By Haidah Halid
GOMBAK, 19 March 2022: Attendees of the 14th session at 36th Convocation Ceremony sat in awe as they witnessed the remarkable event of four siblings receiving their scrolls together at ICC Hall today.
Extraordinarily, in today’s second session, four graduates from the class of 2020 hailing from the Kulliyyah of Languages and Management (KLM) have a lot more in common than just being students of IIUM.
Arif bin Ahmad Khairuddin, Afif bin Ahmad Khairuddin, Yasmin binti Ahmad Khairuddin and Laili binti Ahmad Khairuddin bear not only the same last name but also the same kulliyyah, major, minor and graduation date. Literally, bringing the phrase “birds of a feather, flock together” to life.
The four siblings successfully adjourned their journey at IIUM with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in English for International Communication with a minor in Japanese.
Speaking to IIUMToday after the convocation, the siblings shared their experiences while studying at the ‘Garden of Knowledge and Virtue’.
“Being together made studying more fun and convenient,” says elder twin brothers Arif and Afif. Due to their unique circumstances, the siblings took the opportunity to sign up for the same courses, making it easier to carry out group work and attend classes.
The four say that their familial relations are usually kept a secret. “Our instructors usually won’t recognise we are siblings until the end of the semester,” adds Yasmin, the middle and elder sister among them.
The quartet explained that their history of homeschooling together benefited them in learning how to work together and diminishing the typical competitiveness among siblings.
The youngest of the four, Laili, started her IIUM journey at only 14 years old after completing her O-level exams.
“I was worried about keeping up with my older siblings, but I also had them with me [through this journey],” says Laili. The siblings suggested that they often had a supportive environment as one’s weakness was another’s strengths and vice versa.
Besides acquiring similar academic journeys, they have also carried out their exchange programmes and internships together in Japan before the pandemic.
The quartet were coordinated to be the last graduates of their department and received their scrolls together to commemorate the momentous event.***