Honorary Doctorate

It has been sometimes since I last updated this blog. Poor her, dia terabai sekian lama. I was busy, busy, busy and busy. No other good excuses than busy-ness. I and the rest of the team were technically involved with the conferment of honorary doctorate to the President of Turkmenistan, held in the glorious Dewan Filharmonik. The event took roughly about 45 mins but the preparation is like for ages. Nevertheless, everything went smoothly as planned and I thanked God for that. With all the ‘havoc’, and ‘less-coordination’ efforts, we finally passed thru the 8th Dec heyday.

Here bit about the recipient..

PRESIDENT BERDI

His Excellency Mr Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, is a graduate of the Turkmen State Medical Institute (TSMI), where he later became Associate Professor of Preventive Dentistry. His Excellency also obtained his Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science in Medical Sciences. In 1997, His Excellency was appointed Minister of Health and Medical Industry, and four years later, advanced to become Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet Ministers of Turkmenistan. In December 2006, following the demise of the late President Saparmyrat Niyazov, His Excellency was made Acting President of Turkmenistan. In February 2007, His Excellency was elected as the President of Turkmenistan through a popular vote.

Turkmenistan has significant long-term energy potential. It is home to the world’s fourth-largest reserves of natural gas and a substantial endowment of oil. Under His Excellency’s premiership, her petroleum industry has remained vibrant and prosperous — a fact borne out by the active participation of numerous foreign oil and gas corporations including *PETRONAS. *PETRONAS participation in Turkmenistan’s petroleum industry represents its most significant investment outside Malaysia and in the Central Asian region. With support of the Turkmenistan Government, *PETRONAS recently commenced the nation’s first offshore production as part of an integrated oil and gas development plan. Other milestones include the nation’s first fabrication yard in Kiyanly for the fabrication of offshore platforms.

This vitality and investor confidence is no accident; instead owing itself largely to His Excellency’s policies. His Excellency has gone to great lengths to promote national science as the primary driver of Turkmenistan’s future progress. He has sought to increase the number of qualified scientists and specialists, and strengthened collaboration between science and industry at both the national and international levels — measures that have helped ensure the adoption of best practices and innovations, including those applicable to the petroleum industry. To support and sustain the widespread application of science and technology, His Excellency has embarked on large-scale reforms in Education and strengthened international co-operation in this area. His Excellency’s economic reforms have also helped strengthen Turkmenistan’s investment climate, which have not only increased inward investment into the petroleum industry to fund projects that monetise and realise Turkmenistan’s resource potential, but also — and just as importantly — indirectly facilitated transfers of petroleum engineering technology from abroad.

Beyond technology and engineering, Turkmenistan’s petroleum industry has benefited from His Excellency’s foreign policy measures. His Excellency promotes good neighbourliness, openness, mutual respect and goodwill in the international arena and has sought to establish Turkmenistan as a force for stability within Central Asia. All of this has helped create a conducive environment for deeper cross-border energy market integration at both the regional and trans-continental levels. By extending the geographical reach of Turkmenistan’s energy potential, this deeper energy market integration stands to create a self-sustaining, virtuous circle — augmenting the value of her petroleum resources, attracting greater inward investment, spurring further exploration activities and with the attendant discoveries, extending her petroleum resource-base even further; securing thereby the prosperity of current and future generations of the Turkmen people.

His Excellency’s efforts in promoting the advanced application of technology and engineering in Turkmenistan’s petroleum industry is a prime example of harnessing the power of science for the benefit of humanity. Thus, The Institution’s Board and Senate have honoured His Excellency with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering & Technology, honoris causa.

(Excerpt from citation read by Datuk VC’s speech during the conferment)

P/s – Zamani, Zaihan, the CRPAs and ITMS, led by Khalid have done a very good job throughout. Two thumbs up for them. Boss did great on stage too :-)