OAL International Writing Team

SITTING at his desk in Malaysia, Goh Kang Thong, a recent graduate of the School of Science and Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), sketches blueprints for automation solutions destined for his employer’s manufacturing projects.

As an engineer at Jabil, an American manufacturing conglomerate, Goh credits his time at CUHK-Shenzhen with not only sharpening his technical skills but also shaping him into a more thoughtful, self-assured individual.

“CUHK-Shenzhen didn’t just teach me academic knowledge,” he reflects. “It gave me space to grow, reflect, question, and follow my passions. Here I learned that if you find yourself different from others, don’t be afraid. You’re not strange. You’re unique. You’re a star.” Goh, of Malaysian Chinese descent, is one of four siblings. Influenced by his father’s firm belief that China was developing rapidly and held great promise, he and his two sisters were sent to China to pursue their undergraduate studies.

His sisters attended traditional Chinese universities, while Goh chose CUHK-Shenzhen. He felt it was very student-centered and perfectly suited to his personality, a conviction reinforced after he and his father learned about the university’s philosophy of whole-person education from a professor they knew.

Because of the pandemic, Goh arrived on campus in his second year, a late start, yet one that became a turning point. Eager to connect, he threw himself into campus life, determined to make friends and understand his new environment.

Coming from a small Malaysian town with deep Chinese cultural roots, Goh found himself in a curious position: while he knew China intimately, most of his peers in Shenzhen knew little about the Malaysian Chinese experience.

“Our ancestors crossed oceans to survive abroad, building lives far from home,” he says. “I felt a responsibility to become a bridge, to help those around me in Shenzhen understand us better.”

Goh began organizing activities to bridge the Chinese and Malaysian Chinese communities, and joined the university’s Social Practice Center in 2023. What attracted him most was its Nanyang Social Practice Program.

He proposed ideas, discussed them with the team, and reached out to key contacts in Malaysia.

After weeks of careful planning, Goh, accompanied by teachers from the center, led a group of CUHK-Shenzhen students to Malaysia during the summer. They visited Malaysian schools to deliver lessons on extracurricular topics and met with Malaysian Chinese entrepreneurs, listening to their stories of struggle, resilience, and taking root in Southeast Asia.

Over 13 days, the group immersed themselves not only in customs and traditions, but also in the rich, often overlooked narratives of diaspora life.

“It’s an important bridge between Chinese and Malaysian cultures,” Goh says. “This experience will not only foster a more open and inclusive campus culture, but also serve as a foundation for promoting a truly multicultural society.”

Goh admits he is not naturally competitive. Yet, with so many talented and hardworking students at CUHK-Shenzhen, the academic atmosphere inevitably becomes rigorous.

“I struggled at first,” he says. “But I was lucky to meet friends who reminded me that ‘卷’ (juǎn), the pressure to outperform others, is not the only path to success. They encouraged me to find my own rhythm and define success on my own terms.”

The support of his friends helped Goh navigate stress, not by conforming, but by forging his own path in learning and growth.

Goh says the greatest gift he received from CUHK-Shenzhen was the freedom to shed the weight of societal expectations.

He came to realize that growth is rarely linear. “Sometimes you dip low; sometimes you soar. But true progress comes from within. That’s what matters.”

Currently, Goh is helping Jabil transform its manufacturing lines in Malaysia into automation-driven systems. He believes China is already highly advanced in this field, whereas Malaysia is still developing.

This presents numerous opportunities to implement and advance automation solutions.

With experience under his belt, Goh has bigger ambitions. Drawing on his education at the university, connections in Shenzhen (the city of innovation), and industry experience, he dreams of launching his own venture.

“I believe I can build something meaningful,” he says. “Something that bridges cultures, technologies, and communities. Something that reflects the values I’ve learned, and the person I’ve become.”