JOHOR BAHRU, 15 Nov. – When Walter Ong Chee Siang and his wife, Tee Jing Pei, walk across the stage at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s 70th Convocation, they will be celebrating more than a qualification. The Singapore couple will receive their Master of Business Administration degrees from the Azman Hashim International Business School (AHIBS) together, after a journey marked by long commutes, heartbreak and hope.

Tee began her master’s programme in 2023, and Walter followed a semester later in 2024. Both completed their studies in 2026. Walter, who has spent more than 20 years in aerospace and aviation, including a career with Safran Aircraft Engines in Singapore, already held a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management and a master’s in Engineering. Even so, he felt professional growth should never stop.

“We did not return to university simply to earn another qualification,” he said. “We returned because we believed that learning could transform our lives.”

He chose UTM for its strong academic reputation, practical learning approach, and industry-relevant curriculum. For the couple, the decision was also about pursuing a shared dream and showing that education has no age limit.

Since they were based in Singapore, every weekend meant crossing the border into Malaysia and travelling to Kuala Lumpur for classes. While many people spent their weekends resting, the couple spent theirs on the road, attending lectures, preparing presentations and completing assignments while holding demanding full-time jobs. Walter also stayed active in the AHIBS Postgraduate Society, where he contributed to student activities and connected with fellow postgraduates. 

There were times they felt physically exhausted from travelling and mentally drained from balancing work and study. The hardest chapter came in 2024, when they lost their baby to stillbirth. Grief made it hard to concentrate, attend classes, or find the motivation to complete assignments. Graduation felt distant. They gave each other space to grieve, listened and moved forward at their own pace.

“Sometimes, it simply means listening, offering reassurance and being present when words are not enough,” Walter said of supporting a partner through loss.

During their second year, Tee became pregnant again. She continued attending field trips and research interviews while expecting, and the couple helped organise guest speakers so that classmates could learn from industry experts. They were later blessed with a son, Olivier, who has brought renewed joy and purpose.

Their academic partnership extended beyond the classroom. They exchanged ideas, reviewed each other’s assignments and discussed case studies drawn from their professional experience. They published academic papers and presented their research at an international symposium in Thailand, representing AHIBS and UTM. They credit their lecturers, including Prof. Dr. Hj. Zaiful Hasmil Hashim, whose Aviation Management classes linked theory to real industry challenges, and their shared supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Beni Widarman, whose patience and encouragement kept them going.

The couple encouraged each other and celebrated each other’s accomplishments, though disagreements occasionally surfaced during stressful periods, such as when deadlines, examinations, or presentations were approaching. They learned to turn differing views on how to structure an assignment into opportunities for improvement.

“Marriage is not about who achieves more, earns better grades or reaches the finish line first,” Walter said. “It is about standing beside each other.”

After completing his master’s degree at UTM, Walter was recruited by Tata Technologies as Director of Business Development, Aerospace (South and East Asia). He now applies his master’s to building international partnerships and supporting innovation and digital transformation in the industry. Beyond work, he hopes to mentor younger professionals and champion lifelong learning.

His wish hits closer to home. “One day, when Olivier looks at our graduation photographs, I hope he will understand that his parents pursued their dreams with determination, supported each other through difficult times and never stopped believing in the value of education.”

Their message to others pursuing a dream is simple. “The greatest achievement is not simply reaching the finish line, but having someone you love standing beside you when you get there.”