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POSTGRADUATEStarSpecialTHE STARTuesday 18 March 2014

An MBA at your own PACE > 7 Thirty years of success > 10

Tap intoknowledgeRenowned postgraduate programmes

with global appeal.

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2POSTGRADUATEStarSpecial, Tuesday 18 March 2014

Future leadersgain edgewith branchcampus MBAsBy TINA CARMILLIA

ABRANCH campus at a distancetypically shares the sameaccreditation as the home university

but may maintain separate administration.In Malaysia, there are 11 well-establishedbranch campuses, mainly from Australiaand the United Kingdom, two of which offerthe MBA programme.

Malaysia began attracting several foreignuniversities to operate branch campusesstarting with Monash University in 1998.The establishing of branch campuses inMalaysia was catalysed by the introductionof the new Entry Point Projects (EPPs) thatdiversify the education sector under theEducation National Key Economic Areas(NKEA).

The EPPs specifically include theestablishment of foreign branch campuses(EPP15) through the assistance of relevantministries and agencies, with Heriot-WattUniversity (HWU) being the first institutionthat was successfully set-up under this EPPin 2012.

World-class education for students

Many who enrol in a postgraduatedegree programme are usually already tieddown to responsibilities, including jobs,loans and responsibilities towards family,making leaving the country for a few yearsto pursue studies off the cards.

A good MBA has the elements ofinternationalised syllabi with a local flavour.Programmes offered by these branchuniversities are the epitome of this. Thistransnational education arrangement givesstudents the best of both worlds, giving theMBA-pursuant an added edge.

Moreover, these branch campuses aretypically long-established universitiesin their home countries with immenseresources not just in terms of educationalmaterial but also human capital.

Prestigious recognition

Branch campus universities typicallyoffer the same degrees as those at the maincampus.

Students will be awarded an identicalqualification as though they were studyingat the main campus of the home university.

While Malaysians have the chance tobe exposed to an international learningenvironment, foreign students in branchcampuses here would have the similaropportunity to gain a different type ofexposure, creating a unique culturalexchange experience.

Dr Lau Chee Kwong, the MBAProgramme Director and AssociateProfessor at the University of NottinghamMalaysia Campus shares how the MBAprogramme is developed: We offeridentical course structure and modulesacross all campuses. We jointly contributeto the continuous development andrefinement of the syllabus. In addition, welocalise the delivery and teaching materialswhen needed while maintaining the globalperspective.

He adds that programmes andspecialisations are decided based onmarket demand to reach both local and

international segments.The localised content of an internationalMBA programme means that students geta broader perspective about the economyglobally and domestically.

We deliver world-class UK educationfrom an Asian perspective, he says.

The other branch campus in Malaysiathat offers the MBA programme is theHeriot-Watt University Malaysia.

This UK university, established inthe 19th century, is renowned for itsengineering and energy programmes in itsmain campus based in Edinburgh.

Additionally, its MBA programme is oneof the most popular international MBAprogrammes as reported by the FinancialTimes2013 survey.

In Malaysia, the MBA programme atHeriot-Watt University is taught by locallybased academics and industry experts in aseries of weekend seminars over the courseof two years focusing on core managementdisciplines.

Economical choice

By enrolling in an MBA programmeoffered in branch campus universities,students pay lower tuition fees.

For example, the MBA programmeoffered by the University of Nottinghamwould cost an international student22,000 (RM120,867), but Malaysianstudents enrolling in the same programmein the Malaysian branch campus will payRM58,000.

For most students, even those whohave been in the workforce for some time,finance is among the biggest issues whenlooking at furthering their studies.

Tuition fees and cost of living are a lotlower at an international branch campusin your home country, making the optionmore attractive for local students wishingfor a global experience.

Additionally, if students are attending abranch campus in their own country, it iseasier to access student loans and grants.

The lower cost and greater financialsupport, in addition to not having to worryabout the hassle of student visa application,is definitely value for money.

Winning combination

Malaysia is one of the key stakeholdersto the global economic growth in Asia.

According to Dr Lau, this has been the casefor the past decades and the trend willcontinue to stay for the next one or twodecades.

This makes MBA courses more popular,leading to many options for potentialstudents to choose from.

In the case of the MBA programmesoffered in international branch campusuniversities, it is a unique combination oflocation, quality and affordability. It is awin-win-win situation.

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StarSpecial, Tuesday 18 March 2014 POSTGRADUATE3

Practical andeffective actionsT

HE co-founder of BioTree Biotechnology SdnBhd, Angeline Choo,

was running BioNexus-status health beveragecompany successfully.However, two years afterit was established, thecompanys growth cameto a standstill, which was ashock to the entire team.

Conventional wisdomdidnt seem to work andwe were unsure how thecompany could progressfurther. We neededstrategic actions thatwould prove practical andeffective, says Choo.

This realisation drove herto participate in the two-day Blue Ocean Strategyworkshop organised byUCSI University, whichwas held in collaborationwith the UCSI Blue OceanStrategy Regional Centre.

The Blue Ocean Strategywent beyond textbooktheories. It broke awayfrom the standard zero-sum model of competitionand I learned to focuson the commonalitiesof different consumergroups to broaden mycompanys appeal. It wasextremely practical andI was encouraged to usemy knowledge from theoutset, she says.

The Blue Ocean Strategyconcept of value innovationwas applied by Choos teamand they modified theirproducts to make themmore appealing to a greaterpool of customers. It was a

Leading the changeHELP University recentlylaunched the ELM GraduateSchool (ELM-GS). Usingthe ELM framework, HELPprovides an understandingof the multifaceted roleof individuals, teams andorganisations and how theycreate, manage and sustaina business over differentphases of its life.

The ELM frameworkintroduced a creativeway of thinking about thethree critical elementsof entrepreneurship,leadership and managementin an integrative manner.

A growth-in-mindset-based competency formsthe core practices of HELPsapproach to understand

and use the ELM frameworkin business start-ups,strategic business thinkingand effective operationalmanagement.

It gives a clear directionto innovate expansion,differentiation andinternationalisation of abusiness.

The frameworkalso creates values,

Datin Dr Wendy Liow, dean ofELM Graduate School.

opportunities and wealth(VOW).

The change in namehas come along with a newmandate for more academicsupport, more services

being offered to graduateresearch candidatesand more research intosupporting our graduateresearch community, saysDatin Dr Wendy Liow, deanof ELM Graduate School.

Driven by faculty ofacademic experts andexperienced industrypractitioners, variousteaching methods are used,

including case methods,problem-based learning,research-led teaching andsimulation studies. Groupdiscussion and lectures aresupported by interactionswith C-1 executives in theELM Executive EducationForum where successfulentrepreneurs and chiefexecutive officers from Asiashare their experiences.

The ELM Graduate Schooloffers 13 postgraduateprogrammes, including theDBA and PhD by research.The DBA programmeis a reflective learningexperience of practical andpragmatic issues for seniorexecutives.

The PhD programme

equips students withrigorous academic trainingto prepare them to dooriginal research.

nFor more informationabout ELM GraduateSchools programmes, callAw Kong Hwee at03-2711 2000 or [email protected] or logon to elm.help.edu.my

Using the Blue Ocean Strategy, Angeline Choos company saw apositive increase in product sales.

great success.

My customers loved thechanges and the companyexperienced positive sales,she says. Looking back ather companys growth,she is amazed at what thecompany has achieved.

The Blue Ocean Strategy(BOS) MBA offered by UCSIis essentially a programmefor those who seek apromising career trajectoryin their business.

A standard classconsists of entrepreneurs,seasoned managers andresult-oriented go-gettersas the programmes entryrequirement is a minimumof three years workingexperience. The BOSMBA includes analyticaland creative approachesdelivered by lecturers withexperience of the privatebusiness sector.

Students are also giventhe opportunity to learnfrom business leaders

through visits to successful

companies or talksdelivered on campus bybusiness leaders.

Choo mentioned that shedid not originally aim topursue an MBA programme,but chose to pursue theBOS MBA because it wasrelevant, practical and lifechanging. She is confidentthat her company is nowon a path to success,crediting it to the BOS toolsand strategies she used toguide her decision-makingprocess.

The UCSI two-day BlueOcean Strategy workshopsare held across the year forpeople who are interestedto attend.

nFor more information onUCSIs BOS MBA, call DavidKwong at 017-688 9430or e-mail [email protected] or log on to ucsi-blueoceanstrategy.com

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IT is common for an MBA degree to beperceived as self-orientated and focusedon helping individuals gain profit and

advance their careers.The view is reinforced by peoplewho place importance on the increasein earnings upon gaining an MBAqualification. This has often served as ameasure of the quality of an MBA.

In fact, business schools often emphasisethis view by celebrating the successfulbankers, CEOs and consultants who emergefrom their MBA programmes.

We should not be distracted by thissimplistic stereotyping. Education should,in fact, transform individuals and society.

There is no reason why the MBAshould be different. Like any educationalprogramme, it should benefit both theindividual student as well as society. AnMBA offers new skills and knowledge tostudents.

The programme is challenging andencourages students to consider anddevelop new perspectives and ways ofthinking when tackling issues.

The diverse nature of an MBA and therange of optional subjects available meanthere are ample opportunities to gain newknowledge.

A distinctive style of teaching andinteractions with other experiencedbusiness professionals encourage studentsto develop different ways of thinking

Going beyond

the MBAqualification

Empowering futurebusiness leaders

INTIs MBA students on a study tour in China.

INTI International University awards theINTIs Master of Business Administration(MBA) dual award programme, offeredin partnership with the University ofHertfordshire (UH).

A top business university in the UnitedKingdom, UH will award its popularMasters of Arts in Management Studiesdegree to students who successfullycomplete the INTI MBA programme.

INTIs MBA programme helps studentsdevelop a portfolio of key managementcompetencies, including strategic financial,

marketing and system analysis and decisionmaking through an appreciation of globalbusiness challenges.

Our programme exposes learners tosimulated and real business problems andenvironments by applying project- andproblem-based learning approaches. Theseempower students to be self-directed,motivated and independent learners, saysDr Jagdeep Singh, acting dean, Faculty ofBusiness, Communications and Law of INTIInternational University.

International case studies are also part ofthe curriculum and students participate inoverseas study tours and cross-cultural casediscussions with overseas students throughlive video conferences in the classroom.

To encourage innovative learning, INTIsstudents have undertaken 180 innovativeprojects with 125 employers from variousindustries since 2011. Real employerprojects were introduced in the classroomto help students develop problem solving,collaboration, communication and criticalthinking skills.

INTI offers a blended learning approach,incorporating lectures and innovativetechnologies that include online tools,multimedia content and the Blackboardslearning system to deliver highly accessible,user-focused learning platform that isengaging and intuitive for all users,says Dr Jagdeep.

nFor more information on the INTI MBAprogramme, call 06-798 2000 or04-631 0138 or visit www.newinti.edu.my

VC COLUMN

By PROF CHRISTINEENNEW

and gain creative approaches to problemsolving.

As a result, MBA graduates are able tocontribute more to their organisations.This tends to be associated with improvedearnings and enhanced career potential,but it should be reflected in improvedorganisational performance as well.

After all, employers seek MBA graduatesto make a difference in their business.

By developing quality managers andleaders, MBA programmes help ensure thatthe private sector remains competitive,innovative and capable of bringing value tosociety.

This includes helping the public sectoroperate efficiently and effectively in relationto stakeholder expectations.

MBA programmes are also seeking toextend their social impact by focusingon the social responsibility of business.However, it is not enough to benefit societythrough just improved organisationalperformance.

Society has high expectations aboutinstitutions and in the case of the businessworld, there is growing recognition thatorganisations need to deliver more than juststrong economic performance. They need to

operate in ways that are socially responsibleand beneficial to society.An MBA is an expensive qualification and

selecting an MBA provider requires carefulconsideration.

A fundamental factor of the decisionis the evidence that an MBA provider willbenefit both the individual and society.

lProfessor Christine Ennew is theProvost and CEO of The University ofNottingham Malaysia Campus.

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StarSpecial, Tuesday 18 March 2014 POSTGRADUATE 5

University of excellenceBy PROF

DATUK WIRADR MOHAMEDMUSTAFAISHAK

THIS year is a special year forUniversiti Utara Malaysia(UUM) as the university

celebrates its 30th anniversary.UUM has achieved both physicaland academic success in the lastthree decades.

I was one of the pioneer staffmembers I joined UUM in 1985just one year after the universitywas established. I could not haveimagined that we would be able toachieve what we have now.

The university started in a

temporary campus in BandarDarul Aman with the first vice-chancellor, Tan Sri Prof EmeritusDr Awang Had Salleh, who didthe planning for the permanentcampus in Sintok where UUM isnow situated.

The architect for Sintok wasTan Sri Datuk Dr Othman YeopAbdullah, the second vice-chancellor.

He was instrumental to thedevelopment of our campus,which we moved into in 1990.

Moving to a bigger campus andbeing surrounded by a tropicalforest was rather far away fromthe main town of Jitra.

VC COLUMN

However, looking back, I thinkwe appreciate it now more than

ever because we are assured thatUUM is a green campus.In fact, a few years after

moving to the Sintok campus,the university won the PrimeMinisters Best Landscape Awardin the public sector categorythat was held by the Ministry ofHousing and Local Government in1999.

Furthermore, we continued toprovide the best infrastructure inour campus, including making ourfacilities disabled-friendly.

UUM now has a campus inKuala Lumpur, an overseas officein Beijing and study centres withpartners in Yemen and Indonesia.

Prestigious alumniUUM has also produced world-

class leaders within and outsidethe country.

The university has had morethan 100,000 graduates. Most ofour alumni are notable for theirinvolvement in the corporateworld as business leaders andentrepreneurs.

We are proud that ourgraduates marketability is at 80%,higher than the national target of75%.

Our alumni include Dr MarzukiAlie, speaker of the Indonesianparliament, and Datuk Seri

Shahidan Kassim, the memberof the Malaysian Parliament for

the seat of Arau. We have alwaysencouraged our students to beentrepreneurs who create jobopportunities for others.

Our academic programmeis designed to ensure that ourstudents will excel in the workingworld and be able to serve theinternational community. When Itook office in 2010, the number ofacademic staff with PhDs was justbelow 20%.

Now, 61% of the academic staffare PhD holders. In fact, the facultyundergoes industrial attachmentevery three years to ensure thatthey remain in touch with thechanges in the industry.

UUM is also the first university

to start the adjunct professorshipprogramme with industry leadersand retired prominent civilservants.

In addition, the universitysInstitute for Business andManagement Research developslocal and regional case studiesthat build on Harvard BusinessSchool case studies.

We continue to strive forinternational visibility andrecognition to remain a highstandard management university.The university is also the first inMalaysia to receive Asean-QAaccreditation for the InternationalStudies programme.

Soon, we will be the firstuniversity to make it compulsory

for our business and managementstudents to take basic Mandarinclasses.

Looking ahead

We plan to set a benchmark forUUM against the best universitiesin the country and region.

Our strategic agenda is dividedinto two phases: Phase 1 from2010 to 2015 to establish ourfooting at the national level andPhase 2 from 2016 to 2020 toestablish UUM in the internationalarena to be a global player.

There are ongoing efforts tomake UUM more visible and tobuild a strong reputation. We

encourage our academics to domore research and publicationsso that we can be on par with theresearch universities.

Additionally, each school willeventually have its own flagshipprogramme.

UUM will also strengthen ourengagement with the industry.After all, with our 100,000 strongalumni, there are a lot of untappedopportunities for collaborationand partnership.

We are also working to getmore international accreditations.In fact, UUM is in the processof getting the Association toAdvance Collegiate School of

Business Accreditation (AACSB),Alliance on Business Education

and Scholarship For Tomorrow(ABEST21) and Association ofMBAs (AMBA) accreditation forthe MBA programme.

Our strategy for the future isto ensure that our business schoolranks in the Top 100 in the world,Top 50 in Asia, Top 25 in South-East Asia and Top 5 in Malaysia by2020.

Clear vision

When UUM was established,the vision was to make UUM amanagement university.

To this day, we have neverdeviated from this initial purpose.Our College of Business alone

consists of five schools that havemore than 500 academic staffand more than 10,000 studentstaking programmes such asaccounting, marketing, technologymanagement, Islamic finance andbanking.

Today, we are the largestmanagement university in thecountry and one of the mostwell-known in the region. I canproudly say that this is a greatachievement.

nProf Datuk Wira Dr MohamedMustafa Ishak is the vice-chancellor of Universiti UtaraMalaysia.

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Taking theresearch leadW

HEN the MalaysiaMedicinal and AromaticPlants (MyMAP) project

started less than two years ago,few would have envisioned therapid rate at which it woulddevelop.

The project has made severalmajor discoveries and is poisedto become a regional platformfor testing and developingdrug candidates, particularlyfor neurological diseases andusing plant compounds indrug development. MyMAPis a project jointly helmed byMonash Universitys BrainResearch Institute (BRIMS) andAgensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM).

With AIMs strong supportover the last two years,MyMAP has become a drugdiscovery platform madeavailable to the industry andother researchers for them toanalyse natural compounds,either by themselves or throughus, says Prof Ishwar Parhar, aleading regional neuroscientist,director of Brain ResearchInstitute (BRIMS) and headof Neuroscience at MonashUniversity Malaysia.

Under the MyMAP project,researchers are experimentingwith compounds from localplants to determine theirpotential to treat six types ofneurological disorders sleepdisorder, neurotoxicity andneuroprotection, depressionand anxiety, reproductiveaging, neurodegeneration andaddiction.

The work of the researchersin the past two years hasextended far and beyondtheir original goals. We havesubmitted more patents anda year earlier than expected,says Prof Ishwar.

While the cooperation withAIM will only continue to theend of this year, Prof Ishwar

says that he is confident ofobtaining the necessary fundsfrom other bodies to continuethe work at MyMAP.

We really appreciate what

AIM has done in terms ofsetting up this platform. Now,we look forward to the futureof MyMAP where we canbuild on what we have alreadyachieved, he continues.

There are very fewneuroscience laboratories in thisregion, of which a small numberwork on neuro-psychiatricdisorders. Spearheading theresearch and experimentingwith plant compounds indrug development makes usfrontrunners in this area, saysProf Ishwar.

He assures that MonashUniversity Malaysia has a goodsupport system and educationfacilities, adding that severalThai universities have also beensending their students to utilisethe equipment and services atBRIMS.

Prof Ishwar is optimistic thatMyMAP and BRIMS will soonbecome a leading internationalneuroscience research centre,strengthened by its high qualityresearch.

nFor more information oncurrent research in MonashUniversity Malaysia, visitwww.monash.edu.my

Prof

Ishwar

Parhar.

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BERJAYA University Collegeof Hospitalitys (BERJAYAUCH) Masters of Business

Administration (MBA) is createdfor students who wish to obtaina postgraduate qualificationin the field of business andmanagement.

Its main aim is to providestudents with a solid grasp ofbusiness knowledge coupledwith the necessary technicalskills to succeed in the variousareas of a business. Theprogramme also offers modulesin international business,international hospitalitymanagement and internationaltourism.

The BERJAYA MBAprogramme covers areas suchas leadership, human resourcemanagement, informationtechnology, finance, economics,marketing and business ethics.This programme is backedby the BERJAYA group ofcompanies, one of Malaysiaslargest and most diversifiedconglomerates. The companysexecutives form part of the poolof resource talents that give thisprogramme an edge over otherpostgraduate courses.

The programme is designednot only for fresh graduateswho are interested infurthering their studies, butalso for working adults whowish to enhance their careeropportunities. As classes takeplace in the evenings and duringweekends at the city campus,which is located in the centralof business district of Kuala

Lumpur, students who havefull-time jobs need not taketime off from work to obtaintheir postgraduate degree.

BERJAYA UCH wasestablished as a niche educationinstitution of higher learning,dedicated to specialising andchampioning the growth anddevelopment of the hospitality,tourism and services industries.Programmes from foundation to

postgraduate levels are offeredunder six schools Schoolof Culinary Arts, School ofHospitality, School of Tourism,School of Business, Schoolof Liberal Arts and School ofSports, Leisure and Lifestyle.

The university collegeimplements a unique teachingapproach called the BERJAYAImmersion Methodology inan integrated classroom-community space for studentsto learn and apply theirknowledge and skills in real-lifesituations.

A significant part of thisapproach depends greatlyon the innovative academiccurriculum. It is delivered bothin and out of the classroomand focuses on academic andpractical skills based on theLearning by Doing principle.This approach educates thestudents to think critically,communicate effectively, workproductively and manageprofessionally right from theday they start.

Intakes for the BERJAYA MBAare in January, April and August.The programme takes one yearto complete in full-time modeand two years to complete viapart-time mode.

A recognised bachelorsdegree, preferably with twoyears of work experience,and proof of Englishlanguage proficiency arethe requirements for thisprogramme. Candidateswithout a bachelors degreewho possess significant

work experience may also beconsidered.

Registration for the Aprilintake is now open and BERJAYAUniversity College of Hospitalityis offering bursary grantsworth RM1mil to the first 100successful applicants.

nFor more information, call03-2687 7001 or visitwww.berjaya.edu.my

Programmewith strongindustrybacking

THE SEGi University MBA (GlobalBusiness) prepares its graduatesfor todays competitive businessenvironment on a globalised scale.Students will gain internationalbusiness perspectives and learn

how to think strategically in orderto stand out in an evolving globaleconomy.

Through SEGis qualifiedacademicians and renownedbusiness leaders, graduatesunder the SEGi University MBA(Entrepreneurship) will learnto launch their own start-upcompany and begin their careersin the venture capital industry.

To enhance competency instrategic management in thecorporate world, individuals cantake up the SEGi University MBA(General Management). Graduatesof this course will be readied inthe various aspects of a companysuch as sales, human resources,

An MBA at your own PACE

The BERJAYA MBA programme covers areas such as leadership, humanresource management, information technology, finance, economics,marketing and business ethics.

The SEGi University Group has launchedinnovative methods to deliver its MBAprogrammes.

finance and economics whilelearning the latest theories andbest practices in business.

Now, SEGi offers a newbreakthrough programme thatenables anyone to pursue the MBA(General Management).

Aptly named PACE (Professionaland Continuing Education), thisprogramme enables studentsto learn at their own pace and

complete their studies withassurance that they are still ableto attend to other obligations andhave a fulfilling work-life balance.

The commute to scheduledclasses can take up time, cost and

effort but with PACE, studentscan log in to their classes at anytime and from any location withInternet access.

Students have two studyoptions independent learningwhere they attend workshopsand revision classes at theirnearest SEGi campus orrecruitment centres duringselected times of the month; andfully-supported learning wherethey attend weekly classes attheir nearest SEGi campus orrecruitment centres.

nFor more information, call03-6145 1777 or visitwww.segi.edu.my

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Tailored

for learning

TAKING up postgraduate studies is madeeasier today at Asiae University (AeU) as flexibility is a keyconsideration for working professionalswho seek further study.

AeU is one of Malaysias leading OnlineDistance Learning (ODL) universities.Its programmes are ideal for workingprofessionals who desire a flexible, highquality education with global perspective.

Through the personalised and flexiblelearning process at AeU, students are stillable to maintain a work-study balancedlifestyle.

AeU offers a variety of teaching andlearning methods, including case analyses,simulations, project-based learning andindustry research. Two modes of study areoffered part-time study (involves blendedlearning and online study) and full-timestudy (involves attending classes either

at AeU Kuala Lumpur or any other AeUslearning centres).

Based on the ODL concept, AeU offersthe flexibility and convenience of distancelearning.

Relevant learning materials are uploadedonto a user- friendly e-learning platformcalled Personalised Learning Space (myPLS)for student access (available to both full-time and part-time students).

Discussion among students will befacilitated online by AeUs academic

Flexible studies forworking professionals

Nurul Aqma Anis, a postgraduate student studyinga Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), findsher flexible study time enjoyable at the AeU DigitalLibrary.

Taylors University Lakeside Campus.

TAYLORS Universitys has introducedthree new postgraduate programmesthrough the Taylors Graduate School

(TGS) Master of Teaching and Learning,Masters in Communication and PhD inEducation.

The programmes are suited to workingprofessionals who are looking to advancetheir careers. TGS has postgraduatecertificates for seven major disciplines law, engineering, biosciences, business,communication and education, andhospitality, tourism and culinary arts.

The nations aspiration of having aknowledge-based economy and high-income status begins with a solid education.Hence, TGS aims to enhance the work andprofessional life of its students and createan ideal platform for networking and ideasexchange among peers of different culturesand professions, says Prof Datuk Dr Hassan

Said, vice-chancellor and president ofTaylors University.

There is also research funding available,including grants from the Ministry ofEducations MyBrain Scheme and TaylorsResearch Grant Scheme as well as otherattractive scholarships and bursaries.

Taylors Graduate School is currentlydeveloping a blended learning approachto its pedagogy, which allows learning tobe done without having to attend classesregularly.

The school has also launched a seriesof research training modules that targetemerging scholars interested in a career inresearch.

nFor more information on the programmesavailable, call 03-5629 5000 or [email protected] or log on towww.taylors.edu.my

facilitators via forum features available in

the system.There are several fundamental courses,

specialist courses and executive workshopsessions available at AeU. Each courseapplies knowledge that is relevant to theneeds of regional and global institutions,delivering courses that exceed expectationsof the marketplace.

nFor more information,call 1300 300 238 or visitwww.aeu.edu.my

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New methodselevate qualityof teachingO

PEN University Malaysia (OUM) isrestructuring its Faculty of BusinessManagement, upholding its mission to

provide better access to quality educationand lifelong learning opportunities.

By establishing the OUM BusinessSchool (the facultys new name), OUM iscontributing to the nations continuousefforts to elevate academic standards.

President and vice-chancellor ProfEmeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali says:Though the faculty currently offers arange of programmes to fulfil the nationaldemand for management and accountingon a managerial level, the purpose ofestablishing OBS is to give undividedfocus to undergraduate and postgraduateprogrammes.

In fact, most institutions in Malaysianow offer postgraduate programmes inbusiness management. However, OUMaspires to reach a greater level.

Evolving business programmes concernsquality and Prof Anuwar stresses theimportance of quality in designing andrestructuring curricula.

In restructuring programmes, we usenew methods to elevate the quality ofteaching in terms of the curriculum, onlinelearning and qualitative modules deliveredto undergraduate and postgraduatestudents, as well as the academic faculty,says Prof Anuwar.

He adds that a high-quality academicfaculty is crucial. A certain level ofinternational recognition is required beforethey are able to showcase their educationalquality at OBS.

Prof Anuwar says that as most studentsat OUM are from the work force, they aresensitive to and have queried the level ofquality of the academic staff.

This in turn pushes OUM to strive forexcellence not only in its curriculum butalso in its academic body.

In 10 years, OUM aims to make OBSamong the best institutions, both locallyand internationally, he says.

In accordance with OUMs policy as anopen university, it has also established ajoint venture with a few foreign universities,

including Ho Chi Minh City Universityof Technology (HUTECH), Vietnam; VillaCollege, Maldives; University of Scienceand Technology, Yemen; Graduate Schoolof Management (GSM), Sri Lanka; SimadUniversity and Mogadishu University,Somalia; NIEC School of Management Trust,Zambia; Eszterhazy Karoly College (EKC),Hungary; Accra Institute of Technology(AIT), Ghana; and the Arab OpenUniversity, Kingdom of Bahrain for its MBAprogramme.

With its newly restructured Faculty of Business Management, OUM aims to reach greater standards intheir quality of education.

Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali.

The affiliation with these foreignuniversities will enable OUM to furtherstrengthen its foundation.

This plays an important role in makingMalaysia an educational hub, says ProfAnuwar.

The programmes offered at OUM arethe Diploma in Management, Diploma inHuman Resources Management, Bachelorof Accounting with Honours, Bachelor ofBusiness Administration with Honours,Bachelor of Human Resource Managementwith Honours, Bachelor of Managementwith Honours, Bachelor of Marketing withHonours and Bachelor of ManagementTourism with Honours.

The postgraduate programmes offeredare MBA, Master of Management, Master ofHuman Resource Management, Doctor ofPhilosophy (Administration Business) andDoctor of Business Administration.

This list is expected to grow once OUMintroduces new postgraduate programmesin Islamic finance and logistics, and supplychain management.

The university also has plans toprovide short-term training and corporatemanagement and leadership programmesfor senior managers.

Additionally, OUM will place emphasison strengthening its existing programmesas well as improving its teaching methodsin terms of online and digital libraries atboth the undergraduate and postgraduate

levels.OUM also plans on engaging with

academics who possess a wealth ofexperience to shape its curriculum.

OUMs emphasis on quality will give apositive impact on students. Although theuniversity has only been in operation forjust 12 years, it has shown an impressiveenrolment record.

This is evident as OUM has had 54,000graduates over the span of 15 successfulconvocations, says Prof Anuwar.

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Thirty years

of successO

FFICIALLY established onFeb 16, 1984, UniversitiUtara Malaysia (UUM) is

the sixth public university inthe country and the only one setup specifically for business andmanagement education.

Now in its 30th year, UUMlooks back on its humblebeginnings and looks forwardto even greater triumphs andachievements.

When it began its operations,the universitys temporaryoffice was located in Jitra,Kedah, before moving fourmonths later to its 25haprovisional campus that costRM96mil, the Darul AmanCampus, in June 1984. The firstbatch of 336 students enrolledsoon after.

Today, UUMs Sintok campusencompasses 1,061ha valued atRM1.2bil and is located 48kmnorth of Alor Setar. UUMs KualaLumpur campus was also setup in the heart of the city alongJalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz andadjacent to Chow Kit.

The universitys strategiclocation for a branch citycampus caters to the urbanexecutives who want to enrolinto UUM without having toleave the city.

In 2008, UUM reorganisedthe academic structure so thatits 13 faculties were streamlinedunder three colleges Collegeof Business (UUM COB), Collegeof Arts and Science (UUM CAS)and College of Law, Governmentand International Studies (UUMCOLGIS). Each college also has agraduate school.

The restructuring practiceensured that faculties groupedunder the same umbrella couldeasily collaborate and shareresources effectively to providethe best education for the

students.

Successful graduates

UUM currently boasts atotal student population of30,470, with 2,186 internationalstudents from 50 countries.With the completion of the 26thUUM Convocation Ceremonylast year, UUM has produced103,152 alumni, 15,000 of whom

are international graduates.A study carried out last

year showed that 81% ofUUM graduates found jobplacements within six monthsof graduation. This is above thenational goal of 75%, accordingto the National GraduateEmployability Blueprint.

Independence andachievements

The Ministry of HigherEducation granted UUMautonomy in January last yearafter having gone through anaudit process utilising the Codeof University Good Governance(CUGG) and the University GoodGovernance Index (UGGI).

With this autonomy, UUMcould add new posts, implementjob promotions and initiateacademic restructuring. Theautonomy is just one of the fewmilestones in UUMs history.

The university is alsothe first institute of higherlearning in the country tosuccessfully receive the MS ISO/IEC 27001:2007 InformationSecurity Management system(ISMS) certification from SIRIM,which it received in October2012.

The certification means thatthe universitys informationmanagement system isrecognised for its excellentsafeguard from security risksand cyber threats.

The university is also thefirst public university to beaccorded the MultimediaSuper Corridor (MSC) statusoutside of Cyberjaya, an honourbestowed in 1999. It is also thefirst university in the countryto be fully wired with fibre-optic cables. Additionally, theuniversity library has been

certified with ISO 9002 in 2002.The multitude of recognition

shows the universityscommitment to become aworld-class institution.

Despite three decadesof changes and challenges,the university has remainedconsistent with its mission fromthe start, which is to be theacademic centre for businessand management.

Universiti Utara Malaysia boasts a 1,016ha campus.

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