THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

special

Ancient knowledge
for modern times

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

2 postgraduate

By IAN JEROME LEONG

PHILOSOPHERS, theologians and
scientists have long debated the
relationship between science and
religion.
While many scholars suggest the
two have very little in common or
present entirely conflicting views,
there are others who believe there
can be co-existence between the
two disciplines.
The more compelling question,
however, is if this relationship can
result in new discoveries that will
benefit mankind.
What then is the role of Islamic
science in todays society and does
it remain relevant in modern
times?

Correlating divine and

human activities
When it comes to the Muslim
faith, Prof Dr Rosalina Abdul
Salam, director of the Islamic
Science Institute at Universiti Sains
Islam Malaysia, says it is important
to integrate knowledge that is
revealed (naqli) with acquired
human knowledge (aqli).
Revealed knowledge is from the
Quran and teachings of prophets
while acquired knowledge is from
the study of the universe, nature
and society.
Study of the universe and
nature is a religious obligation as
this will bring us closer to God and
the integration of naqli and aqli in
academics, research and
innovation will help strengthen
our belief in God, says Prof
Rosalina.
According to Assoc Prof Dr Badri
Najib Zubir, director of academic
management and student affairs at
the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed
Knowledge and Human Sciences in
International Islamic University
Malaysias Centre for Strategic
Continuing Education and
Training, Muslims do not consider
the workings of the universe and
nature as something separate from
God, but as something that is
intimately linked to the
relationship between God and
humanity.
He adds that no notable conflict
ever emerged between the Islamic
faith and science throughout
history and the pursuit of either
discipline did not come at the
expense of the other.
Prof Dr Ainul Jaria Maidin, dean
of International Islamic University
Malaysias Centre for Strategic
Continuing Education and
Training, says, The Quran
encourages the study concerning
the creation of the Earth, seas,
mountains, plants, animals, human
beings and their psychology.
It invites the study of natural,
mathematical sciences and all
other fields, in the interest of
humanity and bringing good to
mankind and all other creations
of God.
It is perhaps for these reasons
that as the Islamic faith spread
across nations, so did the interest
in the various fields of science.
Science-related ideologies that
were widely preached in mosques
and ancient education centres
during the Golden Age of Islam
(eighth to 13th centuries) evolved
to become Islamic science courses
currently available at Islamic
universities around the globe.

The universe in
a different light
More than mere history

Looking into ancient Islamic

history, many Muslim scholars
found balance between their
research and religion and, in
addition to introducing new
inventions for the community,
broadened the general
understanding of the world and
the universe.
Their works and contributions to
science is a globally acknowledged
fact, highlighted in museums and
exhibitions, and cited by modern
day researchers as well as political
leaders.
In 2009, president of the United
States Barack Obama at Cairo
University said, It was Islam that
carried the light of learning
through so many centuries, paving
the way for Europes Renaissance
and Enlightenment.
It was innovation in Muslim
communities that developed the
order of algebra, our magnetic
compass and tools of navigation,
our mastery of pens and printing,
our understanding of how disease
spreads and how it can be healed.
Prof Ainul goes further to say,
Most historians agree the
knowledge that was preserved and
originated from the Golden Age of
Islam is the basis for all modern
science.
Taking into account the strong
links between the Islamic faith and
science, one will be forgiven for
wondering how and why Islamic
science studies lack prominence in
universities and society as a whole.
Prof Ainul believes Muslim
philosophers have attempted to
integrate the pursuit of scientific
knowledge within Islam in modern
times but there is much dissent on

many controversial details about

certain scientific advances and
concepts.
She is also of the opinion that
the rise of the English language as
the modern day lingua franca has
and continues to have a heavy
impact on the Muslim world
that lacks the necessary command
of the language.

Crucial presence

Some people may think there is

redundancy in having Islamic
science in todays society due
to its declining number of
breakthroughs compared with the
ever-expanding knowledge base in
western sciences.
However, Islamic science should
not be discarded nor overlooked as

it can still contribute to

the betterment of
humanity.
Islamic science is not
limited to nature and the
universe but also to social
sciences. Research,
innovation and activity
complement the sources
of revealed and human
knowledge.
The outcome will
not only benefit
the Muslim
community but
all mankind,
says Prof
Rosalina.
Interestingly,
Prof Ainul
suggests
that
Muslims, at
the same
time,
cannot
afford to
ignore
modern
science and
technology, as the
integration of science
with Islamic values is
crucial for the survival of the
Muslim Ummah (the Islamic faith,
peoples and nations).
The spiritual strength of
Muslims must be supported and
accompanied by material strength
acquired through scientific and
technological advancement.
However, the pursuit of modern
science and technology must be
guided by Islamic values and ethics
to ensure that in the long run,
science and technology will serve
humanity and not cause
destruction, says Prof Ainul.
Islamic science requires man to
live in harmony and balance the
needs of all other living beings and
the ecology to ensure sustainable
development.

> SEE PAGE 6

The growth of Islamic science

DUBBED the Golden Age of Islam,
the period between the eighth
and 13th century saw the rapid
growth of Islamic communities
in terms of population, territory
and development, thus leading to
the creation of many great
innovations.
Prof Dr Rosalina Abdul Salam,
director of the Islamic Science
Institute at Universiti Sains Islam
Malaysia, says, Islamic sciences
are part of the Islamic
civilisation.
Innovations for solving
everyday problems were
invented during this time. People
from diverse groups contributed
to agriculture, the arts,
economics, law, sciences,
sociology and technology.
According to Prof Dr Ainul
Jaria Maidin, dean of
International Islamic University
Malaysias Centre for Strategic
Continuing Education and
Training, Islamic teaching does
not override the good values
promoted by other beliefs

and offers good values for the

society to live a balanced and
harmonious life as it prohibits
separation of religion from
science.
She explains that as the
integration of religious values
and ethics in all aspects of life
prevents harm, promotes
goodness, protects rights, and
encourages the sharing and
preservation of resources, the
teachings of Islam is universal
and acceptable to all mankind.

For the common good

Boosted by trade, scholars and
travellers spread the Islamic
faith, culture, and ideas across
territories in the west and across
the Indian Ocean to regions as
far as the Malay Archipelago.
Prof Ainul continues to share
that Islamic civilisations
co-existed and absorbed the
various cultures, leading to a
flood of knowledge with Hellenic,
Persian and Indian origins,

among others. Chinese

influences are also found in the
Islamic world, such as in
decorative motifs and in the
production of paper, ceramics,
glass, metal-ware, textile, dyes
and drugs.
Just as Muhammad Musa
al-Khwarizmi, who introduced
algebra to solve real-life
problems such as the measuring
of lands, digging of canals and
other geometrical computations,
countless scholars have left their
mark in respective fields and are
attributed as the founding
fathers of current scientific
developments.
While researchers continue to
satisfy their thirst for knowledge
in modern experiments and
sophisticated studies, it is also
crucial for mankind to uncover
more ancient manuscripts and
translate them, as they may be
the key to new research areas
and platforms from which to
build more detailed and accurate
understanding of the universe.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

4 postgraduate

Myriad graduate study options

GRADUATE study is an educational
pathway for those who want to
improve their career prospects or
job satisfaction or even pursue a
long-standing interest.
The Management & Science
University (MSU) offers flexibility
in its graduate study programmes,
allowing you to study in a way that
works best for you.
The MSUs School of Graduate
Studies (SGS) offers advanced
degrees at masters and PhD levels
covering study areas in
management, business, computer
science, accounting, finance,
information and communications
technology, food service
technology, biomedicine,
educational management and
leadership, biomedical sciences,
engineering, pharmacy and clinical
pharmacy.
The PhD programmes focus on
original and independent learning,
while the masters degree
programmes offers a full-research
and coursework mode to prepare
graduates for careers in public or
private sectors and professional
practice.
The graduate programmes of
study at MSU emphasise a number
of distinctive and desirable
features high level of engagement

MSU offers
a range of
postgraduate
studies that
can improve
your career
prospects
and job
satisfaction.

between graduates and the local

and international faculty, as well as
an environment that fosters a
global community of scholars.
All of the programmes offered
are supported and complemented
by a wide range of
interdisciplinary units and this
results in the promotion of
intellectual activities and research
across the university. The SGS
provides support to graduates
throughout their learning
experience at MSU.
It also provides a creative and
innovative teaching and delivery,

global leadership programme and

social facilities.
Working with all faculties and
non-academic departments,
including the industry and other
institutions to enhance graduate
experience, SGS is committed to
delivering quality service exclusive
to the growing postgraduate
community.
The PhD and masters
programmes are research-based
and degrees are awarded by MSU
on the successful completion of a
thesis.
Assessment is based on the

thesis and its research. A viva voce

(oral examination) is required for
the PhD programme and taught
masters degrees are by
assignments and written
examination.
MSU gives priority to quality
education and creative teaching
methodologies to produce quality
and holistic graduates.
Besides incorporating
international exposure in the
students learning experience,
extensive industrial training
components and personal
enrichment competency elements

are incorporated into the

programme to ensure graduate
employability.
The universitys programmes
meet stringent standards set by
local and international bodies.
MSUs award-winning homegrown
programmes are among the best in
the region.
These programmes are
meticulously crafted to enhance
graduates potential.
The university has received
numerous recognitions from
Malaysian and international
accreditation bodies.
Besides the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA), MSU
is accredited by the Accreditation
Services for International Colleges
(Asic), the United Kingdom, and the
Alliance on Business Education and
Scholarship for Tomorrow
(ABEST21), Japan.
It has twice been rated as an
Excellent Status University by the
Higher Education Ministry through
a rating system that rates all
Malaysian universities.

n For more information on

postgraduate studies at MSU,
call 03-5521 6868 or e-mail
enquiry@msu.edu.my or visit
www.msu.edu.my.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

postgraduate 5

Programmes under Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) award

graduates with qualifications from SEGi University or any of SEGis
partner universities in the United Kingdom or Australia.

Get ahead
of the
crowd
SEGi University and Colleges is
well known for equipping bright
young minds of the nation for
nearly 40 years.
With innovative programmes
that fulfil employers needs,
SEGi continues to offer a wide
range of quality programmes in
the country.
SEGi understands that there
are employees with minimal
qualifications who are not
able to progress in their
careers.
Hence, adult learners can now
pursue higher qualifications
with SEGi as they are free to do
so at their own convenience,
anytime, anywhere.
PACE or Professional and
Continuing Education is a
consortium of global universities
that enables adult learners to
learn at their own pace and
complete their studies with
assurance that they can still
attend to other obligations and
have a fulfilling work-life
balance.
Students can select which
mode of study is best for them
weekend/evening classes
(students attend classes either
on weekends or in the evenings)
or opt for supported learning
where instead of attending
scheduled classes at a physical
venue, students can log in for
online classes any time of the
day.
Students only need to attend
workshops at the nearest SEGiauthorised location twice a
month.
The other mode is
independent learning, where
students study mostly online
and only need to attend
intensive revisions at the
nearest SEGi-authorised location
once a month.
With these choices, students
have the opportunity to network
with fellow coursemates, meet

lecturers and gain additional

support during their studies.
There is a wide range of
bachelors degree, executive
diploma and diploma
programmes with disciplines in
business and accounting,
communication, early childhood
care and education, engineering,
information technology and law.
There is also a range of
postgraduate programmes to
pursue from its consortium of
global universities.
Graduates obtain paper
qualifications from SEGi
University or from its
consortium of global universities
University of Southern
Queensland (Australia),
University of Sunderland (UK),
University of Greenwich (UK)
or University of St Mark and
St John (UK) and University of
London (UK).
SEGis PACE Centre of
Excellence (CoE) in the heart of
Kuala Lumpur advocates the
possibilities of further education
for working adults.
The centre aims to extend its
outreach to other states so that
working adults outside the
Klang Valley can pursue their
ambition to obtain a higher
qualification.
With PACE, SEGi ensures that
working adults have the
qualifications to become a
highly skilled workforce and
compete with their peers on the
global stage.

n For more information, call

SEGi University (03-6145 1777/
1800 887 344), SEGi College
Subang Jaya (03-8600 1888/
1800 888 622), SEGi College
Kuala Lumpur (03-2070 2078/
1800 888 028), SEGi College
Penang (04-263 3888), SEGi
College Sarawak (1300 887 344)
or e-mail askme@segi.edu.my
or visit www.segi.edu.my.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

6 postgraduate

Advance your
career in pharmacy
IMU offers the Master of Pharmacy Practice to
expand the skill set of pharmacists.

ARE you looking to advance

your career in pharmacy and
want to seek a competitive
advantage through learning and
development?
For a rewarding educational
experience that enhances your
career prospects, take up
postgraduate study at
International Medical University
(IMU), an established private
university with more than 24
years of dedicated focus in

health education.
The Master of Pharmacy
Practice (MPP) enables working
pharmacists to expand their
skill sets and develop a
reflective approach to the
practice.
The programme facilitates
learning and application of
conceptual tools for decisionmaking in pharmacy practice.
It builds an adaptive
framework to view and

systematically evaluate your

practice, whether in patient care
or corporate or academic
settings.
Expanding your knowledge
and developing your cognitive
ability empowers you to think in
new ways and seek innovative
and creative solutions for
research as well as leadership
and management problems.
Acting dean of the School of
Pharmacy Dr Wong Pei Se says,
The pharmacy profession
continues to evolve in many
ways. This masters programme
provides useful learning that
enables passionate pharmacists
to advance their pharmacy
skills.
We accomplish this through
the delivery of an innovative
curriculum by a team of
dedicated faculty and
professional staff.
The MPP programme at IMU
is unique and the first of its kind
to be offered by a Malaysian
university with three
specialisations clinical
pharmacy, social and
administrative pharmacy, and
pharmacy management.
The programme scheduling
allows working pharmacists to
undertake campus-based classes
and work-based experiential
learning.
Experiential learning provides
the opportunity for students to
apply knowledge and skills in a
real-world setting.
Full-time students undertake
40 credits over three semesters
(one and a half years) and parttime candidates can undertake
the programme over a
maximum of four years.

Students can benefit from

the universitys research
collaborations in areas such as
cancer, bioactive molecules,
nutrition and environmental
health.
Links in clinical pharmacy
practice have been established
with Health Ministry hospitals
such as Hospital Tuanku Jaafar,
Seremban.
Students may design and
conduct research in areas
pertaining to pharmacy practice,
including clinical pharmacy,
social and administrative
pharmacy, and healthcare
management.
Upon successful completion of
the MPP programme, graduates
will be eligible to pursue a PhD
programme.
IMU was established in 1992
and pioneered the worlds first
Partner Medical School
programme and has since
gained international recognition.
It has more than 30 worldclass university partners in
Australia, New Zealand, the
United Kingdom, Canada, the
United States, Ireland and China.
IMUs main campus is located
at Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur,
with branch clinical schools
located in Seremban, Kuala
Pilah, Batu Pahat and Kluang.
Committed to delivering the
future of better healthcare,
IMU offers education and
healthcare services in both
medical and complementary
alternative medicine as well as
research that improves quality
of living.

n For more information,

visit www.imu.edu.my.

Looking foward
> FROM PAGE 2
Just as how interest in Islamic
finance was renewed in the
banking world, so too can the
interest for Islamic sciences.
The widespread success and
acceptance of Islamic financial
solutions in Malaysia, countries
in the Middle East and Asia
Pacific as well as key
international economic centres
in the United Kingdom and the
United States is a prime example
of how ancient Muslim
discoveries and practices need
not necessarily remain in
history books or as a reminder
of glory days of old.
On the contrary, these
practices can still play a big
part in a modern society
should there be initiatives in
adapting them to suit current
times.
In addition, contributions by
the greatest minds in history, be
it during the Golden Age of

Islam, Renaissance or Age of

Enlightenment, were a result of
research and the continuous
effort to discover solutions for
the wider community.
As such, Islamic science and
research have to continue being
sources of knowledge to enable
the possibility of uncovering
new information about the
world.
Instead of relying on the
western world for new
technologies, processes,
techniques and information,
practitioners and researchers of
Islamic science must continue
their endeavours to produce
positive contributions.
Having research
methodologies that are
influenced by religion may
shed light on lifes greatest
mysteries and the contrasting
perspectives of Islamic
researchers will complement
western research instead of
opposing it.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

IN the digital age, establishing

your professional network has
never been quicker or easier, but
there are also pitfalls to avoid
and etiquette to observe.
As a new graduate,
networking correctly can take
you a long way in getting your
first or next role. Below are
some tips and tricks to fine-tune
your networking skills:
l Be clear on your objectives
You only have a small amount
of time to impress, so it pays to
be focused on what you are
seeking to achieve when
networking. This will enable you
to assess which activities are
worth continuing and those to
put on the backburner.

l Follow up As a simple
routine, follow up with people
you have met. Send them an
e-mail or a personalised
LinkedIn invitation to connect.
Once they have accepted your
invitation, take note of their
contact details together with a
brief description on how you
met. It only takes a few minutes
and greatly helps you when

postgraduate 7

Proactive networking
keeping in touch.

l Give to get Do not go

looking for referrals or seeking
new roles immediately from
your networking; you will most
likely be disappointed. Instead,
look for ways you can pay it
forward.
l Refer your contacts
Networking cannot involve only
one-way traffic. Referring your
contacts to others who can help
them is another way of paying it
forward by being of genuine
benefit to the parties involved.
l Respond brilliantly It is
helpful if you have a wellconstructed phrase or sentence
to respond brilliantly to the
inevitable question: what do
you do? Be prepared to field a
follow-up question along the
lines of tell me more.

Gaining
business
skills
AS an engineering graduate,
pursuing the Masters in
Business Administration (MBA)
at University of Strathclyde
enabled me to gain business
insights and positioned me to
take on managerial
responsibilities.
It has transformed me from
being technical-based into an
individual with good business
acumen.
Once I started working in the
engineering field, I realised that
my true interest lay in business
strategy and financial
management. As an engineering
graduate, it was difficult to find
jobs within these areas of
interest.
However, after obtaining
my MBA, I was given the
opportunity to pursue my
interest in the banking sector.
My combination of qualifications
equipped me to take on a career
in the finance industry as it
requires individuals with strong
analytical aptitude, logical skills
and good business acumen.
It is important to choose a
reputable programme such as
the University of Strathclydes
MBA.
My main selection criteria
were accreditation and
institution ranking as well as the
individuals who joined the
programme.
Having coursemates with
work experience is essential to
share knowledge and real-life
experience, which improves our
business knowledge and skills in
addition to classroom learning.
I chose to study part-time,
which allowed me to test my
own capabilities while I

Nicholas Fong Kin Soon.

continued to gain work

experience and share in group
discussions.
Group assignments provided
opportunities for knowledgeand opinion-sharing by people
from different backgrounds,
allowing individuals to identify
their weaknesses and areas that
needed improving and build
people skills.
My current role is in finance
management that involves cost
savings and project
enhancements.
This role requires me to
analyse the feasibility of
implementing projects such
as ROI computation and
cost-benefit analysis.
As an engineering graduate, I
have developed analytical and
logical thinking skills. The MBA
qualification, on the other hand,
developed my strategic thinking
abilities.
I intend to pursue occupations
in business strategy planning to
gain more exposure and insights
in this field.
My advice to those who intend
to undertake postgraduate study
is to be mentally prepared as it
requires determination and
perseverance. However, it is
certainly a worthwhile
experience that gives you
priceless satisfaction. By
Nicholas Fong Kin Soon

n For more information,

e-mail enquiries@cdc.edu.my.

l Do not fake it It is easier and

less contrived if you actually like
hanging out with the people you
network with.
l Ask for assistance When you
require assistance, who better for
you to ask than your existing
contacts?
The majority of your network
would be happy to help you by
sharing their experience with you or
referring you to others who may be
able to assist.

l Use LinkedIn Expand your

use of LinkedIn to sending follow-up
notes, obtaining current contact

details and identifying people with

whom you have a number of
contacts in common.

l Make proactive contact

Maintaining contact does not take
much effort. You can send an
occasional e-mail, text message or
phone call.
Doing so regularly will help
you build stronger networks and
relationships.

connect will generally receive a

positive response.
There is immense value to
graduates and professionals in
building up a network of contacts.
Do not wait until you need
something be proactive.
Progressively keeping in touch
with friends and contacts will open
doors to plenty of opportunities over
the long term.

l Fortune favours the brave

This article is brought to you by

CPA Australia.

Do not hesitate to reach out to

professionals you would like to
meet. A quick e-mail or LinkedIn
invitation saying you would like to

n For more information about CPA

Australia or the CPA Program, visit
www.cpaaustralia.com.au.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

8 postgraduate

VC COLUMN

The growth of Islamic finance

THE growth and increasing
popularity of Islamic finance sit in
sharp contrast to the challenging
times facing conventional financial
services providers.
Although relatively small,
Islamic finance is developing
rapidly. Islamic financial services
currently account for about 2% of
the global market, but with growth
rates averaging around 17% over
the past five years and expected to
accelerate, it is clear that the
industry is very much on an
upward trajectory.
This has important implication
for higher education and
particularly business schools.
One of the many responsibilities of
universities is to ensure that we
help society develop the kind of
workforce it needs with the right
knowledge, skills and capabilities.
That is a broad responsibility
and touches on many elements of
education, but for now, I would like
to think about the importance of
the subjects we teach in supporting
the growth and development of
industries such as Islamic finance.
Many countries aspire to
establish themselves as leading
centres of Islamic finance.
Recently, The Economist
described Malaysia as probably the

By PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW
worlds most important Islamic
finance centre, with close to 25% of
its banking system being syariah
compliant.
Malaysia played a key role in the
early stages of the development of
Islamic finance in the 1980s and
has a global reputation for its
capability to innovate. For
example, the first sukuk (Islamic
bonds) were issued from Malaysia
in 2000 with other countries soon
following suit.
Increasingly, with its globally
recognised standard-setting
bodies, educational and research
institutions, and supportive central
bank, Malaysia is viewed by many
as the intellectual leader for
developments in Islamic finance.
However, the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) particularly
Dubai has established itself as a
regional leader for Islamic finance
for the Gulf Cooperation Council.
London has staked its claim on
being an Islamic finance
superpower with the United

Students in Malaysia with an interest in Islamic finance are at an advantage

as they are in a country that is a pioneer in the field.

Kingdom being the first country

outside of the Islamic world to
issue sukuk and the groundbreaking creation of the new
Islamic index on the London Stock
Exchange in 2014.
Of these three centres, Malaysia
leads with respect to the market
penetration of Islamic banking and
its capital markets are more
developed than those of competing
countries.
The regulatory environment is
also more advanced and tailored to
the needs of the sector and has a
long history of product innovation.
Besides performance to date and
regulatory infrastructure though,
we also need to consider the
underpinning human resource.

In relation to education, the UK

seems to be leading the pack with
more than 60 institutions offering
Islamic finance courses and 22
universities offering specialised
degree programmes.
Malaysia has around 50 course
providers and some 18 universities
offering degree programmes in the
area, while the UAE has 31 course
providers and nine universities
offering degree programmes.
However, when it comes to
research output in Islamic finance,
Malaysia is leading with the largest
volume of peer-reviewed academic
research.
Malaysia is clearly in a strong
position in this increasingly
important industry, but the

evidence relating to educational

provision suggests that there is
more that the sector can do to
support the nations ambitions.
Bank Negara estimates that
alongside the growing numbers of
Malaysians opting to study this
subject, students from more than
80 countries have chosen Malaysia
as the place to learn more about
the principles and practice of
Islamic finance.
According to Malaysias Financial
Sector Blueprint 2011-2020, up to
56,000 new finance industry
positions will be needed in the next
10 years, including up to 40,000
Islamic finance industry jobs.
However, concerns about
graduates English language
capabilities and employability do
not augur well.
Meeting the needs of this rapidly
growing sector of the economy
requires new developments in
higher education but these can
only be delivered if they are
underpinned by enhanced quality
of teaching and learning at the
school level.

n Prof Christine Ennew is the chief

executive officer and provost of
The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

postgraduate 9

Diverse
talents offer
fresh ideas
DIVERSITY does not merely refer
to difference in skin colour,
gender or age. The definition of
diversity differs from person to
person. For some, it refers to
differences in race, religion or
gender, but for others, it also
comprises socioeconomic status,
sexual orientation, skill sets and
more.
As more businesses are
tapping into the idea of
cultivating a diverse workforce,
the premier dual-award Master
of Business Administration
(MBA) programme at Sunway
University attracts working
professionals from diverse
backgrounds, equipping them
with the business management
skills needed to advance their
careers.
In March, the MBA
programme welcomed its latest
intake of students from a diverse
pool of talents, background and
nationalities.
Michael Dent, the MBA
programme chair of Sunway
University, stresses the
importance of having a good
mixture of local and
international students in the
programme.
According to Dent, having
students from diverse
backgrounds often makes a huge
difference as the diversity allows
students to gain new ideas and
perform better.
Referring to Nottingham
Forest FC as an example, he says
the combination of different age
and experience among its
players contributed to the clubs
success in winning the European
Cup twice.
This is what we need

in an MBA class, but with the

added dimensions of culture and
gender, he says.
Dent believes that in the 21st
century, a good MBA candidate
must have values of teamwork
and be culturally sensitive as
many companies today cater to
customers from all over the
world.
Even employees who work in
a company comprise people
from different cultures. Hence,
students must be able to work
effectively in a nationally
diverse team to succeed.
Among the students at the
orientation was Zoe Tysoe, a
Briton with more than 10 years
of work experience in English
education around the world.
I have been in a managerial
position for about four years
and being a teacher, I like to
learn about what I am doing. I
think it is the right time for me
to study and learn more about
theories and also to connect
with other people. This seems
like quite a diverse programme
that consists of people from
different organisations, says
Tysoe.
Tysoe, who is from
Worcestershire in the United
Kingdom, is currently an
e-learning consultant for a
British organisation in Kuala
Lumpur. She completed her
undergraduate studies in 2008
with Lancaster University,
United Kingdom, majoring in
European studies.
The MBA programme at
Sunway University provides
cutting-edge business
management theories and tools.
It aims to provide students
such as Tysoe the
opportunity to experience
personal transformations
by honing and building
skills that they can use in
life.
Sunway Universitys
state-of-the-art
Graduate Centre,
where MBA classes
are delivered,
houses a faculty of
the best
management
consultants,
educators and
research scholars
in the world.
With the
partnership between
Sunway University
and Lancaster
MBA programme chair of
Sunway University Michael
Dent giving a short lecture
on academic writing during
orientation.

University (ranked in the top 1%

of universities globally), a large
contingent of UK-based educators
and distinguished lecturers are
brought in to deliver world-class
education at Sunway.
To maximise the career potential

Sunway
University
welcomes
its latest
intake of
students for
the MBA
programme.

of Sunway Universitys dual-award

premier MBA programme, join the
Preview Session on June 25 at
12.30pm and a complimentary MBA
Master Class on June 29 at 6.30pm.
The Preview Session and Master
Class will be held at Sunway

University Graduate Centre.

n To reserve a place for the Preview

Session and Master Class or for more
information about the programme,
call 03-7491 8701 or visit www.
sunway.edu.my/university/MBA.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

10 postgraduate

Sustainable engineering
UniKLs postgraduate students receive world-class
education in the Master of Engineering
Technology in Green and Energy Efficient
Buildings programme.

FOUNDED in 2002, Universiti Kuala

Lumpur (UniKL) is a leading university in
engineering technology.
It received a Tier 5 rating in the
Malaysian Qualifications Agencys SETARA
2009, 2011 and 2013 evaluation.
UniKL was also the first technical
university in Malaysia to push for the
governments move in upgrading the
status of technical education in the
nation.
Lifelong learning has become the main

agenda for all educators in the world and

UniKL is committed to providing various
programmes that will fulfil the needs and
wants of the nation.
Buildings play an important part in every
humans life. They provide shelter from the
elements and a place for rest, study, work,
recreation and rehabilitation.
Buildings consume 30% to 40% of
electrical energy produced, while the share
of electrical energy consumption of
appliances varies between commercial,
public, industrial and domestic sectors as
well as countries.
Buildings contribute to climate change
around the globe. To reduce the effects of
global warming and guarantee a sustainable
environment, major changes and bold
decisions will have to be made to cater to
new diversified sources of energy as well as
achieve better energy efficiency.
UniKL has teamed up with an
internationally renowned German university
for sustainable buildings, the University of
Applied Sciences Rosenheim, to provide a
joint masters programme to assist in
creating a state-of-the-art, green and energyefficient yet affordable building culture.
The programme combines and goes

Broaden
your
career
prospects
CURTIN Universitys Master of Engineering
Science in Electrical Engineering is designed
to broaden the career prospects of electrical,
electrical power, electronic and
telecommunication engineers across the
world.
The universitys Malaysian campus, Curtin
University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin
Sarawak), offers the course to both
Malaysian and international students at
roughly one-third of what it would cost to
pursue the same course at Curtins main
campus in Perth, Australia.
Year 1 of the two-year course comprises
streams in emerging power systems,
telecommunications and networking, or
embedded systems.
Year 2 involves research design projects
over two semesters, where students are
required to develop a prototype and present
a formal thesis on the outcome to
demonstrate their technical knowledge and
professional skills.
Among a wide range of optional units,
students may also study electrical power,
renewable energy, communications and
computer engineering at the system level
and the component level.
Global demands on resources have placed
an urgent emphasis on supplying a growing
population with affordable, environmentally
responsible power.
Since fossil fuels are a finite resource, the
development of alternative sources of
electrical energy such as solar and wind is
vital.
The emerging power systems major
addresses the challenges involved in the
generation, transmission and distribution of
alternative sources of electricity.

beyond conventional engineering and

management subjects to produce experts
who meet the market needs.
These needs include retrofitting existing as
well as designing and testing new buildings,
technology and materials in a sustainable,
energy- and cost-efficient manner,
complying with green building certification
tools such as the Building Research
Establishment Environmental Assessment
Method, Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design, Green Star
Certification or Malaysian Green Building
Index.
By raising up human capital in terms of
green building and technology experts and
technopreneurs, UniKL hopes to achieve a
tangible contribution to dampen global
warming and predicted energy crisis in
Malaysia and beyond.
UniKLs Malaysian Institute of Chemical
and Bioengineering Technology (UniKL
MICET) offers the Master of Engineering
Technology in Green and Energy Efficient
Buildings in the July intake.

n For more information, visit www.micet.

unikl.edu.my/mgeeb or e-mail yuzrifa@unikl.
edu.my or bachmann@unikl.edu.my.

Obtain
accredited
and
recognised
engineering
qualifications
at Curtin
University
Sarawak
Malaysia.

The electronics and communication fields

represent two of the fastest-growing
technology areas in the world. With
information technology progressing rapidly,
the role of communications is becoming
even more crucial for increasing industry
efficiency and competition.
The telecommunications and networking
major explores relevant topics in
telecommunications and networking
such as mobile radio communications and
data network security.
In the embedded systems major, students
study intermediate and advanced topics in
embedded systems.
In each of the streams, students will have
the opportunity to further investigate a
specialist area and apply emergent
technologies through their project work.
Those interested to join the Master of
Engineering Science in Electrical
Engineering must have a bachelors degree
in electronic, communications, electrical,
electrical power or computer systems
engineering from a recognised university.
Intakes are in February and July.
Postgraduate programmes at Curtin Sarawak
are identical to those offered at Curtins
main campus and degrees earned at the
Sarawak campus are conferred directly by
Curtin Perth.
The qualifications are widely accepted
globally through professional accreditation
and government recognition of the
programmes.

n For more information on Curtin Sarawaks

postgraduate programmes, call 085-443 939
or e-mail raihanah@curtin.edu.my or visit
www.curtin.edu.my.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

postgraduate 11

Technology
enhances
education
AT Monash University Malaysias School of
Information Technology, students can
expect more interactive and engaging
classes as more lecturers are using mobile
technologies in their teaching.
Senior lecturer Dr Chew Esyin says
academics from the school are now
encouraged to incorporate various forms of
technologies into their teaching to improve
the learning process.
Students generally feel that there is a
lack of formative feedback from teaching
staff on students work. There are currently
a lot of research and teaching initiatives to
provide richer assessment and feedback.
We need to move away from having a
grade-dominant culture to enhance our
students learning experience, she says.
Dr Chew, who is a technology-enhanced
learning, teaching and assessment
researcher, says one of the learning
technologies used at the school is the
Personal Response System (PRS).
PRS allows us to conduct real-time
question-and-answer sessions in classes
through the use of clickers and Socrative.
com.
It allows us to pose questions to our
students and receive immediate responses
from the entire class. We are able to see
how many students in a class have
responded to a question and from there, we
can gauge their understanding and how
well the class performs. PRS can be used for
competitions as well, besides creating fun
teaching sessions and motivating students
to learn challenging topics together, she
says.

Both clickers and Socrative collect

feedback from students and tabulate the
results of these responses immediately,
which the lecturer can view and assess to
provide feedback.
Dr Chew says students are often asked
multiple-choice or open questions that
prompt critical thinking during these
sessions.
There are no fixed answers to these
questions and the responses from the class
can be varied, which always leads to lively
class discussions that stimulate students
thinking, she says.
There has been a lot of positive feedback
from students who have experienced such
seamless teaching methods. Students find
the learning process more interactive,
stimulating, engaging and meaningful.
Dr Chew says that the school also
encourages students to use other technology
such as ScreenBeam to share their work
and Turnitin to check the originality of their
written work.
In her research on online assessment and
feedback (Turnitin, Grademark and
Peermark), Dr Chew found that Turnitin
enabled students to conduct self-service and
independent learning through the
pedagogical use of the originality report.
Previously, tools such as Turnitin were
mainly used by academics as a policing tool
to check against plagiarism, but these days,
we want our students to take the initiative
to use it so that they can improve their
assignments and other projects, including
their thesis, she says.
Dr Chew says that even academics could
benefit from the use of such technology.
She hopes that in the near future,
Grademark and Peermark, two other
features under Turnitin, will also be used
at Monash Malaysia.
Grademark is an online marking
system for academics while Peermark
allows students to read, review and
evaluate the papers submitted by their
classmates.
With tools such as Grademark, we
can achieve an environmentally
friendly marking system, where
academics can provide richer
feedback to students.
On the other hand,
Peermark will help students
learn a subject from a fresh
perspective when they read
other peoples work and the
comments on their papers that
are given based on the same
assessment criteria, she says.

n For more information about

the programmes offered at the
School of Information
Technology in Monash
Malaysia, visit www.infotech.
monash.edu.my.

Senior lecturer Dr Chew Esyin

believes in the benefits of
technology enhanced learning.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 21 JUNE 2016

12 postgraduate

Valuable experiential learning

TO really stand out in todays job
market, information and
communication technology (ICT)
professionals need a combination
of technical and managerial skills
as well as exposure to an
international environment.
Asia e University (AeU)s Master
of ICT Management programme
(MICTM) produces professionals
who can successfully implement
ICT in their organisation.
Girija Sachidanantham, a data
analyst with an international
software distribution company in
Malaysia, is a student of AeUs
MICTM and shares her learning
experience here:
Coming from an IT background
with 10 years of working
experience and being a strong
believer in lifelong learning, I
have always wanted to pursue a
postgraduate programme at a
well-known university and
enhance my working life.
I chose AeU because it gave me
the flexibility to structure my
learning around my hectic lifestyle.
The course equipped us with
skills and knowledge needed in
managing business data and
leading the implementation of ICT
in our respective departments and
organisations.

Girija Sachidanantham is an AeU student of the Master of ICT Management

programme and data analyst of an international software distribution
company.

Lifelong learning has been an

important pursuit for me as I want
to self-improve and upgrade all
aspects of my career and personal
life.
In contrast to most conventional
universities approach to
education, students at AeU are
not pressured to finish their studies
within a certain time, providing a
stress-free environment where we

can have a good work-life balance.

As MICTM is fully online, it is a
good option for working adults
such as me. When I first started,
one of the most challenging tasks
was to strike a balance between
work, family and my personal life.
I have learnt how to manage my
time more effectively now after
two years of study and having the
support of AeUs academic and

non-academic staff, especially

Assoc Prof Dr Roshayu Mohamad,
dean of AeUs School of ICT, who
has given me the confidence to
pursue my studies.
The theories I learnt are relevant
and applicable to my work.
Learning is interesting as we have
constant interactions with the
friendly academic facilitators.
AeUs Knowledge Management
Centre is one of the most
comprehensive online libraries
with large amounts of invaluable
resources with links to other local
libraries, which supported my
research.
I can access both print and
online formats from a wide range
of invaluable resources with the
assistance of AeUs friendly
librarians who are always happy
to assist students.
Students can choose to study
fully online or part-time blended
modes where classes are only held
once a month on weekends.
They can increase their
understanding of core subject
modules by going to seminars or
engaging with online materials on
the user-friendly web-based portal
learning management system
called Personalised Learning Space
(myPLS).

myPLS allows me to check my

tutorial timetables, related news,
announcements and submit my
assignments, examination
preparations and research projects.
Another competitive advantage
of AeU is the quality of its academic
facilitators who are not only
professionally qualified but also
have extensive industry
experience. They impart
invaluable knowledge to students
who can also share their
experience with coursemates.
Such experiential learning is
highly beneficial to students such
as me, who can relate to the
theories learnt and apply them
to our work.
I am glad to have inspired
some of my friends who have
joined AeU to pursue different
fields of study. I hope to inspire
more people, especially those who
are married with children, to not
give up but strive towards lifelong
learning to achieve their dreams.
The past two years of studying at
AeU and working at the same time
have been an enriching
experience.

n For more information, call

1300 300 238 or apply online at
www.aeu.edu.my.