Category: UCC

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2026

At Saya U Soe Paing’s house

Over the years, I attended several mini-gatherings and gatherings hosted by UCC sayas and alumni.

Saya U Soe Paing hosted gatherings (usually dinner meeting) at his house. Sayagadaw Daw Saw Yu Tint (T69) was my class mate. She also attended CPC course.

U Thein Oo, Daw Tin May Lwin and several others help organize the gatherings. U Thein Oo, U Htin Kyaw, Aung Aung and several others provide transportation to or from Saya’s house.

40th Anniversary

There was fun and laughter at UCC’s 40th Anniversary Gathering.

ICST SPZP

In January 14, 2018, I attended the 5th UCSY Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe as “Generation Zero” representative and the “Most Senior” (not by age). Several attendees started their studies and/or careers at UCC.

Saw Yan Naing, son of Dr. Saw Naing (Wesley, SPHS59), gave me a ride to the Pu Zaw Pwe. SYN is a nephew of Dr Myo Khin. He is a cousin of Soe Lin Maung (UCC).

Gatherings in USA

Dr. Rafiul Ahad, Ko Khin Zaw,, Ko Aung Myint Oo & Ma Thida Khin, Ko Sein Myint & Sao Mon Sint (Cindy) and Ko Toung hosted UCC gatherings (especially to welcome and alumni visiting US). Ivan Lee hosts an annual joint gathering for UCC and RIT sayas and alumni at his home in New Jersey.

Gatherings in Singapore

Ko Tin Aung Win, Ko Zaw Tun and Pale Shein organized buffet gatherings. Ko Aung Aung & Ma Kyin Mya are regulars at the gatherings. Some have moved to Thailand and Myanmar.

Gatherings in Australia

Saya U Aung Zaw (GBNF), Ko Sein Myint Maung & Khin Aye Mu, Ko Htay Aung & Tin Tin Hlaing organized the gatherings. I met Thandar Htwe Htwe and Khin May Thet.

Ko Sein Tin created a short music video during my visit to Oz in 2006.

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2026

Dr. Chit Swe

UCC

Saya Dr. Chit Swe founded UCC (Universities’ Computer Center) with the help of Saya U Soe Paing, Saya U Myo Min and Saya U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF). The UCC staff and students address the founding members as Saya Chit, Saya Paing, Saya Myo and Saya Lay.

Projects

I have written about Saya Chit in several of my posts. He is a Pioneer and a believer of Life Long Learning, Knowledge Transfer, Leapfrogging Technology and the Talents of the Burmese sayas and students. He is my mentor. More importantly, he allowed me to work on most of his projects (including Preparation for the UCC Project, High School Mathematics Curriculum Change, Children’s Treasury of Knowledge, and Team of System Specialists).

Vision

Saya Chit ensured that there would be a component in the UCC Project to invite short term and long term Computer Scientists and Educators to UCC. Professor Harry D Huskey (Past ACM President and a Computing Pioneer) was given the sub contract to help with the academic and professional courses being given at UCC.

Saya Chit made sure that the post-graduate diploma (DAC) and post-graduate Computer Science courses were given under the “Mathematics Department” until a separate CS Department could be opened.

Passion

Saya Chit served as Director of UCC in addition to being Professor of Mathematics.

He moved back to RASU, but never lost his passion about his pet baby UCC.

Saya retired as Rector of RASU. He then relocated to Thailand and Australia. Saya continued supervising graduate students in Australia. He is still passionate about UCC, Computers and Education in Burma and beyond.

Dr. Tin Maung

Saya Chit was succeeded by Saya Dr. Tin Maung as Director of UCC.

Saya Dr. Tin Maung retired as Rector of ICST.

DCS

During Saya Tin Maung’s tenure, the Department of Computer Science (DCS) was established under RASU. Saya U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF) was Professor. U Tun Aung Gyaw served as Associate Professor. I was a Lecturer.

The Institute of Computer Science and Technology (ICST) was established in 1988 with Saya Dr. Tin Maung as Rector.

There were initially four Departments :

• Hardware Technology (with U Tun Aung Gyaw as Associate Professor and Head)
• Software Technology (with Yours Truly as Associate Professor and Head)
• Information Systems (with Saya U Ko Ko Lay as Professor and Head)
• Computational Mathematics

30 students were admitted to the first B.Sc (Computer Science) course.

15 students were admitted to the first B.Sc. (Computer Technology) course.

ICST later became UCSY (University of Computer Studies Yangon).

Gatherings

There have been gatherings to

• celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the founding of UCC
• celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the founding of ICST
• 5th Acariya Puzaw Pwe of ICST/UCSY in January 2018
• 6th Acariya Puzaw Pwe of ICST/UCSY in December 2019

In January 2018, I was invited as the Generation Zero Member to attend the ICST/UCSY hosted the 5th Acariya Puzaw Pwe and give a short speech.

During my visit to Yangon in January and February of 2018, I spent almost three whole days writing “Memories of UCC”. I had provided Word and PDF files, but the UCSY sayamas suggested that I should submit a shorter version for the commemorative magazine for the 30th Anniversary has come out.

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2026

The 5th Acariya PuZaw Pwe of ICST (Institute of Computer Science and Technology) and UCSY (University of Computer Studies Yangon) was held in January 2018.

Saw Yan Naing (son of Dr. Saw Naing and nephew of Saya Dr. Myo Khin (C70) gave me a ride to the SPZ.

The SPZP was held in five batches. As a member of “Generation Zero of UCC”, I covered some milestones of the Introduction of Computers to Burma under the leadership of Sayagyi Dr. Chit Swe.

Ma Nge (Daw Nge Ma Ma Than, GBNF) attended the SPZP.

ICST/UCSY published a commemorative magazine for the 30th Anniversary of the founding of UCC. I wrote “Paying Back to My Alma Mater” (a summary of the 30+ posts about UCC) for the issue.

San Yin Myint (Samanta), one of the organizers for the Pu Zaw Pwe, is a niece of Saya U Win Kyaing (GBNF) and a cousin of U Hla Myint Thein (Maurice Chee, M75).

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2026

Dr. Tin Maung

• Son of Saya Kar (Education Minister in the Care Taker Government; RU Rector)

• Joined Maths Department as Tutor
• Went for further studies in UK.
• Upon his return, he was promoted to Lecturer.
• Later received doctorate from Queen Mary’s College.

• Succeeded Dr. Chit Swe as Director of UCC.
• During his tenure, DCS (Department of Computer Science) was established.
  U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF) served as Professor. U Tun Aung Gyaw served as Associate Professor. I was Senior Lecturer.

ICST

• In 1987, ICST (Institute of Computer Science and Technology) was established with Dr. Tin Maung as Rector.
• There were four Departments :
  Information Technology (with U Ko Ko Lay as Professor & Head)
  Hardware Technology (with U Tun Aung Gyaw as Associate Professor & Head)
  Software Technology (with U Hla Min as Associate Professor & Head)
  Computational Mathematics (to be taught by sayas from UCC and RU Maths)
• Bachelor degree courses in CS and CT were given.
• In the first batch, there were 30 CS and 15 CT students.
  Two later became Rectors.

Events

• 40th Anniversary of UCC was celebrated at MICT Park in 2011. Saya Dr. Tin Maung’s spouse and daughter attended the gathering. Saya is GBNF.
• Due to resources, Acariya Pu Zaw Pwes were not held annually.
• The 4th Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe took place in 2011.
• 26 batches (from ICST and UCSY) hosted the 5th Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe on January 14, 2018. Saw Yaing Naing gave me a ride.

• The 6th Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe took place in December 2019. Daw Mar Mar Soe gave me a ride.

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2026

Highlights

• Nge Ma Ma Than (ငယ်မမသန်း), Theresa Aung Than
• Youngest daughter of U Aung Than, elder brother of Bogyoke Aung San
• Matriculated from MEHS (Methodist English High School).
• Studied at RASU and UCC
• Taught at UCC, DCS and ICST
• Found her soul mate U Myint Swe at UCC

• In the Adhamma era, Ma Nge, Ko Myint Swe & her elder brother became “Prisoners of Conscience”.
• They later supported former POCs and taught IT to the needy.
• Her health deteriorated, but her strong spirit never declined. Even in her final days, she commiserated with her former political prisoners.

• Passed away at Pinlon Hospital on April 24, 2018 at 12:20 PM

Posts

• Computer Science & Technology
• Memories of UCC
• Names

by Hla Min

Updated : May 2026

Highlights

• Only son of Sayagyi U Ba Hli, first native Dean of Engineering & Proponent of Twinning Program between Faculty of Engineering and prestigious US universities.

• Sc. D (Doctorate of Science) from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
• Helped Dr. Aung Gyi & U Min Wun, who were doing undergraduate studies at MIT under “Twinning Program”.

• Spouse : Daw Myint Thwe (sister of U Tin U & U Ba Than)
• Children : Tin Tin Hlaing (ex-UCC, Tha Hlaing (EC 83) & Min Thet Tun (GBNF)

• Per request from Saya U Aung Khin, he wrote an article about his beloved father in the RIT Alumni Newsletter for SPZP-02000,

Service in Burma

Messages of Condolence

From Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi

Ko Hla Min,

I am very sad to know that Dr F. Ba Hli has passed away recently.

As I have mentioned before in my contributing article to the History of Engineering Education in Myanmar, Dr Ba Hli was one of the nicest persons that I had the privilege of knowing in my life. He was helpful in every way to me and U Min Wun so that we were able to adapt successfully to our studies at MIT.

I send my heartfelt condolences to his family.

From Saya U Soe Paing

Please convey our condolences to Daw Myint Thwe, Htay Aung, Tin Tin Hlaing and the family of Saya Freddie Ba Hli.

Dr. Ba Hli was an active member of the UCC Board of Management

From Association of Myanmar Engineers in Australia

Funeral program details of Dr. F Ba Hli are as follow:

• 6 July 2015 Monday
• 3:00 pm
• Castlebrook Memorial Park Cemetery, Windsor Rd, Rouse Hill NSW 2155, (02) 9629 1477

As per family’s request: it would be greatly appreciated if you wish to contribute donations toward ‘Heart Foundation’ instead of memorial/sympathy flowers.

Memories

• Engg Dean U Ba Hli

• Yahan Khan, Shin Pyu

• Family Gathering

• UCC Gathering

• Daw Myint Thwe

Posts

• Deans & Rectors
• RIT Alumni Newsletter (2000)
• Sydney Gatherings (2006)
• Three Generation of Engineers
• UCC

by Hla Min

Updated : Apr 2026

U Tun Aung Gyaw

• Member of Generation Zero at UCC.
• Ph.D from he University of Illinois at Urbana Champaigne
• Worked for several high tech companies before retiring
• Gave a talk on AI at North America Burmese Engineers Association

U Soe Than

• Masters from University of Lancaster in the UK
• Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in the United States.
• Worked at VMI (Virginia Military Institute) and in the Washington, D.C, (District of Columbia).

U Maung Maung Htay

• Masters from Queen Mary College, UK
• Ph.D from LSU (Louisiana State University), Baton Rouge in the United States.
• Worked at VMI (Virginia Military Institute) and Radford University in Virginia.
• Served as Chair of the Regional ACM Programming Contest.
• Offered his expertise (for curriculum development …) at UCSY (University of Computer Science Yangon)

Rafiul Ahad

• Masters from UCC and AIT (Asian Institute of Technology) in Thailand
• Ph.D from USC (University of Southern California) in the United States.
• Worked at University of Maryland, Hewlett Packard and Oracle USA.
• Managed Oracle Cloud Computing Project.
• Gave Key Note speech at an AIT Commencement Ceremony