KOTA KINABALU: Female students make up the majority of the 4,545 new intake students for Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS) 2024/2025 academic session.
UMS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said female students represented 67% of the latest enrollment.
He added that almost a quarter of the fresh intakes also consisted of Sabahans, with 72% representing the varsity’s emphasis on local talents.
He said 3,640 students were placed at its campus here, 701 in the Labuan International Campus and 204 in Sandakan, adding they started to enrol for classes on Sept 28.
At the same time, he also welcomed 15 international students from Japan, Pakistan, China, Brunei and Indonesia.
“I would like to welcome our International students, I hope that what you learn and experience during your studies will help you make good choices,” said Kasim during the Aku Janji pledge ceremony at its campus here on Tuesday (Oct 1).
“Our aim is that you who study at Universiti Malaysia Sabah gain more than a good education: that you strengthen your critical sense, gain a global perspective and become engaged in society around you.
“And that you become a thinking, but also a considerate person,” he added.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor who is also the UMS pro-chancellor and UMS board chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan were among those in attendance.
Present were Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and UMS’ board of directors chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Regarding student welfare, Kasim said 1,877 students have benefitted from assistance worth more than RM570,000 under the 10 initiatives through the Student Welfare Trust Fund started by the university.
Kasim said nine students have also been selected to receive financial support under the Sulung 1.0 programme which is aimed at giving youths in the B40 income group community a better chance at pursuing a higher education.
He added that an allocation of over RM1.3mil has been targeted to help another 293 students under Sulung 2.0.