44th UPM convocation, without parents, held in lively spirits under new norm

SERDANG: The first session of the 44th Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Convocation was held yesterday in lively spirits albeit the conspicuous absence of parents due to the covid-19 pandemic.

With a new normal being the order of the day, the ceremony at the Great Hall of the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Culture and Arts Centre was the first held by UPM since the country was hit by the covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

As early as 8 am, graduates in full robes and face masks were queuing to enter the hall in strict compliance to standard operating procedures (SOP) and physical distancing.

Apart from hand sanitisers provided at the entrance of the hall, body temperature checks were also carried out on the graduates before they were allowed to enter to receive their scrolls.

A total of 945 graduates received their degree and diploma scrolls in the first session today, presented by UPM ProChancellor Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim.

Even without the presence of parents in the hall, the excitement of the convocation which was held physically was still felt by the graduates, and they looked enthusiastic, especially when singing the university’s official song entitled ‘Putra Gemilang’.

Meanwhile, Syed Jalaludin said UPM graduates were now ready to take on the working world that was full of challenges.

“Finally, your dream of owning a degree or diploma has come true. I hope the graduates, as UPM alumni, will continue to keep in touch with the university.

“I hope you succeed in whatever field you venture into, and don’t forget the teachers and educators who have taught you,” he said at the first session of the 44th UPM Convocation here yesterday.

The 44th convocation will be held physically for six days starting today to award certificates to 5,695 graduates, namely 398 recipients of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees; Masters degrees (1,093 people); Bachelor’s degrees (3,544); and diplomas (660).

On Thursday (Jan 6), UPM Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman said among the SOPs to be implemented at the convocation ceremony this time was that only 900 graduates were allowed to be in the hall at a time, compared to its actual seating capacity of 4,000.

Mohd Roslan said UPM Chancellor, the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, will confer PhD, Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees as well as diplomas to the graduates in the fifth session on Wednesday (Jan 12).