5 November 2007

Through many personal tribulations, Ooi Teong Kuan from Penang emerged the victor as he was the only one out of 300 who graduated with First Class Honours for the Bachelor of Science in Computing from the University of Bolton, UK.

Life was interrupted for Ooi at the tender age of 14 when he lost his father in an accident, leaving him and his family in dire financial state. Ooi remembered his father as one who treasured education, always instilling the importance of education in his 4 children by encouraging them to study hard. However, after the tragic accident, Ooi lost heart to do well academically quitting Chung Ling High School in Penang after his lower six, he decided to venture to Singapore. In Singapore, Ooi worked as a trainee draftsman.

“After leaving home, I realised that knowledge is key in surviving in the real world, be it higher education or knowledged gained through experience. I decided to return to Penang and with the help of my mother, I got my Higher Diploma in Computer Science at the end of 1994,” said Ooi.

Ooi then found a job in the software industry, climbing the corporate ladder and learning as much as he possibly can of the industry. With dreams of becoming a software architect, he applied for work in the field, only to realise that his lack of degree was the glass ceiling to achieving the career of his dreams.

According to Ooi, it was a difficult time for him to cope with work and studies when he embarked on the Bolton programme in 2005. “I had to do my assignments during working hours, and I was lucky that my boss understood my trial of work and study. But I believe he also gave me a break on this as the programme I was studying for was relevant to my job.”

Adding to the stress, Ooi lost his job after the first semester as the company he worked for shut down. Taking the lost of work optimistically, Ooi then used it as a sign to take on the programme full-time, but following the part-time schedule.

It was a bit of a revelation for Ooi when he learned that he achieved a First Class Honours award for the Bachelor of Science in Computing from the University of Bolton.

“I aimed for a First Class, but no longer expected it after making a very bad mistake during my Professional Issues in Computing (PIC) presentation. I was shocked when I was informed that I was the only first class student for Bolton's BSc,” said a highly elated Ooi.

Ooi put forth a round of thanks to the Bolton flying faculty and also the local support. “I would especially like to thank Mr. Tan Teik Thai who is an inspirational lecturer. Although Mr. Tan suffers from disability at his legs, his heart does not as it drives his passion to teach. But most of all, I like to attribute my success to the love and support from my family.”

Sharing the secret to his academic success, Ooi said that he practices logical thinking and consistently compare the knowledge learned in the classroom with what is practiced in the real world. “That way I get to compare, criticise and digest what I learn through programme. I always believe that going back to basics help in accessing what I have learned with what I am taught.”

On plans for the future, Ooi is now embarking on setting up something on his own as now he is a software architect. On his life’s philosophy, Ooi shares that, “Life is short so for got it with full strength. Don’t take wealth as the only measurement for success, as you may end up becoming a failure to all other aspects in life.”

2007 marks a 10th year presence of the University of Bolton in Malaysia. During the convocation ceremony held recently in Kuala Lumpur, Dr. George Holmes, Vice Chancellor of the University said, “Being here today is therefore not just the result of your ability and application. Even more, it is result of your time management skills, your ability to prioritise, your staying power and commitment.”

“Our presence in Malaysia is one of our most long lasting overseas partnership. We estimate that we already have over 3000 Bolton alumni from Malaysia, most of whom having graduated from this partnership. It is the experience of this partnership that has given the university confidence to roll out the teaching model used in Malaysia to many other countries; we now have over 1200 students graduating every year in their own countries,” said Holmes.

The University of Bolton, unlike many other Universities, delivers its degree programme using the “Flying Faculty” model so that students are taught face-to-face by university staff. This is because the University considers this the most effective way of ensuring quality of provision and of making sure that students have the genuine experience of what makes a UK degree so special.

To find out more about programmes offered through SMRC Learning Alliance Sdn Bhd, call its offices located at Kuala Lumpur (03-2070 8310), Subang Jaya (03-8023 2616) and Penang (04-250 5357).