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From bone to satellite
BY TINA CARMILLIA
I
N the quest to understand the
history of humankind, it is not
surprising that Israel and the
West Bank the site of many
biblical events linked to the Old
Testament narrative are the
most researched pieces of land in
the world.
One of the most important
archaeologists to have dug there
is Dame Kathleen Kenyon, who
today is widely recognised as
the most inuential female
archaeologist.
Dame Kathleen is best known
for her excavations of Jericho in
the 1950s and Jerusalem in the
1960s.
She and many female
researchers and scientists,
including physicist and chemist
Marie Curie and Googles head
security engineer Parisa Tabriz
are some of the handful of
anomalies in an otherwise male-
dominant world, but their roles
have certainly shaped the course
of our lives.
The importance of science in
our daily lives may not be obvious
and the role of women in science
is even less so.
While Datuk Dr Sheikh
Muszaphar Shukor became
Malaysias rst astronaut, it was
leading astrophysicist, Datuk Dr
Mazlan Othman, who headed the
programme to launch the rst
Malaysian astronaut to space.
Her work as the founding
director general of Angkasa,
the Malaysian National Space
Agency, led to Dr Muszaphars
successful completion of his space
programme and space ight in
2007.
So, why do women often
end up in the back seat of major
breakthroughs in science,
technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM)? Does
visual culture play a major role in
accurately representing the STEM
demography?
A picture that spoke a
thousand words
Recently, the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRA)
became the fourth space agency
to reach Mars, behind the Soviet
space programme, the United
States National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) and
the European Space Agency.
When photos of the Indian
space scientists in the command
control room were released, many
were caught by surprise.
Women in brightly coloured
saris exploded into applause and
jubilantly congratulated each
other after they successfully put a
satellite into Mars orbit.
Yet, no matter how much
women succeed, the focus
ultimately falls back on what they
are wearing.
Instead of lab coats or western
business suits, the women were
clad in saris, spurring curious
discussions on social media.
I love that picture. Its a
stark contrast to the scientists
inaccurately portrayed in many
Hollywood sci- lms, says
Bakhtiar Bukari, a biologist and
postgraduate candidate in a local
university.
Biochemist Arianna Ariff adds
that to improve the cultural and
visual representation of science
in the country, public outreach is
crucial.
We need good science
communicators such as Neil
deGrasse Tyson, Brian Cox and
Bill Nye. The media should
improve their standards in science
communication using proper
terms to convey scientic data
or risk being misrepresented and
misinterpreted by the public, she
says.
A throwback to the past
Indeed, deGrasse Tysons
reboot of Carl Sagans Cosmos
has garnered a lot of attention
around the world and reignited
conversations and interest in
science.
The science community is
optimistic that the documentary
series will improve the severe lack
of scientic literacy among the
general public.
Nevertheless, in Malaysia, a
recently published article in a local
newspaper titled R&D syok sendiri
(self-serving) that claimed that
research and development (R&D)
efforts have failed to produce
prot has irked several Malaysian
scientists, including Arianna.
People have to understand
the role and purpose of R&D.
Even the works of many Nobel
Prize winners have not been
commercialised but have
impacted humankind in many
ways such as with the discovery of
DNA, she says.
Bakhtiar, too, was none too
pleased with the report.
It says a lot about what
is expected from the science
community that universities
and research centres are supposed
to be factories chugging out
vaccines or new breed of mangoes
or whatever that can be sold for
billions at the end. It doesnt work
that way, he says.
He cautions that it is a
dangerous idea to make the public
feel as though the Malaysian
scientic community has been
doing nothing of value.
We need our own home-
grown science communicators.
In the UK, they have painters,
astronomers, mathematicians,
historians, authors and quantum
physicists as prime time TV
celebrities. It would be nice if we
could move in that direction, too,
he continues.
Science portrayal in mass
media is nothing new, whether it
is in TV documentaries, series or
sci- lms. Stanley Kubricks 1958
lm 2001: A Space Odyssey was
one of the earliest depictions of
space exploration on lm.
The lm opens with a tribe of
herbivorous early hominids who
discovers and uses the rst man-
made tool a bone that was used
as the weapon to kill the leader
and claim control over another
tribe.
The new leader, in triumph,
throws his weapon-tool into the
air before the scene cuts to four
million years ahead to a far more
modern tool a satellite in space.
The transition in the scenes
became one of the most infamous
illustrations drawing the
connection between two objects
a primitive and a modern tool
respectively and captures
humanitys technological progress
up to that point, before becoming
one of the most famous and oft-
copied tropes in cinema.
Although hailed as one of
the most accurate depictions of
science on lm at that time, the
lm also received criticism for its
lack of female characters. But the
fact is, the lm was not far from
the truth women only became
commonly involved in space
programmes in the 1980s and
beyond.
Challenging the limits
In 1960, Dr Randolph
Lovelace, the chairman at that
time of NASAs Special Advisory
Committee on Life Sciences, was
one of the few scientists who tried
to convince NASA that women
were superior candidates for space
travel.
Dr Lovelaces arguments
included the fact that the smaller-
sized women would require less
oxygen, could withstand longer
amounts of time in sensory
deprivation simulations and
were proven to perform better in
cramped spaces.
Their lighter weight would
also require less fuel to propel the
same distance, reducing the cost
of the mission.
Dr Lovelaces reasoning came
from extensive physical and
psychological testing, which 32
men and 19 women underwent.
Of this number, 13 women passed,
in comparison to 18 men.
How much better did the
women fare, precisely? One
sensory deprivation test shows a
striking result.
Based on previous
experiments in several hundred
subjects, it was thought that six
hours was the absolute limit of
tolerance for this experience
before the onset of hallucinations,
wrote Donald Kilgore, the doctor
who evaluated both male and
female space ight candidates at
Lovelaces clinic.
However, Jerrie Cobb, one of
the female candidates, spent
nine hours and 40 minutes in
the experiment before it was
terminated by the staff.
Subsequently, two other
women underwent the test and
each spent more than 10 hours in
the sensory isolation tank before
termination by the staff.
Yet, the womens involvement
in the programme was short-lived.
In an article by Wired, Right
Stuff, Wrong Sex, the writer
pointed out that the women in
the programme were held to
a different standard than men.
Citing John Glenns memoirs, the
article goes on to describe how
women were being forced to sit
in cold isolation tanks for much
longer than Glenn a male
astronaut had to.
During the sensory deprivation
tests, the women were immersed
in a lightless tank of cold water
whereas Glenns memoirs
recounts being tested in a dimly-
lit room where he was also
provided with a pen and paper. He
lasted just three hours.
A bone of contention
no more?
The fact that women are held
to a different standard compared
to men is true even in other
industries.
As reported by consulting rm
McKinsey, men are typically hired
for their potential while women
for their experience and track
record.
Women who actually make it
in any male-dominant workplace
are in fact much better than their
male counterparts because they
are not expected to meet the
minimum requirements for the
role they have to surpass these
requirements in order to even be
considered for the job, explains
Mien Ly, activist and independent
lmmaker.
Nonetheless, the lm and TV
industry may be catching up.
Films such as Edge of Tomorrow
(2014) and Gravity (2013) depict
lead characters who are more than
capable in making do on their own
and who also happen to be female.
But according to Bakhtiar, it is
not just important to make science
more approachable but also
for lm and TV series to move
away from depicting the science
community as an exclusive club of
men in lab coats.
To sell the idea that everyone
is a scientist providing that they
are inquisitive, have an open mind
and willing to give ideas stern
tests is the greater objective and
I believe will give a far reaching
impact to the society.
It seems innocuous but it
helps to understand that unlike
claims by PAS Youth leader Ahmad
Tarmizi Sulaiman, Iranian Islamic
authority Kazem Seddiqi, and PAS
assemblyman Hasan Mahmood,
tight kebayas do not cause plane
crashes, cleavage does not cause
earthquakes and unIslamic
governance does not cause the
spread of dengue, says Bakhtiar.
Until everyone embraces
their inner scientists regardless
of gender (or anything else, for
that matter), we may get from
primitive tools to advanced
technology in the material world
but will continue to suffer from
social and economic inequality
that will bog down the progress
of civilisation.
Women should
be recognised
for their roles
in scientific
breakthroughs.
StarSpecial 3
Tuesday 21 October 2014
VC COLUMN
By PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW
4 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 21 October 2014
The importance of language learning
T
HE debate about the
standards of English in
Malaysia and strategies for
improvement is often talked
about on the news whether
in the context of the growth
of international schools, the
employability of graduates or the
enactment of new policies and
regulations by government.
When I went to school in
the United Kingdom, language
learning was simply not a big deal.
Indeed the only language I
learnt to any standard was Latin
and while I can still read some
Latin poetry, it is not a language
that I have found particularly
useful in my working life. I picked
up a smattering of French and
German, which makes visits
to countries speaking those
languages a little easier as I can
at least, manage rudimentary
conversations.
The failure to acquire a second
language is one of my greatest
regrets. And while I am trying
to learn Bahasa Malaysia, a
combination of age and work
commitments makes this
increasingly challenging.
Of course, I do have the
advantage of being a native
English speaker and that has
probably made me (and many
others) lazy. English is so widely
spoken as a second or third
language that communication
internationally is rarely dicult
and in my own profession
(academia), English is the working
language.
The reality of our increasingly
globalised world is that English
is probably the most widely
used medium for international
communication and that
prociency in the language is,
and will continue to be, a highly
valued skill throughout the
workforce.
So, concerns about falling
standards of English language in
Malaysia are well founded.
Remedies are more dicult
to identify and implement. The
growing popularity of English-
medium international schools
among the more auent sectors
of society is, at least in part, due
to the perceptions that schooling
in English will confer longer term
benets to the children who
receive it.
But a national language is a key
component of national identity
and gives rise to a perfectly
understandable desire to resist the
widespread implementation of
English-medium schooling.
Academics have debated
the relative merits of national
language schooling versus English
language schooling and will
continue to do so.
What is much less debateable
is the importance of learning a
language at an early age and not
just learning in the classroom but
being encouraged to practise and
to use the language to embed that
learning.
Regular testing is an important
element of the learning process,
but test performance must be
seen, not as an end in itself, but
rather as a means to an end to
help learners develop and enhance
language acquisition.
Of course, all this depends on
the availability of appropriately
qualied teachers to ensure
that the capacity exists across
all schools to give children the
opportunity to acquire English.
And it is perhaps of particular
importance to ensure that this
applies to rural as well as urban
schools to schools that serve the
poorer sections of society as well
as those serving the middle and
upper classes.
If education underpins social
mobility, then ensuring that
children from lower socio-
economic backgrounds gain
the opportunity to acquire
English language skills must be a
particular focus of attention.
In all of this, the tertiary sector
has a key role to play partly
through the further enhancement
of the language skills of individual
students but perhaps more
importantly, through its role in
educating the individuals who will
teach the English language and
those who will teach the teachers
of English language.
Unfortunately, it is still the case
that careers in teaching are less
valued than careers in banking,
accounting or engineering.
Such professions are
characterised by greater prestige
and greater nancial reward and
as a result, they typically attract
the countrys brightest and best.
While it might be dicult to
change the nancial rewards
associated with different
professions, we all have a
responsibility to ensure that those
who aspire to a career in teaching
receive the status and recognition
that go with such an important
and potentially transformational
career.
n Prof Christine Ennew is the
chief executive ocer and provost
of The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus.
Premier MBA with
leading UK university
SUNWAY Universitys dual-award MBA
is a premier programme and is delivered
in collaboration with a leading United
Kingdom business school Lancaster
University Management School. Lancaster
Universitys MBAs is consistently ranked
among the best in the world.
Upon completion of the MBA, graduates
will be awarded with two certicates one
from Sunway University and one from
Lancaster University.
Sunway University is a renowned
business education provider in Malaysia
and has been awarded the SETARA 5
(Excellent) rating by the Malaysian Ministry
of Education while Lancaster University is
a UK-based university that is ranked in the
worlds top 1% of universities.
The MBA dual-award programme
focuses on transforming aspiring managers
by helping them discover the leader within.
Students hone their cognitive and
collaborative skills, judgment and decision-
making abilities through application and
reection.
The exible two-year part-time modular
format is designed to suit busy working
adults.
While maintaining their jobs,
participants become part of an
intellectually engaging learning community
and are able to apply what they have learnt
effectively at work.
This is why the programme is perfect
for Loo Hoey Theen. Currently a senior
marketing manager at a retail mall, Loo
says that the programme exceeds her
expectations.
Apart from an accessible online research
database, the facilities here are fantastic.
Classes are delivered in the state-of-the-art
Loo Hoey Theen is an MBA student at Sunway
University.
purpose-built graduate centre.
The university even provides access to
a nursing room to ensure my nursing needs
are met, says Loo, who has a newborn
baby.
The design and delivery of this
programme involves a faculty of some
of the best management consultants,
educators and research scholars to provide
comprehensive support in completion of the
programme.
Despite the premier nature of the MBA
dual-award programme, it is nancially
accessible. Candidates joining this
programme will also receive nancial aid of
up to RM25,000 per student.
n For more information, call 03-7491 8701
or visit www.sunway.edu.my/MBA
Educators play an important role in the English language development of students
in Malaysia.
StarSpecial 5
Tuesday 21 October 2014
6 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 21 October 2014
By
PROF DATUK WIRA
DR MOHAMED
MUSTAFA ISHAK
VC COLUMN
Training the best talents
F
OR a university, one of the most crucial
factors in improving the quality of its
graduates is a highly qualied staff.
Good-quality graduates will boost the
quality of the workforce, which in turn, will
boost the nations socio-economic well-being.
Indeed, the strength of an academic
institution lies largely in its highly qualied
and dedicated staff.
While a strong grounding in subject-
matter knowledge is an important requisite
for an educator, Universiti Utara Malaysia
(UUM) also places emphasis on a wide
array of skills, including pedagogical,
administrative and entrepreneurial abilities.
With faculty members who have vast and
diverse experience as educators, some even
being industry leaders, I am condent that
our academic staff are well-trained to deliver
their best in their appointed roles.
We send our academic staff to do their
masters and PhD programmes at top
universities in the country and abroad,
with a strong leaning towards the top 100
universities in the world.
Apart from that, we also send our
academic staff members who hold
management posts to high-impact training
programmes organised by highly reputable
training providers within the country
and overseas, including countries such
as the United States, Holland, the United
Kingdom and India.
This approach allows our faculty
members to have the distinct advantage of
international exposure.
Retention is, without a doubt,
competitive in the academic industry.
While incentives, promotions and
recognition for achievements are
attractive at UUM, I am glad to say that
our workforce benets the most from
enjoying a work-life balance.
We regularly conduct programmes to
cover not only professional development,
but also personal growth.
Apart from that, we also conduct
physical, spiritual and integrity-related
programmes because we believe that
physically, spiritually and morally balanced
individuals will be able to give their utmost
commitment to their duties.
In fact, it is not an uncommon feature
for the families of our staff to participate
in some of the events organised by the
university, schools or departments.
We ensure that human capital
development remains one of the core
thrusts in our strategic plan.
Besides ensuring that it is consistently
focused on during our recruitment tours
and promotional campaigns, we also lay
emphasis on it in our hiring process.
We ensure that, during interviews, the
potential employees are introduced to our
strategic agenda so that we can recruit
staff based on our needs as well as their
readiness to embrace our vision, mission
and values.
Human capital development does not
end at simply hiring staff members who are
aligned with the universitys philosophy
and objectives.
To ensure that the staff members
remain well-trained and equipped for their
responsibilities, we have a comprehensive
staff development programme.
The training initiatives can be broadly
divided into two categories, namely
in-house training programmes and external
training programmes.
These are important to ensure that we
keep abreast with the latest developments
in education and technology.
In-house training programmes are
conducted by our own departments. For
example, the University Teaching and
Learning Centre (UTLC) conducts regular
training programmes related to teaching
and learning.
Our staff members also benet from
the in-house training programmes run
by our Human Resource Department
with the support of Uniutama Education
& Consultancy (UEC) a UUM subsidiary
company.
Moreover, the Institute of Quality
Management provides insights into quality
assurance and quality management.
It may seem we invest a lot of resources
in our staff by requiring them to undergo
Retention is, without a
doubt, competitive in the
academic industry. While
incentives, promotions
and recognition for
achievements are
attractive at UUM, I
am glad to say that our
workforce benefits the
most from enjoying a
work-life balance.
We regularly conduct
programmes to cover
not only professional
development but also
personal growth.
rigorous training and development
programmes, but I believe that this is
all carried out on the premise of the
importance of having the right people for
the right roles.
I have always encouraged our staff
to use UUM as their platform to reach
their true potential in their academic or
administrative roles, and the dividends of
such an investment are clearly evident.
I can condently say that the people
on our staff are dynamic and vibrant.
Specically, we have a large pool of young
and talented leaders who are ready to take
this university to another level at any given
time.
They are focused, hard-working and
always in pursuit of better performance.
All this is very much due to our well-
crafted human capital development and
succession plan.
Above all, we are consistent in our
pursuit of realising our vision, which is to be
an eminent management university.
This outlook, grounded in our 30 years
of existence, has enabled us to create our
own tradition and culture and promises a
fullling future for UUM.
n Prof Datuk Wira Dr Mohamed Mustafa
Ishak is the vice-chancellor of Universiti
Utara Malaysia.
At UUM, human capital
development remains one of the
core thrusts in its strategic plan.
StarSpecial 7
Tuesday 21 October 2014
8 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 21 October 2014
Traits of
effective
leadership
B
EING promoted to a
managerial position is
something most graduates
aspire to achieve. However, not
many are aware of the intricate
behavioural and psychological
characteristics that make up
truly effective and inspiring
leaders.
There are so many key
characteristics that make up a
great leader, depending on the
level of leadership, the business
environment and so on. Ive
always been interested to look
at executive leadership and
how a leader inuences peoples
discretionary behaviour, says
Prof Iain Densten, a prominent
leadership scholar for more than
20 years and current director of
the MBA programme at Monash
University Malaysia.
Prof Densten adds that at
an executive leadership level,
one of the challenges was
nding the right motivation for
employees.
If I tell my students, If you
come to my class 10 minutes
early every day, Ill give you
one extra point each time, then
students will surely come early.
But once I stop, it is highly likely
that they wont come early
anymore. Thats a transactional
way of looking at how to lead
people.
This is not a sustainable
method because youll need
to keep giving rewards to
motivate people. But soon
youll run out of rewards. So
what leaders need to try to do
is to inspire people to do things
without rewards, to rise above
having money as a source of
motivation, he says.
Prof Denstens current
research interest is in using gaze
to achieve leadership goals.
A person can actually
inuence another just by
looking at him or her. So when
you have a leader who has to
talk to three or four people,
how the leader uses his gaze
to communicate with all these
people at one time is what Im
currently looking into, he says.
Prof Densten also plans to
merge his current study interest
with an area he has worked on
for many years understanding
executive leadership at the CEO
level.
One of the interesting
aspects I look at is social
desirability. We all have a
tendency to say things that
make us socially desirable, as
we are social creatures.
But for a leader, having that
need to be socially desirable can
actually be a handicap. If you
always need to have everybody
like you, while having to tell
people off when something is
wrong, theres denitely going
to be a conict, he says.
Prof Densten emphasises
that whatever the organisation,
Prof Iain Densten is the director of
the MBA programme at Monash
University Malaysia.
a leaders inherent role is
to mould the culture of an
organisation by creating the
right climate.
When a person enters an
organisation, he or she comes
in with a xed culture that
cannot be changed, but a
leader can change the climate.
If the employee is exposed to
this climate every day, it will
eventually affect the culture
of the person as well as the
organisation.
Leadership is about
changing the culture of an
organisation through how they
act, how they behave and so
on. For example, if the CEO of a
company is less compassionate,
the organisation will be less
compassionate.
Spearheading the launch
of Monash Universitys MBA
programme next year, Prof
Densten says he is excited about
introducing a course that will
prepare students to lead in an
ever-changing global business
environment.
Leaders need to be able
to be exible in the way they
lead because it is only through
them that an organisation
will be able to change and
adapt to changing business
environments, he says.
We believe that the work
we do here at Monash for our
business students will prepare
them for such an environment.
The Monash MBA in Malaysia
programme commences in
January 2015.
n For more information, visit
www.buseco.monash.edu.my/
mba
Leaders need to be
able to be flexible
in the way they lead
because it is only
through them that
an organisation
will be able to
change and adapt to
changing business
environments.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 21 October 2014 POSTGRADUATE 9
Prof Hii (left) and a postgraduate student using an adsorption drier.
Research to improve food processing
FOOD processing remains one
of the most important income-
earning sectors in Malaysia.
One of the strategic thrusts
that has been set under Third
Industrial Master Plan (IMP3)
2006-2020 is to intensify
research and development in
food processing to make Malaysia
an important regional food
production and distribution hub.
Total investments in the
industry is projected at RM24.6bil
for the entire IMP3 period and
exports are expected to grow at
an average annual rate of 7.8% to
reach RM24.2bil by 2020.
Various agencies and
universities are involved in food
processing research in Malaysia
such as Malaysian Agricultural
Research and Development
Institute, Malaysian Palm Oil
Board, Malaysian Cocoa Board,
Department of Agriculture,
Universiti Putra Malaysia,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,
University Malaysia Sabah,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,
The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus, Universiti
Tunku Abdul Rahman and more.
A diverse range of research
studies are carried out to improve
the cost, safety and quality of food
products.
Some examples of recent
research carried out in
Malaysia include functional
food products, novel food
processing technologies, advance
food preservation, nutritional
properties, food safety and halal
food products.
Currently, in the Centre for
Food & Bio-product Processing
(CFBP) at The University of
Nottingham Malaysia Campus,
various ongoing research is
conducted under the following
four strategic research themes:
l Product diversication and
innovation: Innovate and develop
new food products to improve
their functional and nutritional
properties.
l Novel drying and dehydration
techniques: Development of new
drying/dehydration techniques to
produce high-quality dried food
products.
l Advance food processing
technology: Development
of advanced food processing
machineries/techniques to
minimise food wastage and
improve production eciency.
l Bio-processing: Utilise
organisms, tissues, cells or their
molecular components from
both plant and animal products
as a means to produce safe food
products.
CFBP has to date attracted
research funding of more than
RM2mil and has established
extensive linkages with local and
international universities and
industrial collaborators.
Some of its recent research
include zeolite adsorption dryer,
heat pump dryer, vacuum fryer,
dried fruit snacks (salak and
chempedak), dried ganoderma
and high polyphenols cocoa.
n For more information,
e-mail Prof Hii Ching Lik at
Ching-Lik.Hii@nottingham.edu.
my
At the forefront of education
G
ETTING local graduates to be
on par with their overseas
counterparts is always an
ongoing issue. A major concern
among industry circles is that
graduates are not as skilled and
competent as the industries would
like them to be.
Open University Malaysia
(OUM) is at the frontline in
terms of providing business
administration, management
and marketing programmes
via its Faculty of Business and
Management.
OUM has restructured
its Faculty of Business and
Management to the OUM Business
School (OUMBS). The school is
now enhanced with experienced
instructors as well as sound
support and excellent students.
Pro Chancellor of OUM, Tan Sri
Azman Hashim, says that despite
competing with a number of
public and private institutions of
higher learning in the country,
OUM still has a signicant
advantage in terms of its virtual
learning environment.
He adds that through the
e-learning system provided,
students are required to
participate in the online forum
to discuss among themselves and
with their tutors on the subject
and given assignments.
The Learning Management
System (LMS) was developed
by the staff of OUM when the
university was established. It
serves as the main platform for
the delivery of content by the
university.
Azman, who is also the
chairman of AmBank Group,
says he will ensure that the
delivery methods used will be the
most innovative with the use of
multimedia and technology.
He continues that this is in
line with OUM maintaining
its reputation as a top-notch
university.
We are making this effort
so that no other insitutions can
compete with OUM in terms of
offering quality education that is
in line with the market demands.
Most students today tend
to choose programmes that are
considered easy but do not meet
the requirements of the market.
This has caused the alarming
increase in unemployment rates,
he says.
Another grave concern
expressed by Azman is the poor
command of English by more
than half of university graduates.
He adds that OUM is tackling
this issue by placing emphasis
on mastering the skills of
communication.
Azman adds that OUMBS
Administration, Bachelor in
Management and the Bachelor in
Marketing.
Last month, OUMBS began
offering the Bachelor of Banking
and Finance to meet the increased
market demands.
Meeting the industrys ever-
changing patterns is the main
goal, in addition to producing
quality graduates at the local,
regional and global levels. So
far, the number of postgraduate
students at OUMBS has increased
because of operational eciency,
appropriate marketing initiatives
and consistent programme
quality, she says.
Dr Wardah adds that with
experienced lecturers in the
elds of teaching, research and
publication, OUMBS would also
offer additional programmes
that are relevant to the eld of
business.
We also have lecturers who
are PhD holders from both foreign
and local universities, she says,
adding that OUMBS strives to
be known as an institution that
catalyses the knowledge and
critical thinking skills of a person.
Academic staff and tutors
need to be continuously trained
and upgraded in their pedagogical
skills. Learners, who are OUMs
most important stakeholders,
need to be fully trained to cope in
their online learning environment.
This will catapult OUMBS as
a producer of innovative and
competent graduates.
One of the universitys ongoing
efforts to internationalise its
courses is the restructuring of its
faculties.
OUM has chosen a few
campuses to be national centres
for specic faculties. For example,
the Sri Rampai branch is the
national centre for the Faculty
of Information Technology and
Multimedia Communication
(FITMC) and the Petaling Jaya
branch is the national centre for
the Nursing and Allied Health
Science Faculty.
OUMBS advantages include:
l Delivery approach
50% academics + 50% industry
practitioners (qualied and
experienced) to conduct seminars.
l Community of learners
Local and international students
benet from on-time credit
transfers between OUM and its
partners.
l Flexible ow of professors
between and among OUM
partners to teach students.
l Rapid updating of
knowledge in the syllabus so
that the topics discussed in the
classrooms or at seminars are
current and relevant.
n For more information,
call 03-8922 2294, 03-2773 2211
or visit www.oum.edu.my
Tan Sri Azman Hashim, Pro Chancellor
of OUM.
Assoc Prof Dr Wardah Mohamad, dean
and director of OUMBS.
We are making this
effort so that no
other insitutions
can compete with
OUM in terms of
offering quality
education that is in
line with the market
demands.
Most students today
tend to choose
programmes that
are considered easy
but do not meet the
requirements of the
market.
Tan Sri Azman Hashim
graduates who wish to become
successful entrepreneurs must
be competitive and possess self-
condence, including the ability
to improve their communication
skills in English.
Graduates must be willing
to level themselves in the eld
because there is stiff competition
in every business. They will
otherwise be left behind.
Rebranding effort
sees success
Meanwhile, dean and director
of OUMBS, Assoc Prof Dr
Wardah Mohamad, says that the
rebranding of OUMBS has seen
a record intake of students since
January.
She says that some of the
popular programmes offered
include the Bachelor of Business
10 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 21 October 2014
Accessibility
meets affordability
TO meet the competitive
market of the corporate
world, Wawasan Open
University (WOU) is
offering the Commonwealth
Executive Master of Business
Administration (CeMBA)
programme.
I have been in a managerial
role for quite some time and
it is time to move into a more
strategic and enriching role.
CeMBA is an industry-relevant
programme that has provided
me with an all-rounded
knowledge of business, says
Chan Yen Fung, a human
resource and administration
manager who is currently in the
fourth semester of her CeMBA
studies.
WOUs open distance
learning (ODL) concept meets
her needs as the programme is
exible and allows her to learn
at her own pace with minimal
disruption to her work.
At WOU, adult learners
can complete their masters
degree in a minimum of two
and a half years or they can
choose to complete their
studies according to their own
convenience and schedule.
For working adults like me,
studying at WOU allows us to
enjoy the benets of two worlds
without having to give up our
job or going on a sabbatical,
which may jeopardise our
career progression. I can choose
the number of courses to take
per semester to t my work
schedule, she says.
WOU, through the School of
Business and Administration
(SBA), also offers the
Commonwealth Executive
Master of Public Administration
(CeMPA) programme that
covers public systems and
management and other topics
related to the civil sector.
WOU allows for the unique
Open Entry Admission
System where the prior work
experience of adult learners is
taken into account. Learners
aged 35 and above with a
minimum qualication of a
diploma or with two principles
in their STPM or equivalent can
also apply.
This is provided they
have two years of working
experience at a supervisory
level and have obtained a
satisfactory score on the
management aptitude
diagnostic test.
WOUs Open Day will be held
on Nov 15 and 16.
n For more information,
call 1300 888 968 or visit
www.wou.edu.my
Chan says that studying at WOU has
allowed her to enjoy the best of two
worlds.
Engaging minds for a better tomorrow
U
NIVERSITY Utara Malaysia
(UUM) Awang Had Salleh
Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences (AHSGS) is the centre of
excellence in postgraduate studies.
It offers academic programmes,
research, high-impact publications,
consultation and solutions to
multi-faceted issues in the arts and
sciences.
Initially, the graduate school
was the postgraduate unit of the
universitys College of Arts and
Sciences, which was formed in
2008. It was then upgraded to
become a full-edged graduate
school in 2010.
We are unique because we
do not directly offer academic
programmes. The programmes are
offered by the respective schools
and centres, says Assoc Prof Dr
Engku Muhammad Nazri Engku
Abu Bakar, dean of AHSGS.
Dr Nazri explains that AHSGS
coordinates and manages
all students admission and
administrative matters at the
school level. AHSGS also assists
the respective schools and centres
in promoting and providing
professional development for
students to supplement the efforts
of the graduate programmes the
students have enrolled in.
When we have students
applying for full research
programmes, we rst need to
identify potential supervisors in the
relevant elds before we can decide
if we can accept the students,
says Dr Nazri.
He adds that despite this,
students still have the nal say
over who becomes their supervisor.
Likening it to a match-making
process, Dr Nazri explains that
this step helps to ensure that
is also responsible for
monitoring the students
progress through proper time
tabling, examinations, viva
sessions and trainings.
The graduate school
emphasises on programmes
that focus on human well-
being, develop inquisitive
minds, equip individuals
with scientic knowledge
to be technology savvy and
mould them to be competent
communicators.
Students who graduate
from AHSGS are empathetic
and cultured leaders who
are also environmentally
conscious and practise
sustainable ways of living.
At the moment, the
education and IT programmes
are given greater focus, not
just because they are popular
but also because they are
our niche programmes. As
such, two research institutes
have been set up to focus
on advance research in
education as well as the latest
development in the IT sector,
says Dr Nazri.
Currently, there are 2,860
postgraduate students from
more than 40 countries,
including Jordan, Nigeria,
China, Saudi Arabia, Somalia,
Yemen, Thailand and Indonesia
who are enrolled in the masters
and PhD programmes offered by
AHSGS.
Most of the international
students are enrolled in the
School of Computing while the
majority of the local students
are enrolled in the education
programmes.
Dr Nazri emphasises on the
importance of inter-disciplinary
studies. For example, research
in IT can be used to improve
the teaching and learning in the
education sector.
To match ourselves with
the top universities around
the world, we have to remain
innovative and lead the way
in terms of research. Besides
that, we have set a benchmark
against the top universities in
the world and we run executive
trainings to ensure that our
human resources are skilled and
knowledgeable, he says.
The graduate school also
provides a culturally diverse
and technologically advanced
learning environment that
creates opportunities for
professional and personal
development through its
postgraduate programmes
and non-degree professional
training programmes.
Assoc Prof Dr Engku Muhammad Nazri
Engku Abu Bakar is the dean of the
Awang Had Salleh Graduate School of
Arts and Sciences at UUM.
both parties have a sense of
responsibility and ownership
towards the professional
relationship that they will have to
commit to for the next few years.
Besides processing enrolment
applications, the graduate school
StarSpecial, Tuesday 21 October 2014 POSTGRADUATE 11
The Taylors MBA is an industry-relevant curriculum that provides a balance
between theoretical and practical education.
Affording students
the Oxford advantage
Business School.
Students will also have the
opportunity to participate in the
Business Circle gathering where
industry and corporate leaders
from top industries share their
thoughts and experiences with
the students.
This session is designed to
allow face-to-face interaction
and facilitate exchange of ideas
between students and the guest
speakers.
The Taylors MBA is
conducted by the Taylors
Business School, one of the
largest and most reputable
business schools in private
higher education in Malaysia.
An industry-relevant
curriculum provides a balance
between theoretical and
practical education based on the
latest professional standards,
practices and requirements
of todays global business
community.
The nal year project must
be of an industrial-based model.
n For more information,
call 03-5629 5000, e-mail
postgraduate@taylors.edu.my or
visit www.taylors.edu.my/mba
TODAYS working professionals
have plenty of options when
choosing their MBA education.
Having an MBA gives
working professionals an upper
hand to enhance their salary
and career growth.
While many MBA
programmes consist of
traditional classroom learning,
the Taylors MBA goes a step
further with the introduction of
the global rotation programme.
Through this one-of-
a-kind TaylorsOxford
Entrepreneurship Leadership
Programme, students will
spend between seven and nine
days from May to September at
Oxford University in the United
Kingdom.
The programme was
developed with the aim to give
students access to professors in
Oxford University and networks
with industry leaders in the
UK and students from this
prestigious university.
In addition, unlike other MBA
programmes, the Taylors MBA
modules are designed together
with top industry leaders.
Students are set apart
with a curriculum that is
taught by highly qualied
academic experts and business
practitioners, including an
industry advisory panel from
CIMB, Digi, LOreal, IBM, Tokio
Marine, IBM, Deloitte, KPMG,
PwC, Ernst & Young and Maxis.
The case studies used in the
classrooms are related to the
experience of these companies
in the areas identied.
The learning experience is
unique as it allows students to
work on actual cases presented
by industry partners.
These real-life cases will
allow them to learn techniques
and gain information. Plus,
it is invaluable as they learn
from past experience, says
Vinitha Guptan, dean of Taylors
The programme
was developed
with the aim to
give students
access to
professors in
Oxford University
and networks with
industry leaders
in the UK and
students from
this prestigious
university.
A
SIA e University (AeU) is an
international institution
that offers quality and
exible academic programmes for
professionals and working adults.
The university recently celebrated
its 4th Convocation Ceremony at
the Putra World Trade Centre in
Kuala Lumpur.
The ceremony also saw
Kumaresan Muthusamy, an MBA
graduate, receiving this years
Chairmans award. Graduates
who attained excellent academic
achievement and holistic personal
attributes at the postgraduate
level were chosen to receive this
prestigious award. Kumaresan
received a certicate, trophy and
cash prize for his achievement.
Kumaresan has a full-time job as
the head of risk management and
quality assurance at Pengurusan
Aset Air Berhad.
He has 14 years of experience
in internal audit, compliance,
enterprise risk management,
assurance and governance.
Kumaresan obtained his
BSc (Hons) in Economics from
Universiti Utara Malaysia in
1999. In August 2012, he enrolled
in the MBA programme with a
specialisation in risk management
at AeUs School of Management.
It took him six years of research
to nd a university that offered
an MBA programme with a
specialisation in risk management.
Kumaresan found AeU MBAs
curriculum, which combines
eastern and western perspectives
with a special focus on Asian
business perspectives, relevant to
his professional career.
At rst, Kumaresan felt that it
was a challenge striking a balance
between his work, studies and
family but the exibility in learning
at AeU made it much easier for him.
AeUs new approach to
tertiary education has offered
me greater exibility in learning.
It has also provided me with the
necessary knowledge to cope
with a challenging workplace
environment, says Kumaresan.
Kumaresan believes that the
programme has taken him to
greater heights, both professionally
and personally.
He adds that the AeU MBA
programme has broadened
his knowledge in all aspects of
the corporate sector and the
subjects offered were benecial in
developing his knowledge, realising
his potential and sharpening his
ability in leading others.
His advice to prospective
students is to invest in their future
with the AeU MBA.
Kumaresan is condent that AeU
MBA graduates have an edge over
others as they are equipped with
the necessary skills to succeed in
a highly competitive workplace
environment.
In addition, the programme
gives opportunities for students
to improve their communication,
leadership, interpersonal and
networking skills.
About AeU
Established in 2007, AeU
has grown to become a leading
provider of open and distance
learning (ODL) in Asia. As an
ODL institution, AeUs focus is to
provide accessible and affordable
higher education for all.
AeU has received several
awards, including the Brand-
Laureate Awards 2010 for Best
Brand in Education e-Education,
the Asia Pacic Entrepreneurship
Awards 2010 in the Most
Promising Entrepreneur category.
In 2012, AeU was announced
as Best ACD Project during the
Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)
meeting in Kuwait.
AeU offers more than 40
academic programmes at all levels
through its ve schools School of
Management, School of Education
and Cognitive Science, School of
Information and Communications
Technology, School of Arts,
Humanities and Social Sciences,
and School of Graduate Studies.
All programmes are
internationally benchmarked,
approved by the Malaysian
Ministry of Education (MOE)
and accredited by the Malaysian
Qualications Agency. In
addition, AeUs programmes are
also recognised by several ACD
countries and non-ACD countries.
The university also offers
more than 200 executive and
professional programmes through
the School of Professional and
Executive Education, and the
School of Technical Education,
Engineering and Re-skilling.
Since 2007, AeU has had more
than 16,000 enrolments and
more than 5,000 students have
graduated. By delivering a world-
class learning experience, AeU
aspires to be the leader and the
premier educational hub in the
promotion of affordable quality
e-learning throughout Asia.
AeU is one of the rst few
institutions in Malaysia to
implement the Open Entry System.
This system awards entry to
individuals with minimal formal
credentials who wish to pursue
their tertiary education. About 20%
of AeUs enrolment is made up of
open-entry students.
AeU has also been involved
in MOEs teacher upgrading
programme (Program
Pensiswazahan Guru) since March
2011.
This programme assists the
ministry in its drive to enhance the
qualication of local teachers.
AeU believes that collaboration
with renowned partner institutions
abroad is the best strategy in
propelling its programmes into the
global arena.
In line with this, the university
is actively collaborating with
numerous universities, institutions
and corporations in both ACD and
non-ACD countries.
In recognition of its pioneering
role in spearheading e-learning
in the country, AeU has been
appointed as the Gateway
University for the development of
international online and distance
learning.
This is one of the Entry Point
Projects, which is part of the
Governments Transformation Plan
in facilitating international distance
learning.
n For more information, call 1300
300 238 or visit www.aeu.edu.my
Professional bags
prestigious award
Kumaresan Muthusamy (right) receiving the Chairmans Award during the convocation ceremony.
Tuesday 21 October 2014
12 StarSpecial