NCKU Confers 5642 Degrees at 2009 Commencement Ceremony

Business Wire, June 06, 2009

TAINAN, Taiwan -- National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) bestowed 5,642 degrees during its June 6 graduation ceremony, held at Cheng Kung Hall. The procession was led by Academician Michael M.C. Lai, the President of NCKU. This year’s featured speaker was Dr. Bruce Cheng, the Chairman of Delta Electronics, Inc. and Mr. Rocky Yang, President of 104 Job Bank Corp.

In the opening address, President Lai vouched to all graduates for the best education they received in NCKU and believed they are equipped with skills for their future careers

According to President Lai, graduation doesn’t represent the termination of study; rather, it’s a commencement of the career, another stage of learning. “The knowledge is fast changing and expanding so that the knowledge gained in university will soon become obsolete. Therefore, people should continuously update their knowledge after their graduation,” added President Lai.

President Lai also encouraged students to equip themselves with global views and international communication skills. President Lai took Mr. Cyun-Rong Wang as an example, the graduates who will be the first one to earn the dual-degree from Case Western Reserve University and NCKU. President Lai expected Mr. Wang’s example can inspire more students to participate international activities and to acquire global views.

President Lai reminded that students can make use of all university resource to face the global economic downturn after graduation. In addition, President Lai expected all graduates to put NCKU’s school spirit of “pristine practicality” into practice no matter what job fields they enters.

President Lai also bestowed three crucial creeds to graduates. One is to be honest, and have a spirit of morality. Another is to keep enthusiastic and to acquire the interdisciplinary ability with the aim to enhance the competitiveness. The last one is to exercise and maintain one’s physical condition in order to take the future challenges.

Dr. Bruce Cheng, the Chairman of Delta Electronics, Inc. and also a 1959 NCKU graduate said that the future world is changing and graduates should grasp the chance to develop their business. He also encouraged graduates to be perseverant in the pursuit of career. “Hardship can sharpen one’s confidence and ability,” added Dr. Cheng.

Mr. Rocky Yang, President of 104 Job Bank Corp. also a 1982 NCKU graduate announced a recent result of survey that NCKU graduates have been ranked as “industry favorites”. However, because of high unemployment rate, he warned students who chose to postpone their graduation that do not purposely dodge and escape the hardship of seeking jobs.

In addition, President Yang also reminded graduates with Master’s or Doctoral Degree that do not possess narrow mind and suppose high degree can earn higher salary and reputation. What the society expects is what a Master’s or Doctoral Degree can help resolve a problem which a Bachelor’s can’t do.

Finally, President Yang said that the global economic downturn may probably lengthen your period of unemployment. Therefore, he provided a strategy of “brave man” to graduates who have been making efforts on looking for jobs without a satisfactory outcome. He stressed that what a graduate should pursue is not the welfare, the salary or the company’s location. What a graduate should pursue is the working experience and credits. He advised graduates to bravely submit a proposal directly to the company after a careful evaluation and study without any demand of compensation. “The company’s manager will probably employ you after the economic crisis because of the determination, ability and courage you show,” added President Yang.

NCKU 2009 Commencement Ceremony received 5,642 graduates, including 2,189 Bachelor’s degrees, 3,181 Master’s degrees and 164 doctorates.

About National Cheng Kung University:

With three quarters of a century of distinguished history, and with well over 120,000 powerful alumni now dotting the globe, National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, has evolved from its engineering genesis to become a powerful comprehensive, research and international university in Asia Pacific.

NCKU boats some of the biggest and brightest stars in the arts, the business world, education, science, technology and healthcare.

With 20,000 academic selective students and 1,100 significant academic faculty members NCKU has both a healthy dose of international flavor, enormous regional support.

NCKU has a rapidly growing culture of proactive intellectual growth on the world’s stage.