12 December 2025
22 September 2025
Department of Physics Publishes in Classical and Quantum Gravity →
10 September 2025
15 July 2025
20 September 2023
****************************************************
Tan Ann Ngee: Bridging Worlds Through Languages
In this era of booming AI technologies, many have begun to question the value of language degrees. To explore this question, we sat down with Tan Ann Ngee, a 2026 English graduate from Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), to hear how language has shaped the way she understands people, work, and the world.Growing up in Malaysia’s multilingual society, Ann Ngee came to see language as a living fabric woven through everyday life. For her, language has never been merely a subject, but a way of connecting with others. “I have loved reading since childhood. Although I attended a Chinese independent high school, I read more English books, so I decided to follow my heart and pursue what I was truly interested in.”At university, she was guided and supported by Dr. Al-Saggaf Mohammadali Abdellah and Dr. Achoui Sana. “Whenever I had any ideas, the lecturers would listen carefully and then give practical advice from students’ perspective. Sometimes my thoughts were quite imaginative, but they never criticised me. Instead, they offered great encouragement. That feeling was very reassuring.”One of her most memorable university experiences took place beyond the classroom. As part of a second-year poetry module, she and her friends went beyond the syllabus by waking before dawn to watch the sunrise on campus, hoping to experience the poet’s imagery firsthand.“It was the first time I had seen XMUM at 5 a.m. Although we couldn’t watch a full sunrise due to the weather, we took turns reciting our favourite poems, which gave the moment its own charm.”In February 2022, Ann Ngee took part in a short-term brochure translation project for a tyre factory. Through the project, she began to see translation as a form of bridge-building between people from different backgrounds. “If you translate jargon with 100% accuracy but bore the readers, the brochure itself becomes meaningless.”For her thesis, she compared English and German by examining common errors among XMUM students and observing the differences between language systems. For instance, although English and German share some similar pronunciations, their spelling and grammar differ significantly.“Of course, we can get by with satisfactory language skills, but if you are willing to explore the history, context, and culture behind a language, it offers another way of understanding the world.”Her curiosity about language later led her to speech therapy. Her interest began when she learned about speech disorders caused by head trauma in an introductory linguistics class. It eventually brought her to a speech therapy internship, during which she participated in more than 200 therapy sessions.She admitted that the experience helped her grow from a student who felt unfamiliar with clinical settings into an intern who could independently interact with children and complete simple treatment tasks.The fast-paced work environment and the need to translate knowledge into practice were two major challenges. What impressed her most, however, was the importance of emotional connection between therapists and patients. “My work looks like playing with children, but it is actually using games to train their communication skills. Every response has something worth observing.”She added, “Building a good relationship with them takes consistent effort over many therapy sessions, but when they make progress, you feel it is all worthwhile.”Ann Ngee observed that although awareness of speech therapy in Malaysia has improved in recent years, the therapist-patient ratio remains severely imbalanced. This motivated her to learn more actively about the field and later take additional courses such as Phonetics and Phonology.Ann Ngee embraces the idea of “work-life integration”, believing that work should be part of life rather than something entirely separates from it. “Rather than deliberately separating work and life, I think it is more important to let them complement each other. Since language appears everywhere in daily life, the new inspiration and insights that arise from it can also enrich work itself.”As for the large language models (LLM) currently dominating the market, she remains optimistic. “The real value of a language degree lies in judgment, expressiveness, and the human touch.”After graduation, Ann Ngee entered the aviation industry. “I don’t think I should stick to one possibility. That is why I remain open to new challenges.”In her view, what matters more is to explore different industries and discover her true direction through real-life practice.
XMUM 10th Anniversary Special Feature | The Algorithm of Resilience
Studying at Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), I have been deeply inspired by the legacy of our founder, Tan Kah Kee. His spirit of “Self-Strengthening, Pursuit of Excellence” and his vision as an educator and socially responsible entrepreneur became a silent compass for my journey. At eighteen, I embarked on my own overseas adventure, carrying this spirit in my suitcase, ready to navigate the uncharted.The initial phase was a series of “system debugging” in real life. From awkward supermarket encounters to struggling with lectures in accented English, each small failure was a stress test for my resilience. I learned to assemble my life from scratch — navigating phone card plans, bank forms, and the profound silence of a new dorm room. There were nights of quiet tears, staring at a comforting text from home, feeling the immense weight of self-reliance. Yet these very mountains I thought I could never climb soon became anecdotes. I realized that independence was not merely about practical skills, but the forging of a mindset in which I alone was accountable for my choices.The true crystallization of my growth, where personal struggle transformed into tangible creation, occurred in Dr. Burra Venkata Durga Kumar’s CST 305 Computer Graphics course. While I was initially drawn to computing for its promising career prospects, it was in this course that I grasped its more profound purpose: technology is ultimately a tool to serve human life and enhance our lived experience. This realization transformed abstract code from a mere set of instructions into a canvas for creating tangible impact.This human-centric philosophy was instilled from our very first assignment. Dr. Burra structured a series of three progressive projects, each designed to unlock a distinct dimension of graphical creativity. The initial task required us to design an original 2D composition using basic geometric primitives. In response, I created an interactive postcard titled “How much I miss U.” It depicted schools of tiny fish swimming lazily across a monthly calendar — a simple yet heartfelt scene animated with gentle motion. The subsequent projects escalated in complexity, challenging us to craft a 3D object with dynamic shadows and motion, and finally, to model an intricate shape using curves and apply realistic textures. Crucially, Dr. Burra emphasized that the core value lay not in raw complexity, but in the design intent and creative voice behind the code. He encouraged us to unleash our imagination while simultaneously cultivating the technical tenacity needed to translate that vision into a functional reality. This foundational principle — that compelling design is inseparable from disciplined execution — became the bedrock for our subsequent, more ambitious team project.Driven by this ethos, my team and I conceived “ErgoVoyage,” a smart, foldable-chair suitcase designed to address a universal traveller’s plight: the lack of rest in bustling transit hubs. As the project initiator and a core developer, I spearheaded the transition from concept to code. We developed a complete 3D interactive simulation using OpenGL, a process that immersed me in a universe of vertices and textures. I constructed the suitcase body using GL_QUADS, modelled the wheels with gluCylinder, and meticulously mapped textures to simulate polymer and carbon fibre surfaces, striving for visual authenticity.The development process presented monumental challenges. Our initial animation loops resulted in jarring, discontinuous movements for the zipper and folding mechanism. Through relentless debugging, I redesigned the system by implementing a state machine controlled by glutTimerFunc, which finally yielded the smooth, realistic motion we had envisioned. A parallel battle involved the lighting model, where object colours erroneously bled into their shadows, flattening the scene. By meticulously adjusting parameters in glLightModel and material properties, we restored the necessary depth and visual clarity. Each resolved bug served as a practical lesson in patience, systematic problem-solving, and the seamless integration of mathematical theory with applied programming.Ultimately, the project transcended the scope of a typical assignment; it was a true odyssey of innovation. It cemented my understanding that genuine innovation lies at the intersection of an identified human need and the technical grit to build its solution. The awarding of the Silver Award to ErgoVoyage at the 4th Graduate Digital Invention, Innovation & Design (GDIID 2025) served as a powerful validation of this belief. Throughout this journey, Dr. Burra was more than an instructor; he was our guiding mentor. His witty humour and genuine patience in demystifying complex concepts fundamentally showed me that behind every powerful tool resides a human mind persistently asking, “How can this make life better?”Silver Award of ErgoVoyage Luggage ProjectThe Poster for VolyagePal Luggage ProjectPostcard titled “How much I miss U”Today, as I debug a stubborn line of code, the frustration feels familiar — yet everything around it has changed. The tears that once rose from confusion now gather in eyes fixed with determined focus. I am no longer merely a student learning a trade; I am a builder in the making, driven by the conviction that the right algorithm and the thoughtful interface can truly “do something good for the human”.As Xiamen University Malaysia celebrates its 10th anniversary, I see my own growth reflected in its unfolding story. From the tentative freshman who once hesitated in lecture halls to the graduate now equipped with both technical skill and a human-centered vision, the transformation is evident. My journey here has been, in essence, an act of translation: turning the enduring spirit of our founder, Tan Kah Kee, into the contemporary language of technology and global citizenship.To those who will walk these halls after me, I offer this: lean into the difficult courses. Seek mentors like Dr. Burra, who see not just code, but potential. And most importantly, dare to build your own “ErgoVoyage” — that idea which lives precisely where the world’s need meets your creative passion.Here’s to our beloved alma mater. May it remain a cradle where challenges are reimagined as blueprints, and where students, ever curious and courageous, grow into the architects of a better tomorrow.By Zhang Siyu2022/09Computing and Data Science
XMUM Goes Global
Last September, XMUM English major Zeng Qiuying spent a semester at the University of Strathclyde in the UK through the university's Study Abroad Programme. This April, Jasmin Tahmasebi arrived at XMUM from Russia's HSE University as an exchange student.From adapting to new classrooms and languages to making friends far from home, both students said that studying abroad was as much about navigating a new way of life as it was about academics.Zeng Qiuying: Finding a place in a new countryBefore leaving, Zeng Qiuying had some concerns about communicating with local people. Yet those concerns quickly disappeared after she arrived.“Many people were very willing to help me. Even though my English was not very fluent, they would slow down when speaking to me and were happy to answer my questions,” she said.She gradually built a social circle that included both local students and peers from China. Academically, participating in tutorials was one of the biggest challenges at first, as she was the only non-native English speaker in her group. After several group discussions and projects, however, communication became much easier and her confidence in English grew.Outside the classroom, Zeng Qiuying also joined a Harry Potter-themed trip organised by the university, visiting several locations around Scotland featured in the films.Looking back on the semester, she believes that the experience broadened her perspective and encouraged her to be more proactive.“If you have questions, you can always contact the university and ask,” she said. “Don't let fear stop you from taking the first step.”Jasmin Tahmasebi: Discovering a new home at XMUMFor Jasmin, the decision to come to Malaysia was driven less by a specific destination and more by a desire to experience something completely new.A 20-year-old International Business student from HSE University, she only discovered after arriving that she was the first student from her university ever to participate in an exchange at XMUM.The beginning was not easy. After a long journey and a difficult arrival experience, she found herself alone in an unfamiliar country and briefly wondered whether coming to Malaysia had been the right decision.Instead of staying in her room, Jasmin decided to explore. During her first week, she travelled to Kuala Lumpur on her own and spent the day walking around the city and talking to strangers. She later met a fellow student during orientation, and the two quickly became close friends.“Everything here is new to me — the environment, the people and the world around me,” she said. “The most exciting part is meeting so many new people and finally having the chance to communicate in English.”Jasmin found that XMUM’s teaching and assessment methods were familiar to her, with examinations, group assignments and presentations forming part of the academic experience. Outside class, however, everyday life offered plenty of opportunities to adapt.Coming from Saint Petersburg, where the long summer daylight is very different from Malaysia’s tropical climate, she said even the rhythm of day and night took some getting used to.As she became more comfortable, Jasmin began travelling around Malaysia in her free time. Rather than immediately visiting neighbouring countries, she plans to explore more of Malaysia first.For both students, exchange has meant more than simply studying abroad. It has meant learning to navigate unfamiliar situations, meeting people from different backgrounds and becoming more comfortable with the unknown.“Life only happens once,” Jasmin said. “If you want a life that is exciting and worth remembering, you need to step outside your comfort zone.”Connecting students through international exchangeXMUM continues to expand its international partnerships, with collaborations with more than 40 universities in countries and regions including the UK, US, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. These partnerships provide students with opportunities for overseas exchange and study, while also bringing students from around the world to XMUM.Students interested in exchange opportunities or studying at XMUM as an exchange student may contact the Global Engagement and Partnerships Office at globalep@xmu.edu.my for more information on partner universities, application procedures and available programmes.