Dear graduates,

What a day. What a journey. What a privilege it has been to watch you arrive at this moment.

At the IACT College Convocation Ceremony 2026, we gathered not just to confer diplomas and degrees, but to celebrate you — your courage, your growth, your sleepless nights, your wild ideas, your last-minute submissions, your group-project chaos, your laughter in the corridors, your nervous presentations, your creative breakthroughs, and every small, stubborn act of perseverance that brought you here.

You did it! And we could not be prouder.

This ceremony was made even more meaningful by the presence of your families, friends, lecturers, mentors, industry partners, and distinguished guests, including Mr Raja Singham, Chairman of IACT College and Chief Future Officer of BAC Education Group; Mr Nadar Thiagendran, Chief Operating Officer of Veritas University College; Mr Arul Sothy, Head of Corporate and Finance at BAC Education; Professor Dr. Amer Hamzah Jantan, Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Veritas University College; Mr Dan Makaveli, Programme Leader for Media Production and Academic Champion for Employability and Enterprise at the University of Sunderland; Professor John Chako; Mr Edward Ong; Mr Timothy Chan, CEO of IACT College; and Ms Nicola Wong, Head of Academics at IACT College.

Each of them came together for one reason: to honour you.

Opening the ceremony, Mr Timothy reminded you that convocation is not just a formal event. It is a milestone — a marker of how far you have come and a doorway into everything that comes next.

He spoke about tradition and innovation, and how both must work together as you step into a world that is changing faster than ever. You have learned the foundations. Now, you have the opportunity to challenge them, stretch them, reshape them and, when necessary, break them with purpose.

As he shared, “Tradition is the why, and innovation is the how.” But perhaps the most important message he left you with was this: care enough. Care enough to show up. Care enough to follow through. Care enough to believe in your ideas before the world catches up to them.

Care enough to lift others as you rise. Care enough to change the world.

And we hope you do.

Ms Nicola’s address reminded us of the everyday moments that made your time at IACT so special. Many of you were not just students to us. You were familiar faces we saw in classrooms, computer labs, libraries, hallways, events, competitions and, occasionally, half-asleep in places you probably should not have been sleeping.

We saw you rushing assignments. We saw you debating ideas. We saw you locked in excited conversations with your friends. We saw you pulling together campaigns, films, posters, prototypes, events and creative projects that made us laugh, cry, think and, sometimes, proudly stick your tiny event stickers onto our iPads.

Those little things mattered. They still do.

Because your journey at IACT was never only about grades. It was about finding your voice, building your confidence, discovering what you care about, and learning how to turn ideas into something real.

As Ms Nicola reminded you, what you have accomplished today is only the beginning. The journey of learning should never end. So, keep creating. Keep questioning. Keep learning. Keep doing more.

Mr Raja Singham then spoke to you about the world you are entering — a world shaped by technology, AI, disruption and constant change. It was a reminder that your diploma or degree is important, but your mindset is even more important.

The future will belong to those who can learn fast, adapt fast, unlearn what no longer works and relearn what the world now needs. Your education does not end at convocation. In many ways, this is where your real 40-year education begins.

He reminded you that the greatest danger today is not a lack of intelligence. It is becoming irrelevant. So, stay curious. Build new skills. Learn how to work with AI, not against it. Strengthen your personal brand. Be mindful of how you show up online and offline. Most importantly, never forget the human qualities that no machine can replace — empathy, creativity, judgement, courage and heart.

And when you measure success, we hope you remember Henry Ford’s words: “Success is when you have done more for the world than the world has done for you.” That is the kind of success worth chasing.

From the University of Sunderland, Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, sent his warmest congratulations through a recorded message. Though he could not be with us in person, his words reminded us that this ceremony was above all else a celebration of you, our newest graduates, and a public recognition of everything you have achieved.

Mr Dan Makaveli also travelled to be with us. He spoke about lifelong learning, adaptability, personal branding and impact, while also acknowledging the strong partnership between IACT College and the University of Sunderland.

What touched us most was his reflection on the IACT community. After speaking to students, he shared that what stood out was the support you received from the academic and administrative teams, and the way IACT feels like a family.

We hope you felt that too. Because to us, you were never just names on a class list. You were part of our community.

The keynote address by Mr Edward Ong, an IACT alumnus who earned a Certificate in Copywriting from IACT in 1999, brought the day full circle. Once a student like you, he returned to speak to you as an industry leader, storyteller and proud Malaysian creative.

He reminded you of the power of Malaysian creativity — the kind born not in ivory towers, but in kampungs, longhouses, mamaks, padangs, streets, homes, communities and everyday life.

He spoke about advertising, storytelling, AI, courage and the fire within each of you. His message was clear: do not underestimate your stories. Do not underestimate where you come from. Do not underestimate the raw Malaysian creativity you carry.

Stories will keep us alive and distinct from machines. So, guard your creativity. Feed it. Fan it. Nurture it.

From raw creativity, build strategic creativity. From strategic creativity, grow into maturity. From maturity, step into leadership.

As he said, Malaysia is watching. The world is waiting. And your time starts now.

We were also deeply moved by the voices of your fellow graduates.

Pang Lyn, from the Diploma in Mass Communication, reminded us that no journey is walked alone. She thanked her family, lecturers, friends and grandparents, and spoke about how IACT helped her discover her passion for visual storytelling. Her words reminded us that sometimes, a picture really can tell a thousand words — and sometimes, one student brave enough to pick up a camera can begin telling a thousand stories.

Ong Yen Ling, our valedictorian from the Bachelor of Media, Culture and Communication programme, gave us one of the most honest and heartfelt reflections of the day. She spoke about fear, uncertainty, self-discovery and the courage to stand on stage again after once walking away from it as a child.

Her journey into media was not immediate or obvious. Like many of you, she took time to figure things out. But perhaps that is the beauty of it.

Sometimes, passion is not loud. Sometimes, it is the thing that quietly keeps finding its way back to you.

To every graduate who still feels unsure, we hope you hold on to that. You do not need to have everything figured out today. You only need to keep moving, keep trying and keep choosing the things that feel true to you.

Class of 2026, as we watched you cross the stage, we saw more than graduates.

We saw future storytellers, strategists, designers, journalists, filmmakers, marketers, content creators, entrepreneurs, leaders and change-makers.

We saw the late nights behind your achievements.

We saw the families who stood behind you.

We saw the lecturers who pushed you.

We saw the friends who carried you through stressful deadlines.

We saw the courage it took to begin, continue and finish.

And most of all, we saw possibility.

As you step into the next chapter, remember this: you will always have a place at IACT.

The classrooms may change. Your schedules may change. Your lives will certainly change. But the memories you made here, the people you met here, and the version of yourself you discovered here will always be part of your story.

So go out and do good.

Be good.

Tell stories that matter.

Create work that moves people.

Build a brand you are proud of.

Use technology with wisdom.

Stay human.

Care enough.

And wherever life takes you next, know this: we are cheering for you. Congratulations, Class of 2026!

With pride, love and belief in all that you will become,
IACT College