Post Graduate - 21 June 2016

7/26/2019 Post Graduate - 21 June 2016

1/12

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

special

Ancient knowledgefor modern times


2/12

postgraduateTHE STAR,

TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

The growth of Islamic scienceDUBBED the Golden Age of Islam,the period between the eighthand 13th century saw the rapidgrowth of Islamic communitiesin terms of population, territoryand development, thus leading tothe creation of many greatinnovations.

Prof Dr Rosalina Abdul Salam,director of the Islamic ScienceInstitute at Universiti Sains IslamMalaysia, says, Islamic sciencesare part of the Islamiccivilisation.

Innovations for solvingeveryday problems wereinvented during this time. Peoplefrom diverse groups contributed

to agriculture, the arts,economics, law, sciences,sociology and technology.

According to Prof Dr AinulJaria Maidin, dean ofInternational Islamic UniversityMalaysias Centre for StrategicContinuing Education andTraining, Islamic teaching doesnot override the good valuespromoted by other beliefs

and offers good values for thesociety to live a balanced andharmonious life as it prohibitsseparation of religion fromscience.

She explains that as theintegration of religious valuesand ethics in all aspects of lifeprevents harm, promotesgoodness, protects rights, andencourages the sharing andpreservation of resources, theteachings of Islam is universaland acceptable to all mankind.

For the common good

Boosted by trade, scholars and

travellers spread the Islamicfaith, culture, and ideas acrossterritories in the west and acrossthe Indian Ocean to regions asfar as the Malay Archipelago.

Prof Ainul continues to sharethat Islamic civilisationsco-existed and absorbed thevarious cultures, leading to aflood of knowledge with Hellenic,Persian and Indian origins,

among others. Chineseinfluences are also found in theIslamic world, such as indecorative motifs and in theproduction of paper, ceramics,glass, metal-ware, textile, dyesand drugs.

Just as Muhammad Musaal-Khwarizmi, who introducedalgebra to solve real-lifeproblems such as the measuringof lands, digging of canals andother geometrical computations,countless scholars have left theirmark in respective fields and areattributed as the foundingfathers of current scientificdevelopments.

While researchers continue tosatisfy their thirst for knowledgein modern experiments andsophisticated studies, it is alsocrucial for mankind to uncovermore ancient manuscripts andtranslate them, as they may bethe key to new research areasand platforms from which tobuild more detailed and accurateunderstanding of the universe.

The universe in

a diferent light

IAN JEROME LEONG

ILOSOPHERS, theologians andentists have long debated theationship between science andgion.

While many scholars suggest theo have very little in common orsent entirely conflicting views,re are others who believe there be co-existence between the

o disciplines.The more compelling question,wever, is if this relationship canult in new discoveries that will

nefit mankind.What then is the role of Islamicence in todays society and doesemain relevant in modernes?

orrelating divine anduman activitiesWhen it comes to the Muslimh, Prof Dr Rosalina Abdulam, director of the Islamicence Institute at Universiti Sainsm Malaysia, says it is importantntegrate knowledge that isealed (naqli) with acquired

man knowledge (aqli).Revealed knowledge is from theran and teachings of prophetsile acquired knowledge is fromstudy of the universe, nature

d society.Study of the universe andure is a religious obligation ass will bring us closer to God andintegration of naqli and aqli indemics, research andovation will help strengthen

belief in God, says Profalina.

According to Assoc Prof Dr Badriib Zubir, director of academicnagement and student affairs atKulliyyah of Islamic Revealed

owledge and Human Sciences inernational Islamic Universitylaysias Centre for Strategic

ntinuing Education andining, Muslims do not considerworkings of the universe andure as something separate fromd, but as something that ismately linked to the

ationship between God andmanity.He adds that no notable conflict

r emerged between the Islamic

h and science throughouttory and the pursuit of eithercipline did not come at theense of the other.rof Dr Ainul Jaria Maidin, deannternational Islamic Universitylaysias Centre for Strategic

ntinuing Education andining, says, The Quranourages the study concerningcreation of the Earth, seas,untains, plants, animals, humanngs and their psychology.It invites the study of natural,thematical sciences and aller fields, in the interest of

manity and bringing good tonkind and all other creations

God.

t is perhaps for these reasonst as the Islamic faith spreadoss nations, so did the interesthe various fields of science.cience-related ideologies thatre widely preached in mosquesd ancient education centresring the Golden Age of Islamghth to 13th centuries) evolvedbecome Islamic science coursesrently available at Islamicversities around the globe.

More than mere historyLooking into ancient Islamic

history, many Muslim scholarsfound balance between theirresearch and religion and, inaddition to introducing newinventions for the community,broadened the generalunderstanding of the world andthe universe.

Their works and contributions toscience is a globally acknowledgedfact, highlighted in museums andexhibitions, and cited by modernday researchers as well as politicalleaders.

In 2009, president of the UnitedStates Barack Obama at CairoUniversity said, It was Islam thatcarried the light of learningthrough so many centuries, pavingthe way for Europes Renaissanceand Enlightenment.

It was innovation in Muslimcommunities that developed theorder of algebra, our magneticcompass and tools of navigation,our mastery of pens and printing,our understanding of how diseasespreads and how it can be healed.

Prof Ainul goes further to say,Most historians agree theknowledge that was preserved andoriginated from the Golden Age ofIslam is the basis for all modern

science.Taking into account the stronglinks between the Islamic faith andscience, one will be forgiven forwondering how and why Islamicscience studies lack prominence inuniversities and society as a whole.

Prof Ainul believes Muslimphilosophers have attempted tointegrate the pursuit of scientificknowledge within Islam in moderntimes but there is much dissent on

many controversial details aboutcertain scientific advances andconcepts.

She is also of the opinion thatthe rise of the English language asthe modern day lingua franca hasand continues to have a heavyimpact on the Muslim worldthat lacks the necessary commandof the language.

Crucial presenceSome people may think there is

redundancy in having Islamicscience in todays society dueto its declining number ofbreakthroughs compared with theever-expanding knowledge base inwestern sciences.

However, Islamic science shouldnot be discarded nor overlooked as

it can still contribute tothe betterment ofhumanity.

Islamic science is notlimited to nature and theuniverse but also to socialsciences. Research,innovation and activitycomplement the sourcesof revealed and human

knowledge.The outcome willnot only benefit

the Muslimcommunity but

all mankind,says ProfRosalina.Interestingly,Prof AinulsuggeststhatMuslims, at

the sametime,cannotafford to

ignoremodern

science andtechnology, as the

integration of sciencewith Islamic values is

crucial for the survival of theMuslim Ummah (the Islamic faith,peoples and nations).

The spiritual strength ofMuslims must be supported andaccompanied by material strengthacquired through scientific andtechnological advancement.

However, the pursuit of modern

science and technology must beguided by Islamic values and ethicsto ensure that in the long run,science and technology will servehumanity and not causedestruction, says Prof Ainul.

Islamic science requires man tolive in harmony and balance theneeds of all other living beings andthe ecology to ensure sustainabledevelopment.

> SEE PAGE 6


3/12

3THE STAR,TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016


4/12



Myriad graduate study optionsADUATE study is an educationalhway for those who want toprove their career prospects orsatisfaction or even pursue ag-standing interest.

The Management & Scienceiversity (MSU) offers flexibilityts graduate study programmes,

owing you to study in a way thatrks best for you.

The MSUs School of Graduatedies (SGS) offers advanced

grees at masters and PhD levelsering study areas innagement, business, computerence, accounting, finance,ormation and communicationshnology, food service

hnology, biomedicine,ucational management anddership, biomedical sciences,gineering, pharmacy and clinicalarmacy.The PhD programmes focus onginal and independent learning,ile the masters degreegrammes offers a full-research

d coursework mode to prepareduates for careers in public orvate sectors and professionalctice.

The graduate programmes ofdy at MSU emphasise a number

distinctive and desirabletures high level of engagement

between graduates and the localand international faculty, as well asan environment that fosters aglobal community of scholars.

All of the programmes offeredare supported and complementedby a wide range ofinterdisciplinary units and thisresults in the promotion ofintellectual activities and researchacross the university. The SGSprovides support to graduatesthroughout their learningexperience at MSU.

It also provides a creative andinnovative teaching and delivery,

global leadership programme andsocial facilities.

Working with all faculties andnon-academic departments,including the industry and otherinstitutions to enhance graduateexperience, SGS is committed todelivering quality service exclusiveto the growing postgraduatecommunity.

The PhD and mastersprogrammes are research-basedand degrees are awarded by MSUon the successful completion of athesis.

Assessment is based on the

thesis and its research. A viva voce(oral examination) is required forthe PhD programme and taughtmasters degrees are byassignments and writtenexamination.

MSU gives priority to qualityeducation and creative teachingmethodologies to produce qualityand holistic graduates.

Besides incorporatinginternational exposure in thestudents learning experience,extensive industrial trainingcomponents and personalenrichment competency elements

are incorporated into theprogramme to ensure graduateemployability.

The universitys programmesmeet stringent standards set bylocal and international bodies.MSUs award-winning homegrownprogrammes are among the best inthe region.

These programmes aremeticulously crafted to enhancegraduates potential.

The university has receivednumerous recognitions fromMalaysian and internationalaccreditation bodies.

Besides the MalaysianQualifications Agency (MQA), MSU

is accredited by the AccreditationServices for International Colleges(Asic), the United Kingdom, and theAlliance on Business Education andScholarship for Tomorrow(ABEST21), Japan.

It has twice been rated as anExcellent Status University by theHigher Education Ministry througha rating system that rates allMalaysian universities.

nFor more information onpostgraduate studies at MSU,call 03-5521 6868 or [email protected] or visitwww.msu.edu.my.

MSU offersa range ofpostgraduatestudies thatcan improveyour careerprospectsand jobsatisfaction.


5/12

THE STAR,TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

postgraduate 5

Programmes under Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) awardgraduates with qualifications from SEGi University or any of SEGispartner universities in the United Kingdom or Australia.

Get aheadof thecrowdSEGi University and Colleges iswell known for equipping brightyoung minds of the nation fornearly 40 years.

With innovative programmesthat fulfil employers needs,SEGi continues to offer a widerange of quality programmes inthe country.

SEGi understands that thereare employees with minimalqualifications who are notable to progress in theircareers.

Hence, adult learners can nowpursue higher qualificationswith SEGi as they are free to doso at their own convenience,anytime, anywhere.

PACE or Professional andContinuing Education is aconsortium of global universitiesthat enables adult learners to

learn at their own pace andcomplete their studies withassurance that they can stillattend to other obligations andhave a fulfilling work-lifebalance.

Students can select whichmode of study is best for them weekend/evening classes(students attend classes eitheron weekends or in the evenings)or opt for supported learningwhere instead of attendingscheduled classes at a physicalvenue, students can log in foronline classes any time of theday.

Students only need to attendworkshops at the nearest SEGi-

authorised location twice amonth.The other mode is

independent learning, wherestudents study mostly onlineand only need to attendintensive revisions at thenearest SEGi-authorised locationonce a month.

With these choices, studentshave the opportunity to networkwith fellow coursemates, meet

lecturers and gain additionalsupport during their studies.

There is a wide range ofbachelors degree, executive

diploma and diplomaprogrammes with disciplines inbusiness and accounting,communication, early childhoodcare and education, engineering,information technology and law.

There is also a range ofpostgraduate programmes topursue from its consortium ofglobal universities.

Graduates obtain paperqualifications from SEGiUniversity or from itsconsortium of global universities University of SouthernQueensland (Australia),University of Sunderland (UK),University of Greenwich (UK)or University of St Mark and

St John (UK) and University ofLondon (UK).SEGis PACE Centre of

Excellence (CoE) in the heart ofKuala Lumpur advocates thepossibilities of further educationfor working adults.

The centre aims to extend itsoutreach to other states so thatworking adults outside theKlang Valley can pursue theirambition to obtain a higherqualification.

With PACE, SEGi ensures thatworking adults have thequalifications to become ahighly skilled workforce andcompete with their peers on theglobal stage.

nFor more information, callSEGi University (03-6145 1777/1800 887 344), SEGi CollegeSubang Jaya (03-8600 1888/1800 888 622), SEGi CollegeKuala Lumpur (03-2070 2078/1800 888 028), SEGi CollegePenang (04-263 3888), SEGiCollege Sarawak (1300 887 344)or e-mail [email protected] visit www.segi.edu.my.


6/12



> FROM PAGE 2

Just as how interest in Islamicfinance was renewed in thebanking world, so too can theinterest for Islamic sciences.

The widespread success andacceptance of Islamic financialsolutions in Malaysia, countriesin the Middle East and AsiaPacific as well as keyinternational economic centresin the United Kingdom and theUnited States is a prime exampleof how ancient Muslimdiscoveries and practices need

not necessarily remain inhistory books or as a reminderof glory days of old.

On the contrary, thesepractices can still play a bigpart in a modern societyshould there be initiatives inadapting them to suit currenttimes.

In addition, contributions bythe greatest minds in history, beit during the Golden Age of

Islam, Renaissance or Age ofEnlightenment, were a result ofresearch and the continuouseffort to discover solutions forthe wider community.

As such, Islamic science andresearch have to continue beingsources of knowledge to enablethe possibility of uncoveringnew information about theworld.

Instead of relying on thewestern world for newtechnologies, processes,techniques and information,practitioners and researchers of

Islamic science must continuetheir endeavours to producepositive contributions.

Having researchmethodologies that areinfluenced by religion mayshed light on lifes greatestmysteries and the contrastingperspectives of Islamicresearchers will complementwestern research instead ofopposing it.

Looking foward

Advance yourcareer in pharmacyARE you looking to advanceyour career in pharmacy andwant to seek a competitiveadvantage through learning anddevelopment?

For a rewarding educationalexperience that enhances yourcareer prospects, take uppostgraduate study atInternational Medical University(IMU), an established privateuniversity with more than 24years of dedicated focus in

health education.The Master of Pharmacy

Practice (MPP) enables workingpharmacists to expand theirskill sets and develop areflective approach to thepractice.

The programme facilitateslearning and application ofconceptual tools for decision-making in pharmacy practice.

It builds an adaptiveframework to view and

systematically evaluate yourpractice, whether in patient careor corporate or academicsettings.

Expanding your knowledgeand developing your cognitiveability empowers you to think innew ways and seek innovativeand creative solutions forresearch as well as leadershipand management problems.

Acting dean of the School ofPharmacy Dr Wong Pei Se says,

The pharmacy professioncontinues to evolve in manyways. This masters programmeprovides useful learning thatenables passionate pharmaciststo advance their pharmacyskills.

We accomplish this throughthe delivery of an innovativecurriculum by a team ofdedicated faculty andprofessional staff.

The MPP programme at IMUis unique and the first of its kindto be offered by a Malaysianuniversity with threespecialisations clinicalpharmacy, social andadministrative pharmacy, and

pharmacy management.The programme scheduling

allows working pharmacists toundertake campus-based classesand work-based experientiallearning.

Experiential learning providesthe opportunity for students toapply knowledge and skills in areal-world setting.

Full-time students undertake40 credits over three semesters(one and a half years) and part-time candidates can undertakethe programme over amaximum of four years.

Students can benefit fromthe universitys researchcollaborations in areas such ascancer, bioactive molecules,nutrition and environmentalhealth.

Links in clinical pharmacypractice have been establishedwith Health Ministry hospitalssuch as Hospital Tuanku Jaafar,Seremban.

Students may design andconduct research in areas

pertaining to pharmacy practice,including clinical pharmacy,social and administrativepharmacy, and healthcaremanagement.

Upon successful completion ofthe MPP programme, graduateswill be eligible to pursue a PhDprogramme.

IMU was established in 1992and pioneered the worlds firstPartner Medical Schoolprogramme and has sincegained international recognition.

It has more than 30 world-class university partners inAustralia, New Zealand, theUnited Kingdom, Canada, theUnited States, Ireland and China.

IMUs main campus is locatedat Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur,with branch clinical schoolslocated in Seremban, KualaPilah, Batu Pahat and Kluang.

Committed to delivering thefuture of better healthcare,IMU offers education andhealthcare services in bothmedical and complementaryalternative medicine as well asresearch that improves qualityof living.

nFor more information,visit www.imu.edu.my.

U offers the Master of Pharmacy Practice toand the skill set of pharmacists.


7/12


postgraduate 7

Proactive networking

IN the digital age, establishingyour professional network hasnever been quicker or easier, butthere are also pitfalls to avoidand etiquette to observe.

As a new graduate,networking correctly can takeyou a long way in getting yourfirst or next role. Below aresome tips and tricks to fine-tuneyour networking skills:lBe clear on your objectives

You only have a small amountof time to impress, so it pays tobe focused on what you areseeking to achieve whennetworking. This will enable youto assess which activities areworth continuing and those toput on the backburner.

lFollow up As a simpleroutine, follow up with peopleyou have met. Send them an

e-mail or a personalisedLinkedIn invitation to connect.

Once they have accepted yourinvitation, take note of theircontact details together with abrief description on how youmet. It only takes a few minutesand greatly helps you when

Gainingbusiness

skillsAS an engineering graduate,pursuing the Masters inBusiness Administration (MBA)at University of Strathclydeenabled me to gain businessinsights and positioned me totake on managerialresponsibilities.

It has transformed me frombeing technical-based into anindividual with good businessacumen.

Once I started working in theengineering field, I realised thatmy true interest lay in businessstrategy and financialmanagement. As an engineering

graduate, it was difficult to findjobs within these areas ofinterest.

However, after obtainingmy MBA, I was given theopportunity to pursue myinterest in the banking sector.My combination of qualificationsequipped me to take on a careerin the finance industry as itrequires individuals with stronganalytical aptitude, logical skillsand good business acumen.

It is important to choose areputable programme such asthe University of StrathclydesMBA.

My main selection criteriawere accreditation and

institution ranking as well as theindividuals who joined theprogramme.

Having coursemates withwork experience is essential toshare knowledge and real-lifeexperience, which improves ourbusiness knowledge and skills inaddition to classroom learning.

I chose to study part-time,which allowed me to test myown capabilities while I

continued to gain workexperience and share in groupdiscussions.

Group assignments providedopportunities for knowledge-and opinion-sharing by peoplefrom different backgrounds,allowing individuals to identifytheir weaknesses and areas thatneeded improving and buildpeople skills.

My current role is in financemanagement that involves costsavings and projectenhancements.

This role requires me toanalyse the feasibility ofimplementing projects suchas ROI computation andcost-benefit analysis.

As an engineering graduate, Ihave developed analytical andlogical thinking skills. The MBAqualification, on the other hand,developed my strategic thinkingabilities.

I intend to pursue occupationsin business strategy planning togain more exposure and insightsin this field.

My advice to those who intendto undertake postgraduate studyis to be mentally prepared as itrequires determination andperseverance. However, it iscertainly a worthwhileexperience that gives youpriceless satisfaction. ByNicholas Fong Kin Soon

n For more information,e-mail [email protected].

Nicholas Fong Kin Soon.

keeping in touch.

lGive to get Do not golooking for referrals or seekingnew roles immediately fromyour networking; you will mostlikely be disappointed. Instead,look for ways you can pay itforward.

lRefer your contactsNetworking cannot involve onlyone-way traffic. Referring yourcontacts to others who can helpthem is another way of paying itforward by being of genuinebenefit to the parties involved.

lRespond brilliantly It ishelpful if you have a well-constructed phrase or sentenceto respond brilliantly to theinevitable question: what doyou do? Be prepared to field afollow-up question along thelines of tell me more.

lDo not fake it It is easier andless contrived if you actually likehanging out with the people younetwork with.

lAsk for assistance When yourequire assistance, who better foryou to ask than your existingcontacts?

The majority of your networkwould be happy to help you bysharing their experience with you orreferring you to others who may beable to assist.

lUse LinkedIn Expand youruse of LinkedIn to sending follow-upnotes, obtaining current contact

details and identifying people withwhom you have a number ofcontacts in common.

lMake proactive contactMaintaining contact does not takemuch effort. You can send anoccasional e-mail, text message orphone call.

Doing so regularly will helpyou build stronger networks andrelationships.

lFortune favours the braveDo not hesitate to reach out toprofessionals you would like tomeet. A quick e-mail or LinkedIninvitation saying you would like to

connect will generally receive apositive response.

There is immense value tograduates and professionals inbuilding up a network of contacts.Do not wait until you needsomething be proactive.

Progressively keeping in touchwith friends and contacts will opendoors to plenty of opportunities overthe long term.

This article is brought to you byCPA Australia.

nFor more information about CPAAustralia or the CPA Program, visitwww.cpaaustralia.com.au.


8/12

postgraduateTHE STAR,TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

By PROFCHRISTINEENNEW

COLUMN

The growth of Islamic nanceE growth and increasingpularity of Islamic finance sit inrp contrast to the challenginges facing conventional financialvices providers.

Although relatively small,mic finance is developingidly. Islamic financial servicesrently account for about 2% ofglobal market, but with growth

es averaging around 17% overpast five years and expected toelerate, it is clear that theustry is very much on an

ward trajectory.This has important implication

higher education andticularly business schools.

e of the many responsibilities ofversities is to ensure that wep society develop the kind ofrkforce it needs with the rightowledge, skills and capabilities.That is a broad responsibilityd touches on many elements ofucation, but for now, I would likehink about the importance ofsubjects we teach in supportinggrowth and development ofustries such as Islamic finance.

Many countries aspire toablish themselves as leadingtres of Islamic finance.

Recently, The Economistcribed Malaysia as probably the

worlds most important Islamicfinance centre, with close to 25% ofits banking system being syariahcompliant.

Malaysia played a key role in theearly stages of the development ofIslamic finance in the 1980s andhas a global reputation for itscapability to innovate. Forexample, the first sukuk (Islamicbonds) were issued from Malaysia

in 2000 with other countries soonfollowing suit.

Increasingly, with its globallyrecognised standard-settingbodies, educational and researchinstitutions, and supportive centralbank, Malaysia is viewed by manyas the intellectual leader fordevelopments in Islamic finance.

However, the United ArabEmirates (UAE) particularlyDubai has established itself as aregional leader for Islamic financefor the Gulf Cooperation Council.

London has staked its claim onbeing an Islamic financesuperpower with the United

Kingdom being the first countryoutside of the Islamic world toissue sukuk and the ground-

breaking creation of the newIslamic index on the London StockExchange in 2014.

Of these three centres, Malaysialeads with respect to the marketpenetration of Islamic banking andits capital markets are moredeveloped than those of competingcountries.

The regulatory environment isalso more advanced and tailored tothe needs of the sector and has along history of product innovation.

Besides performance to date andregulatory infrastructure though,we also need to consider theunderpinning human resource.

In relation to education, the UKseems to be leading the pack withmore than 60 institutions offering

Islamic finance courses and 22universities offering specialiseddegree programmes.

Malaysia has around 50 courseproviders and some 18 universitiesoffering degree programmes in thearea, while the UAE has 31 courseproviders and nine universitiesoffering degree programmes.

However, when it comes toresearch output in Islamic finance,Malaysia is leading with the largestvolume of peer-reviewed academicresearch.

Malaysia is clearly in a strongposition in this increasinglyimportant industry, but the

evidence relating to educationalprovision suggests that there ismore that the sector can do tosupport the nations ambitions.

Bank Negara estimates thatalongside the growing numbers ofMalaysians opting to study thissubject, students from more than80 countries have chosen Malaysiaas the place to learn more aboutthe principles and practice ofIslamic finance.

According to MalaysiasFinancialSector Blueprint 2011-2020, up to56,000 new finance industrypositions will be needed in the next10 years, including up to 40,000Islamic finance industry jobs.

However, concerns aboutgraduates English languagecapabilities and employability donot augur well.

Meeting the needs of this rapidlygrowing sector of the economyrequires new developments inhigher education but these canonly be delivered if they areunderpinned by enhanced qualityof teaching and learning at theschool level.

nProf Christine Ennew is the chiefexecutive officer and provost ofThe University of NottinghamMalaysia Campus.

Students in Malaysia with an interest in Islamic finance are at an advantageas they are in a country that is a pioneer in the field.


9/12


postgraduate 9

Diverse

talents ofer

fresh ideasDIVERSITY does not merely referto difference in skin colour,gender or age. The definition ofdiversity differs from person toperson. For some, it refers todifferences in race, religion orgender, but for others, it also

comprises socioeconomic status,sexual orientation, skill sets andmore.

As more businesses aretapping into the idea ofcultivating a diverse workforce,the premier dual-award Masterof Business Administration(MBA) programme at SunwayUniversity attracts workingprofessionals from diversebackgrounds, equipping themwith the business managementskills needed to advance theircareers.

In March, the MBAprogramme welcomed its latestintake of students from a diversepool of talents, background and

nationalities.Michael Dent, the MBA

programme chair of SunwayUniversity, stresses theimportance of having a goodmixture of local andinternational students in theprogramme.

According to Dent, havingstudents from diversebackgrounds often makes a hugedifference as the diversity allowsstudents to gain new ideas andperform better.

Referring to NottinghamForest FC as an example, he saysthe combination of different ageand experience among itsplayers contributed to the clubs

success in winning the EuropeanCup twice.

This is what we need

in an MBA class, but with theadded dimensions of culture andgender, he says.

Dent believes that in the 21stcentury, a good MBA candidatemust have values of teamworkand be culturally sensitive as

many companies today cater tocustomers from all over theworld.

Even employees who work ina company comprise peoplefrom different cultures. Hence,students must be able to workeffectively in a nationallydiverse team to succeed.

Among the students at theorientation was Zoe Tysoe, aBriton with more than 10 yearsof work experience in Englisheducation around the world.

I have been in a managerialposition for about four yearsand being a teacher, I like tolearn about what I am doing. Ithink it is the right time for me

to study and learn more abouttheories and also to connectwith other people. This seemslike quite a diverse programmethat consists of people fromdifferent organisations, saysTysoe.

Tysoe, who is fromWorcestershire in the UnitedKingdom, is currently ane-learning consultant for aBritish organisation in KualaLumpur. She completed herundergraduate studies in 2008with Lancaster University,United Kingdom, majoring inEuropean studies.

The MBA programme atSunway University provides

cutting-edge businessmanagement theories and tools.It aims to provide students

such as Tysoe theopportunity to experiencepersonal transformationsby honing and building

skills that they can use inlife.

Sunway Universitysstate-of-the-artGraduate Centre,where MBA classesare delivered,houses a faculty ofthe bestmanagementconsultants,educators and

research scholarsin the world.With the

partnership betweenSunway University

and Lancaster

University (ranked in the top 1%of universities globally), a largecontingent of UK-based educatorsand distinguished lecturers arebrought in to deliver world-classeducation at Sunway.

To maximise the career potential

of Sunway Universitys dual-awardpremier MBA programme, join thePreview Session on June 25 at12.30pm and a complimentary MBAMaster Class on June 29 at 6.30pm.

The Preview Session and MasterClass will be held at Sunway

University Graduate Centre.

nTo reserve a place for the PreviewSession and Master Class or for moreinformation about the programme,call 03-7491 8701 or visit www.sunway.edu.my/university/MBA.

SunwayUniversitywelcomesits latestintake ofstudents forthe MBAprogramme.

MBA programme chair ofSunway University MichaelDent giving a short lectureon academic writing duringorientation.


10/12

0 postgraduateTHE STAR,


Broaden

yourcareerprospectsCURTIN Universitys Master of EngineeringScience in Electrical Engineering is designedto broaden the career prospects of electrical,electrical power, electronic andtelecommunication engineers across theworld.

The universitys Malaysian campus, CurtinUniversity, Sarawak Malaysia (CurtinSarawak), offers the course to both

Malaysian and international students atroughly one-third of what it would cost topursue the same course at Curtins maincampus in Perth, Australia.

Year 1 of the two-year course comprisesstreams in emerging power systems,telecommunications and networking, orembedded systems.

Year 2 involves research design projectsover two semesters, where students arerequired to develop a prototype and presenta formal thesis on the outcome todemonstrate their technical knowledge andprofessional skills.

Among a wide range of optional units,students may also study electrical power,renewable energy, communications andcomputer engineering at the system leveland the component level.

Global demands on resources have placedan urgent emphasis on supplying a growingpopulation with affordable, environmentallyresponsible power.

Since fossil fuels are a finite resource, thedevelopment of alternative sources ofelectrical energy such as solar and wind isvital.

The emerging power systems majoraddresses the challenges involved in thegeneration, transmission and distribution ofalternative sources of electricity.

The electronics and communication fieldsrepresent two of the fastest-growingtechnology areas in the world. Withinformation technology progressing rapidly,the role of communications is becomingeven more crucial for increasing industryefficiency and competition.

The telecommunications and networkingmajor explores relevant topics in

telecommunications and networkingsuch as mobile radio communications anddata network security.

In the embedded systems major, studentsstudy intermediate and advanced topics inembedded systems.

In each of the streams, students will havethe opportunity to further investigate aspecialist area and apply emergenttechnologies through their project work.

Those interested to join the Master ofEngineering Science in ElectricalEngineering must have a bachelors degreein electronic, communications, electrical,electrical power or computer systemsengineering from a recognised university.

Intakes are in February and July.Postgraduate programmes at Curtin Sarawakare identical to those offered at Curtins

main campus and degrees earned at theSarawak campus are conferred directly byCurtin Perth.

The qualifications are widely acceptedglobally through professional accreditationand government recognition of theprogrammes.

nFor more information on Curtin Sarawakspostgraduate programmes, call 085-443 939or e-mail [email protected] or visitwww.curtin.edu.my.

Sustainable engineeringFOUNDED in 2002, Universiti KualaLumpur (UniKL) is a leading university inengineering technology.

It received a Tier 5 rating in theMalaysian Qualifications Agencys SETARA2009, 2011 and 2013 evaluation.

UniKL was also the first technicaluniversity in Malaysia to push for thegovernments move in upgrading thestatus of technical education in thenation.

Lifelong learning has become the main

agenda for all educators in the world andUniKL is committed to providing variousprogrammes that will fulfil the needs andwants of the nation.

Buildings play an important part in everyhumans life. They provide shelter from theelements and a place for rest, study, work,recreation and rehabilitation.

Buildings consume 30% to 40% ofelectrical energy produced, while the shareof electrical energy consumption ofappliances varies between commercial,public, industrial and domestic sectors aswell as countries.

Buildings contribute to climate changearound the globe. To reduce the effects ofglobal warming and guarantee a sustainableenvironment, major changes and bold

decisions will have to be made to cater tonew diversified sources of energy as well asachieve better energy efficiency.

UniKL has teamed up with aninternationally renowned German universityfor sustainable buildings, the University ofApplied Sciences Rosenheim, to provide ajoint masters programme to assist increating a state-of-the-art, green and energy-efficient yet affordable building culture.

The programme combines and goes

beyond conventional engineering andmanagement subjects to produce expertswho meet the market needs.

These needs include retrofitting existing aswell as designing and testing new buildings,technology and materials in a sustainable,energy- and cost-efficient manner,complying with green building certificationtools such as the Building ResearchEstablishment Environmental AssessmentMethod, Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design, Green StarCertification or Malaysian Green BuildingIndex.

By raising up human capital in terms ofgreen building and technology experts andtechnopreneurs, UniKL hopes to achieve atangible contribution to dampen global

warming and predicted energy crisis inMalaysia and beyond.

UniKLs Malaysian Institute of Chemicaland Bioengineering Technology (UniKLMICET) offers the Master of EngineeringTechnology in Green and Energy EfficientBuildings in the July intake.

nFor more information, visit www.micet.unikl.edu.my/mgeeb or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

KLs postgraduate students receive world-classcation in the Master of Engineeringhnology in Green and Energy Efficientdings programme.

Obtainaccreditedandrecognisedengineeringqualificationsat CurtinUniversitySarawakMalaysia.


11/12


postgraduate 11

Technologyenhanceseducation

Both clickers and Socrative collectfeedback from students and tabulate theresults of these responses immediately,which the lecturer can view and assess toprovide feedback.

Dr Chew says students are often asked

multiple-choice or open questions thatprompt critical thinking during thesesessions.

There are no fixed answers to thesequestions and the responses from the classcan be varied, which always leads to livelyclass discussions that stimulate studentsthinking, she says.

There has been a lot of positive feedbackfrom students who have experienced suchseamless teaching methods. Students findthe learning process more interactive,stimulating, engaging and meaningful.

Dr Chew says that the school alsoencourages students to use other technologysuch as ScreenBeam to share their workand Turnitin to check the originality of theirwritten work.

In her research on online assessment and

feedback (Turnitin, Grademark andPeermark), Dr Chew found that Turnitinenabled students to conduct self-service andindependent learning through thepedagogical use of the originality report.

Previously, tools such as Turnitin weremainly used by academics as a policing toolto check against plagiarism, but these days,we want our students to take the initiativeto use it so that they can improve theirassignments and other projects, includingtheir thesis, she says.

Dr Chew says that even academics couldbenefit from the use of such technology.

She hopes that in the near future,Grademark and Peermark, two otherfeatures under Turnitin, will also be used

at Monash Malaysia.Grademark is an online marking

system for academics while Peermarkallows students to read, review andevaluate the papers submitted by theirclassmates.

With tools such as Grademark, wecan achieve an environmentally

friendly marking system, whereacademics can provide richer

feedback to students.On the other hand,

Peermark will help studentslearn a subject from a freshperspective when they readother peoples work and thecomments on their papers thatare given based on the sameassessment criteria, she says.

nFor more information about

the programmes offered at theSchool of InformationTechnology in MonashMalaysia, visit www.infotech.monash.edu.my.

AT Monash University Malaysias School ofInformation Technology, students canexpect more interactive and engagingclasses as more lecturers are using mobiletechnologies in their teaching.

Senior lecturer Dr Chew Esyin says

academics from the school are nowencouraged to incorporate various forms oftechnologies into their teaching to improvethe learning process.

Students generally feel that there is alack of formative feedback from teachingstaff on students work. There are currentlya lot of research and teaching initiatives toprovide richer assessment and feedback.We need to move away from having agrade-dominant culture to enhance ourstudents learning experience, she says.

Dr Chew, who is a technology-enhancedlearning, teaching and assessmentresearcher, says one of the learningtechnologies used at the school is thePersonal Response System (PRS).

PRS allows us to conduct real-timequestion-and-answer sessions in classes

through the use of clickers and Socrative.com.

It allows us to pose questions to ourstudents and receive immediate responsesfrom the entire class. We are able to seehow many students in a class haveresponded to a question and from there, wecan gauge their understanding and howwell the class performs. PRS can be used forcompetitions as well, besides creating funteaching sessions and motivating studentsto learn challenging topics together, shesays.

Senior lecturer Dr Chew Esyinbelieves in the benefits oftechnology enhanced learning.


12/12

2 postgraduateTHE STAR,


Valuable experiential learning

Girija Sachidanantham is an AeU student of the Master of ICT Managementprogramme and data analyst of an international software distributioncompany.

really stand out in todays jobrket, information and

mmunication technology (ICT)fessionals need a combinationechnical and managerial skillswell as exposure to anernational environment.Asia e University (AeU)s MasterCT Management programmeCTM) produces professionalso can successfully implementin their organisation.

Girija Sachidanantham, a dataalyst with an internationaltware distribution company inlaysia, is a student of AeUsCTM and shares her learningerience here:

Coming from an IT backgroundh 10 years of workingerience and being a strongiever in lifelong learning, Ive always wanted to pursue atgraduate programme at all-known university andhance my working life.chose AeU because it gave meflexibility to structure my

rning around my hectic lifestyle.The course equipped us with

ls and knowledge needed innaging business data andding the implementation of ICTour respective departments andanisations.

Lifelong learning has been animportant pursuit for me as I wantto self-improve and upgrade allaspects of my career and personallife.

In contrast to most conventionaluniversities approach toeducation, students at AeU arenot pressured to finish their studieswithin a certain time, providing astress-free environment where we

can have a good work-life balance.As MICTM is fully online, it is a

good option for working adultssuch as me. When I first started,one of the most challenging taskswas to strike a balance betweenwork, family and my personal life.

I have learnt how to manage mytime more effectively now aftertwo years of study and having thesupport of AeUs academic and

non-academic staff, especiallyAssoc Prof Dr Roshayu Mohamad,dean of AeUs School of ICT, whohas given me the confidence topursue my studies.

The theories I learnt are relevantand applicable to my work.Learning is interesting as we haveconstant interactions with thefriendly academic facilitators.

AeUs Knowledge ManagementCentre is one of the mostcomprehensive online librarieswith large amounts of invaluableresources with links to other locallibraries, which supported myresearch.

I can access both print and

online formats from a wide rangeof invaluable resources with theassistance of AeUs friendlylibrarians who are always happyto assist students.

Students can choose to studyfully online or part-time blendedmodes where classes are only heldonce a month on weekends.

They can increase theirunderstanding of core subjectmodules by going to seminars orengaging with online materials onthe user-friendly web-based portallearning management systemcalled Personalised Learning Space(myPLS).

myPLS allows me to check mytutorial timetables, related news,announcements and submit myassignments, examinationpreparations and research projects.

Another competitive advantageof AeU is the quality of its academicfacilitators who are not onlyprofessionally qualified but alsohave extensive industryexperience. They impartinvaluable knowledge to studentswho can also share theirexperience with coursemates.

Such experiential learning ishighly beneficial to students suchas me, who can relate to thetheories learnt and apply them

to our work.I am glad to have inspired

some of my friends who havejoined AeU to pursue differentfields of study. I hope to inspiremore people, especially those whoare married with children, to notgive up but strive towards lifelonglearning to achieve their dreams.

The past two years of studying atAeU and working at the same timehave been an enrichingexperience.

nFor more information, call1300 300 238 or apply online atwww.aeu.edu.my.

Documents

Post Graduate - 21 June 2016