PRESIDENT'S UPDATE

RU PRESIDENT NEW YEAR SPEECH TO STUDENTS
by Associate Professor Greg PRITCHARD

Hello everyone and welcome to 2022. In the western game of bingo when they call the number 22 they refer to it as two ducks swimming due to the shape of the numerals. So I guess that makes this year the year of three ducks swimming.

The past two years have been very tough in so many different ways. On a personal level we each have had to face uncertainty, adjust to new norms, and project ourselves and our families. Many of us have had to face grief of loss of life both at a personal level but also at a global level. We all have had to face the stress that has come with a pandemic.

Even though this is the first global pandemic each of us has faced, it is not the first the world has faced. Fortunately, we have learnt a lot from previous pandemics and now have very good science to guide decision makers. The other benefit we have observed from past global events such as a pandemic or world wars, is the survivors emerge with a stronger resilience to succeed in the face of adversity.

Each of you, are now a stronger person because of what we have all been through. Along the way we have been reminded again of the importance of teams, the importance of friends, and the importance of family, to face challenges.

I for one, are feeling an emergence of a sense of unity at raffles university.

Now as we celebrate not only the new year but as of last October, the last 10 years of raffles university in Malaysia.

Looking forward to our future, for which I am honoured to be president, I can see a very optimistic future. A future I am very excited about. Just to share some of our plans;

1. Further implementation of our new student management system ‘Pluto’ will track and manage all aspects of your time with us.
2. We have recently added new programs in data science, and it. We are hoping for final approval for a diploma in human resource management. We are also expanding our post-graduate programs by adding a Master of Design and looking at further programs later in the year.
3. In 2022 we also will be seeking to improve our university ranking. In 2020 we achieved our first setara ranking of 3 stars. This year we plan to improve on that and also gain a ranking with MyRA.
4. We also have a new student representative council with whom I look forward to supporting their endevors to represent you.

So, it will be a year packed fully of development, new courses, new students,and new systems.

I thank you all for your contributions to date and wish you all the very best for the new year.