Published:
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) hosted a welcome lunch for our new international students on 20 September 2023. The event gathered around 100 of our international students at Happy Cafe, where they had a fun time getting to know each other, sharing their experiences in HWUM so far. The event was organised by our Global Student Office (GSO).
In his welcoming address, Provost and CEO of HWUM, Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi said, "In Heriot-Watt, we believe that education is also a process of sharing more empowering stories - stories that give us hope that we can deal with the challenges that we face, because while we have all these challenges, for the first time in our history as human species, we have all the tools to address these challenges. To do that, global education is important - the skills, the capability that you are building, and the exposure that you are getting as you experience global education with us will be very important. Again, I would like to welcome you and thank you for making the decision to come to HWUM."
During the session, the students were also introduced to the Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Student Association (HWUMSA), where HWUMSA 2023/24 President, Ryan Koh talked about the wonderful community we have in HWUM:
"I think being a part of a community is the most important element in our university life. This is where you will flourish - making the right connections and the right friends so that your university life will be enriched and not just about studying, but also about having a family that you belong to and can do everything together. Step out of your comfort zone to make new friends and build that relationship. Reach out to us; don't hesitate to say hi and strike up a conversation with one another. Get to know your community, and this will make a big difference in your university life. HWUMSA is here for you, and we are here to be your voice as a student. So please come to us if you face any difficulties or issues. We will be there for you."
Moe Moe Aung, an international student from Myanmar who studied International Business Management with Enterprise here, shared her experience, "I have been to all HWU campuses since 2019 through the Go Global programme, and I have the best experience in Malaysia. I love the community here and the culture - it definitely has broadened my worldview in life, having new friends from the UK, Dubai and Malaysia. I want to thank the Global Student Office for making my experience here a wonderful one." The event ended with a scrumptious lunch and a group photo.