INDUCTION: IEEE-HKN Mu Alpha chapter president Chan Kok Wai (middle) on stage with other charter members and UCSI academics during the induction ceremony.

GROUP PORTRAIT (Front row): Mu Alpha chapter president Chan Kok Wai (second from left); UCSI Group founder and chairman Dato’ Peter Ng (fifth from left); IEEE-HKN Board of Governors (Governor-at-Large) Dr Catherine Slater (seventh from left); and FETBE d

KUALA LUMPUR: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – the world's largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence – recently established the first Malaysian chapter of its student honour society at UCSI University on Jan 10, 2015. 

The UCSI chapter, christened Mu Alpha, saw the induction of 12 students from UCSI’s Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment (FETBE). 

Mu Alpha is the third IEEE – Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE – HKN) chapter in the Asia Pacific region, after Hong Kong University and the National University of Singapore. As the student honour society of IEEE, IEEE-HKN is committed to encouraging and recognising excellence in the IEEE-designated fields of interest. 

Dr Catherine Slater – Governor-at-Large from the IEEE-HKN Board of Governors – represented the IEEE at the induction ceremony. She was accompanied by five Harvard Business School MBA students who engaged the UCSI student community during and after the induction ceremony. 

“Today, we will recognise a select group of students for their contributions and achievements by inducting them into IEEE-HKN,” Dr Slater said, adding that Mu Alpha at UCSI is IEEE – HKN’s 232nd chapter 

“But even more important is the fact that we are establishing a new chapter that will continue to honour and recognise many more students from UCSI in the years to come.” 

Also present at the ceremony was Ir Assoc Prof Dr Jimmy Mok Vee Hoong, dean of FETBE, who highlighted that the chapter would benefit not just UCSI’s engineering department but also its students. 

“I believe this new chapter will foster closer faculty-student interactions and relationships, and provide myriad opportunities for students to work together with their peers on various projects and assignments,” he said. 

“As such, I would like to thank IEEE-HKN for their support over the past few months and making this day a reality.” 

Boasting alumni such as Google co-founder Larry Page, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Intel co-founder and chairman emeritus Gordon Moore, Yahoo co-founder David Filo and internet pioneer Vint Cerf, among others, IEEE-HKN will open avenues for UCSI students and staff in the area of internationalisation. 

UCSI students and staff can now look forward to student exchange programmes with other IEEE – HKN members, enhanced access to international competitions and active engagement with the world's leading universities. It is anticipated that the Mu Alpha chapter will also provide the ideal platform for students to participate in scholarly activities, community outreach programmes, science fairs and other events. 

In this, UCSI Group founder and chairman Dato’ Peter Ng who also attended the ceremony, added that the chapter has so much to offer. 

“With this chapter, our students will be trained to think globally and have the opportunity to tap into the resources of over 200 chapters around the globe, especially in the areas of knowledge and leadership,” said Dato’ Peter Ng. “We are really honoured and proud that this installation was held here.”