The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin will be proclaimed chancellor of the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) in conjunction with the university’s first convocation ceremony on Oct 10.

UPNM vice-chancellor Lt-Jen Allatif Mohd Noor said also to be announced would be the two pro-chancellors of the university and the presentation of bachelor’s degree scrolls to 148 graduands including 144 cadet officers and four public students.

“The two pro-chancellors are Brig-Jen Tunku Sri Panglima Besar Kedah Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Sultan Abdul Halim and Jen Mohd Ghazali Mohamed Seth.

“The university, established in 2006, will honour 148 graduands comprising  32 in strategic studies, 36 in human resource and defence management, 22 in computer science and 58 in maritime technology at this convocation,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

“Although UPNM is a public university, it is unique in that the undergraduates study subjects in the defence field, besides their chosen discipline.”

    

According to him, there was no big gap between the graduands who were cadet officers and those among the public as all aspects were emphasised during the learning process including military training, uniformity and administrative matters.

“The cadet officers who graduate from UPNM will be absorbed into the Malaysian Armed Forces as captains or the equivalent,” he said.

Meanwhile, the public students can choose to join the public sector including the uniformed services like the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and the Customs and Immigration departments.

- Bernama