Inter-university games a huge success
OVER 650 competitors from 15 universities across Malaysia travelled to the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) campus in Johor for the annual NUMed games. They took part in a variety of sporting events aimed at securing personal success and to help their respective universities win the overall coveted title of NUMed games winners.
Competitors and spectators filled the EduCity Stadium for the official opening ceremony. The national anthem started the day, followed by a speech from NUMed Student Association president, Izham Shazwan Halid.
The NUMed games were first held in 2012. The Student Association played a key role in its success, turning it into a highly anticipated annual event. Since the inaugural games, it has grown from 80 competitors to 650 students not only from Johor but also throughout Malaysia, and has even taken on an international element before with the participation of the National University of Singapore last year.
The success has also been built on the sports facilities available at EduCity, the location of the NUMed campus in Johor. The complex has proven to be the perfect venue as it includes an outdoor arena and pitches for field sports and athletics, an indoor arena and facilities for badminton and netball, a gymnasium and a 50-metre swimming pool.
Izham said, “We are delighted that months of hard work resulted in the largest NUMed games so far. All the preparation was worth it and I would like to thank the NUMed Student Association and all those who helped make this event a huge success.
“At NUMed, we pride ourselves on our well-rounded education and world-class heritage. That’s why I invited representatives from the Newcastle UK Student Association to participate in the opening ceremony.”
After the opening ceremony, the competitors went to their individual sporting venues to compete for the gold.
An exciting day of competition lay ahead with participants putting their best efforts in track and field, basketball, futsal, netball, frisbee, badminton, tennis and table tennis before spectators flocked to the stands of the EduCity Stadium to witness the closing ceremony and awards.
At the end of the competition, the students from NUMed were the happiest as the NUMed team amassed 15 gold medals, which involved wins in the women singles badminton, men and women singles table tennis, mixed doubles table tennis, long jump, high jump and 100m. The NUMed women’s futsal team was also victorious.
“Seeing all those happy faces at the end of the day was incredibly rewarding. It was heartening to see so many students enjoy an event NUMed had worked so hard on. Of course, there must also be huge congratulations to the NUMed athletes whose preparation for the games clearly paid off,” Izham said.
A large number of those competing for NUMed had been training for the games with one of NUMed’s societies run by the Student Association.
The university puts a lot of emphasis on an all-round experience for students, ensuring all students enjoy a vibrant social, sporting and cultural offering to complement the high quality medical education provided at NUMed, the first fully owned international branch campus offering a degree in medicine conferred by a UK University.
Since its establishment, more than 20 new student societies, clubs and organisations have been set up and will continue to flourish with students’ active involvement.
About NUMed
Newcastle University UK has established an international branch campus in Johor to provide undergraduate degrees in medicine (MBBS) and Biomedical Sciences (BSc). Both programmes offer opportunities for periods of study in the UK. A one-year Foundation Certificate in Biological and Biomedical Sciences is also available, the successful completion of which will lead to progression to the MBBS or BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences programme.
All programmes of study are equivalent to those of Newcastle’s UK-based provision and lead to the award of the same degrees. By choosing to study at NUMed Malaysia, students will obtain a reputable UK qualification from an internationally recognised university at a cost significantly less than studying in the UK.
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