Two sisters from Malaysia have double the cause for celebration this week having both graduated with PhDs from Newcastle Business School (NBS).
Lai Hong Ng, 36, and Lai Ling Ng, 37, received their PhD awards at Newcastle City Hall after completing their research within three years at NBS.
Lai Hong Ng and supervisor Dr O'Kane also received the University's 'Best Doctoral Supervisor/Student Award' earlier this year.
The siblings are lecturers at INTI International University College in Malaysia where they have worked together for the past six years lecturing in management and marketing. Having completed their doctorates, they now plan to return home to continue their academic careers at INTI.
Lai Ling commented: "We have received overwhelming support at NBS throughout our time here, not only from our immediate supervisors but also from the research community in general. NBS has a fantastic reputation in Malaysia and was the only UK University that had the expertise to enable us to carry out our particular areas of research."
Lai Hong added: "To complete our research within the three years is a real achievement and is down to the excellent way the course is structured. We have really enjoyed our time in Newcastle on both a personal and professional level and will be very sad to leave."
During their stay the sisters have become very close with the local community, particularly with Reverend Eden Fletcher and Deacon Eunice Attwood of Brunswick Methodist Church.
"We've made some very good friends through the church who we'll miss dearly. We are a very strong Christian family and it was important that we were able to attend church while studying here in Newcastle", said Lai Ling.
Lai Hong and Lai Ling arrived on Tyneside in 2003 from the Malaysian town of Seremban and have enjoyed living in the heart of Newcastle's student community in Heaton.
Watched at their graduation by proud mum Ah Moy Chor and younger sister Lai Choon, also an NBS graduate, the sisters are now enjoying their last few weeks in the North East before heading home to Malaysia for Christmas.
Paul Croney, dean of NBS who presented the sisters with their PhDs, said: "Lai Hong and Lai Ling have really embraced their time here in the North East and at NBS.
Their decision to come and study with us is testament to NBS's global reputation as a leading provider of business and management education. I would personally like to wish them every success for the future and their careers at INTI."
NBS has a long-established network of academic and corporate partners around the world in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, China, Russia, Singapore as well as the USA and at business schools throughout Europe.
Read more about NBS's PhD programme »
Date Posted: 08.12.06