Despite the heartbreaking loss of his grandfather just days before his final exams, Razeen Zharfan Mohd Nadzreen was awarded the Overall Best Student for the Universiti Kuala Lumpur – Japan Universities Programme (JUP) 2025.
For the 20-year-old Electrical and Electronic Engineering diploma graduate, his grandfather was more than a family member—he was like a second father who had cared for him since childhood.
“A day before his passing, I was busy preparing for the final dinner before the exam. I received multiple calls from my mother, trying to break the news of his passing,” said Razeen Zharfan, reflecting on the loss that occurred last year.
Inspired by his grandfather’s life and dedication to education, Razeen Zharfan is set to join 95 other JUP graduates in Japan at the end of the month to continue his academic journey.
On 25 March, he will embark on a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Meiji University, one of Japan’s top universities.
The graduates were celebrated during the JUP Graduation Ceremony, held on 11 March at the Bangi Avenue Convention Centre (BACC).
Reflecting on his experience in the 3+2 programme, Razeen Zharfan shared how it taught him perseverance, particularly as he balanced the challenges of learning a new language with the demands of exams and quizzes.
“I learned the true value of friendship, and we created memories that will last a lifetime,” he said, accompanied by his mother, Maizatul Dalina Muhamad Zain.
The ceremony was graced by UniKL’s Chairman, Dato’ Sri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali, along with Mr. Saito Yukiyoshi, First Secretary and Head of Japan Information Service at the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia, as well as UniKL’s President/CEO, Prof. Ir. Dr. Azman Senin, other top management members, and delegates from the Embassy of Japan.
The event also recognised three outstanding students with Best Student Awards: Muhammad Adam Iskandar Muhamad Rizal (Mechanical Engineering); Hazim Hakimi Mohd Rizal (Electrical and Electronic Engineering); and Mohamad Firdaus Iqram Mohd Yusuf (Japanese Language).
The first three years of the JUP programme are spent studying at the diploma level at UniKL MFI, followed by two years at one of the 20 universities in Japan that are part of the Japan University Group (JUG).
