of Medicine, School of Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Hospitality, Business, and Management as well as Centre of Global Professional and Social Development.

Chaired by the Chancellor of KPJUC, Tan Sri Siti Saadiah Sheikh Bakir who expressed her heartfelt wishes said, “Congratulations to all graduates of 2020, 2021, and 2022 who have successfully completed their studies despite having to endure the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The unprecedented event has reminded us of the crucial role healthcare workers play in protecting lives. As such, the various programmes offered under KPJUC and KPJIC are not only important to the KPJ Group but to the country and society at large. We take pride that our alumni, including some KPJUC and KPJIC students, have together fought to curb the pandemic.”

KPJUC’s 24th Convocation Ceremony also witnessed a symbolic milestone where the higher institution conferred its inaugural Degree of Medical Specialist to nine specialist doctors, bringing the total number of Specialist Doctors by KPJ to 17 since 2016. This achievement also positioned KPJUC as the first and only private university in Malaysia to offer the Master in Medical Specialist programmes. Additionally, the convocation also conferred four more postgraduate students in Master of Sciences in Nursing, making the number of Master of Sciences in Nursing more than 10.

The success of KPJUC’s graduates is supported by KPJ’s Group of medical and healthcare specialists and 28 hospitals nationwide which offer students hands-on training and exposure to the real clinical and working environment. KPJUC’s graduates are privileged to have the accessibility to an extensive and comprehensive network of KPJ hospitals, located in most major cities in Malaysia which serves as the training ground for excellent clinical education. This is further backed by a strong team of experts comprising more than 1,000 Medical Consultants, Senior Nurses, Allied Health professionals, and trained Clinical Instructors.

As a progressive educational institution, KPJUC has also expanded to offer its degree programme in part-time study mode to cater to working adults. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Hons), Bachelor of Medical Imaging (Hons) and Bachelor of Physiotherapy have commenced on a part-time basis in March last year. Other programmes in the pipeline to be offered in 2022 include Master of Anaesthesiology, Master in Clinical Pharmacy, and Post Basic in Emergency Nursing.

To date, KPJUC has produced more than 13,000 graduates with a 100 percent of employment rate for nursing graduates who serve in KPJ hospitals as well as other local establishments.

“Given the unprecedented pandemic the world experienced in recent years, there is a critical need for more health and science professionals like never before. We are proud to be a part of this journey to prepare our graduates to be future-ready and rise to the occasion,” said Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh, President and Managing Director of KPJ Healthcare. “These graduates studied and practiced medicine against a backdrop of a global health crisis. It has given them a unique experience to face the evolving needs of the human health sector, and I look forward to seeing the expanding impact KPJUC alumni have on communities around the globe.”

Also present were board members and senior leadership from KPJ Healthcare Group including its Chairman, Datuk Md Arif bin Mahmood; Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Lokman Saim, Vice Chancellor of KPJUC; Professor Dr. Mohd Zaher Mohd Zain, Deputy Vice Chancellor of KPJUC; and Board members of Johor Corporation.