Ready to kick off the inaugural UON Day 2026 at The Plaza, National Library Building.
38. Emceeing the First-Ever UON Day 2026 at the National Library Plaza
Being part of a first-ever event always feels different. There are a lot of firsts to figure out, and a lot of energy in the room because everyone is invested in making it work.
On 25 April 2026, I had the pleasure of emceeing the inaugural UON Day 2026 at The Plaza, National Library Building, for Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education (NAIHE). The theme? "What's Next?" A fitting question for the mix of secondary school leavers, polytechnic and JC students, working adults, and curious parents who came through the doors.
Setting the Stage with Prof Abhishek
The morning opened with a warm welcome from Professor Abhishek Bhati, Pro-Vice Chancellor and CEO of NAIHE. Prof Abhishek is incredibly approachable, chatting with everyone before he stepped on stage. That energy carried into his opening address and helped the whole crowd settle in quickly.
For an open-air plaza event with passers-by from Bugis MRT and Bugis Junction streaming in throughout the day, my job was multi-faceted: keep the energy up, welcome people in, guide them to the booths and panel discussions, and ensure engagement in between :) The team summed it up as a "roadshow vibe", and that's exactly the tempo we went with.
Quiet stage, before the buzz!
Two Panels, Two Different Audiences
The day featured two panel discussions, each designed for a different audience.
Panel 1, "What's Next at University? And How It Shapes Your Future Career", was for undergraduate prospects. It was moderated by Dr Colin Smith, UON's Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Media and Communications. He was joined by Mr Derrick Chang, CEO of PSB Academy, Ms Karen Lee Shi Mei from THK Therapy Services/Hub, and UON alumnus Mr Girish Nair, Marketing Manager at CASY Engineering Consultancy.
They talked through perceptions around private education pathways and what really helps graduates stand out in today's job market.
Panel 1 in full flow. Practical advice for anyone starting their first degree.
Panel 2, "What's Next If You're Ready for More: Leadership, Specialisation, or Change?", was for postgraduate audiences. Moderated by Associate Professor Peter Duffy, Academic Director at UON Singapore, with Dr Kevin Cheong (Head of PEI Programmes at UON), Engineer Lim Yaw Shyan from BCA Academy, and alumna Ms Bernice Liang, a paediatric occupational therapist. The conversation here was about pivoting, specialising, and future-proofing your career. Really useful stuff for working adults weighing up their next move.
A Big Thank You
Thank you to Hazim, Yi Jin, Tricia, Zena, and Fahmy at NAIHE for the warm collaboration from day one. The script was thoughtful, the briefings were clear, and the team trusted me to flow with the crowd's energy on the day. That's the kind of working relationship that makes the job a joy.
A big thank you also to UON's partner institutions, PSB Academy and BCA Academy, for being part of this inaugural edition. And to every guest who came down, asked a question, snapped a photo at the 360 booth, or just stopped by for a chat. You made the plaza feel alive.
What's Next?
If you're organising a university open day, education roadshow, or any public-facing event that needs an emcee who can hold a panel discussion AND work the crowd on the ground, please let me know :)
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Looking forward to what's next!