KUALA LUMPUR: Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka Tun Dr Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam underscored the significance of knowledge sharing and encouraged Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduates to impart their knowledge.
Mohd Ali, commonly known as Ali Rustam, told the New Straits Times that the research theses of PhD students should be made accessible for everyone, advocating for broader availability beyond library archives.
"Today, we have 500 doctoral degree graduates, meaning 500 more theses would be archived in the Universiti Malaya (UM) library.
"With a substantial collection of archived materials in the library, numbering at least a thousand, it becomes a missed opportunity if these theses go unread.
"Making the theses readily accessible to the public allows a wider audience, including stakeholders, to read the findings and potentially contribute to future research or decision-making," he said.
Suggesting a proactive approach, Ali Rustam recommended that PhD graduates organise their research findings, transform them into books and publish them to maximise knowledge sharing.
He revealed his plan to compile his PhD findings and publish them in books, also wishing to get other graduates to join him in a forum to share their findings with the public.
Ali Rustam received his doctorate from UM Chancellor, Sultan Nazrin Shah, on the first day of the university's 63rd Convocation ceremony today.
He was awarded a Doctorate in History and Archeology by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences for his research on "The Government's Role in Empowering Leadership and Socioeconomics of Youth in Malaysia, 1963-2013."
Ali Rustam expressed his joy in completing his postgraduate studies after starting his journey with UM in 2016.
Ali Rustam, addressing challenges encountered during his studies, playfully remarked that he, like others, has grappled with the headache-inducing task of literature reviews. Despite this, he encouraged all students not to give up on their educational journeys.
"Education is a lifelong journey. The further we advance in our academic pursuits, the more we recognise the vastness of knowledge and the continual learning that awaits us," he said.