1 Study 2 Degrees, Lavnesh completes Mechanical Engineering and Transportation

BEIJING, 9 January 2026 – Lavnesh Nagenthara Poobathy, 25, did not expect to complete four and a half years of study in the Dual Degree Programme at two institutions, both locally and abroad, namely Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) and Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), China 

Having one degree alone is already a proud achievement, let alone two.

The opportunity to participate in this programme provided an experience that is difficult to describe in words.

Lavnesh followed the dual degree programme, which enabled him to study for two years at UMPSA in Mechanical Engineering and continue his studies for two and a half years at BJTU, China, in Transportation Engineering.

The second of three siblings to retired parents, Nagenthara Poobathy, 56, and Lalitha Ramadass, 55, who is a teacher, said that the opportunity to study in two countries with different education systems and cultures had a significant impact on his life.

“It was very interesting because I was exposed to differences in culture, lecturers’ teaching styles, and students’ learning approaches in both countries.

“For example, in China, the hours from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm are fixed break times.

“When the bell rings, all students and lecturers take a break,” he said, adding that he is from Selangor.

He said that although the language used in teaching was conducted entirely in English, at times, lecturers found it difficult to explain in detail or convey knowledge fully.

“However, this issue was overcome with the assistance of Malaysian friends of Chinese ethnicity.

“More importantly, this dual degree programme gave me the opportunity to learn the Chinese language and improve my ability to adapt to different cultures and countries, and I am even willing to work abroad.

“This opens up more employment opportunities and allows me to deepen my knowledge in the railway and mechanical engineering fields,” he explained.

For him, China is a very interesting and unique country.

Lavnesh had the opportunity to communicate with the local community and witness advanced technology that influences daily life.

In fact, he was able to sharpen his adaptability skills while living abroad in a culture and language that are vastly different from Malaysia.

Moreover, this programme greatly helped him train his adaptability skills in the workplace as he was able to communicate confidently with individuals from various countries.

He said that his experience undergoing industrial training at Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College was very valuable, as there was extensive hands-on training and the instructors were very supportive and hardworking.

He encouraged school leavers not to miss the opportunity to choose this field, as the programme broadens the mind and expands one’s perspective of the world.

Sharing his experience, among the sweetest memories was his participation in performing the Lemak Manis and Zapin dances during the arrival of ministers visiting China.

He said that he himself did not expect to become a little ambassador promoting the country’s culture.

“Although I faced communication challenges in Chinese, for me, that was not an obstacle.

“To overcome this, I frequently practised speaking in Chinese with others.

“Now, I feel that my perspective of the world has broadened, especially through interactions with people from various countries,” he explained.

He is now able to adapt quickly to different cultures, feels more confident and mature, and believes that such exposure is crucial in shaping his character.

Although without the presence of his family, this moment was meaningful with the presence of the Vice-Chancellor of UMPSA, Professor Ts. Dr. Yatimah Alias, lecturers, and university officers who celebrated the achievement together with fellow graduands.

In addition, he is looking forward to celebrating with his family at the upcoming UMPSA Convocation Ceremony, which will be held at the end of this year.

Lavnesh is one of 25 graduands from the second cohort who completed their studies in engineering, supporting the national railway industry development agenda.

The ceremony witnessed the President of Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), Professor Dr. Yu Zujun, presenting degrees to the graduands, witnessed by Professor Ts. Dr. Yatimah Alias and the Deputy Director of the Student Strategic Development Cluster, Human Capital Development Division (BPMI), Public Service Department (JPA), Idayuwati Abdullah@Ab Rahman.

By: Naqiah Puaad, Centre for Corporate Communications
Translation by: Ts. Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, UMPSA Press