THE STAR Tuesday 17 March 2015

StarSpecial

COURSE FOCUS:
BUSINESS, MARKETING,
ACCOUNTING & FINANCE

Making your choice

The right education takes you further.
Entrepreneurs in the making > 5

Entering the world of business > 7

2 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

AVE you ever imagined what

life would be like without
marketers?
For instance, how many people
would be interested in investing
in a face cream made of snail
slime and snake venom that costs
RM800 a tub? Or how about a
pack of coffee beans that comes
from a civet cats faeces and costs
RM500?
Not many, obviously. The
absence of marketers would
simply mean that many of the
brands we have grown to know
and love would not exist. Without
marketers, the creation and
exchange of goods would not be as
profound as it is today.
In a nutshell, marketing is the
study of peoples needs, motives,
wants and behaviours so that
products and services can be
created and promoted to meet
these requirements. All these
are performed while keeping
profitability in mind.

Many career opportunities

A marketers daily
responsibilities might include
writing copies, reviewing and
approving content, measuring
success and making customerfocused decisions. Aside from
these tasks, marketers develop
the marketing plan for a product
or brand.
Marketing managers are in
demand as Malaysias economy
spurs the need for people with

Healthy demand for marketers

marketing skills. Although
marketing managers do not begin
their careers with the highest
salaries, they have the highest
range of career opportunities in
almost any industry sector and
are able to climb the salary ladder
quite quickly.
A recent study conducted
by Jobstreet.com reveals that
candidates in sales and marketing
are the most sought-after
employees this year, followed by
those with expertise in human
resources and engineering.
The Hays Quarterly Report
2015, published by international
professional recruiting group
Hays, shows that sales and
marketing managers continue to
be in high demand across various
industries, including the multimillion-dollar consumer packaged
goods (CPG) industry made up
of a wide range of famous brand
names.
According to the report, most
businesses are seeing the biggest
changes in their sales teams as
these positions have high turnover
rates due to the performance
aspects of the roles. It is expected
that a lot of replacement roles and
possibly some new positions will
become available as businesses
grow in Malaysia.

Sales and
marketing
graduates
are highly
sought after
across various
industries.

Hot spots in the job market

Brand managers Midmanagement brand managers
continue to be in high demand across
various industries, including the CPG
sector.
Heads of digital marketing
There has been a spike in the need

for people to lead the digital

marketing teams in different
businesses. This is due to the
continuing need for bigger and
better digital marketing teams
to capitalise on the growing
online marketing trends.
Product managers
Companies are looking to
increase the number of people
handling the product marketing
side of their business as they
expand.
Key account managers As
businesses increase in size,
their major accounts grow
with them as well. Key account
managers who are well-spoken
and can deal specifically
with hypermarkets and
supermarkets will be in great
demand.
Digital marketing analysts
At a time when digital
technology is exploding,
companies need people who
can take note of trends and
then develop marketing and
advertising campaigns around
them. These professionals drive
account management and work
closely with sales and creative
teams to develop strategic
campaigns.
Sales managers As
businesses continue to sell their
products and services online,
there is an increasing demand
for sales managers who can
sell advertising space on these
online platforms.
Digital marketing
technology architects As
more companies launch
digital marketing promotions,
they will need the support
of IT specialists who have
digital marketing, media and
communications experience.
These professionals build and
maintain the cloud-based
platforms from which digital
marketing promotions take
place.

Universities offering
marketing courses
The entry requirements
may vary for each institution
of higher learning. Generally,
STPM or A-Levels students
need to have a minimum of two
principal passes to qualify for
the course.
For foundation, diploma
(must be business related) and

matriculation, applicants must

have a CGPA of at least 2.0. Other
qualifications are reviewed by
the faculty on a case-to-case
basis.
Here are some private
institutions of higher
learning that offer marketing
programmes:
HELP University A pioneer
in the study of psychology in
Malaysia, HELP offers an array
of business and marketing
courses. Its Bachelor of Business
in Marketing is designed to
provide students with a sound
background in business, together
with an understanding of
marketing roles within and
between organisations.
Brickfields Asia College
(BAC) Well known for their
UK Transfer Degree Programme,
BAC enables students to study
and complete their marketing
degree overseas. Students can
study in one of their partner
universities such as University
of South Wales, De Montfort
University, Keele University and
Northumbria University.
UCSI University Its Bachelor
of Arts in Marketing provides
students with the fundamental
academic and vocational skills
in marketing and business
principles through a variety of
teaching and learning methods.
Nilai University The B.B.A
(Hons) in Marketing emphasises
business theories and concepts
that help facilitate the exchange
of products, services and
ideas. It is aimed at equipping
students with a solid grounding
of business and marketing
education.
Asia Pacific University of
Technology & Innovation
(APU) APU offers BA (Hons) in
Media Marketing that aims to
cultivate in students a thorough
understanding of the issues
relating to effective human
interaction, an appreciation for
user interfaces and the skills to
develop interactive multimedia
applications, as well as research
skills required in media
marketing.
Public universities such
as Universiti Utara Malaysia,
Universiti Malaya, Universiti
Putra Malaysia, Universiti Sains
Islam Malaysia and Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak also offer
marketing courses.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

Leaders in the
global world
W

HEN Prof John Benson first entered

Monash University in the late
1960s to pursue the Bachelor of
Economics, he was constantly encouraged
by his professors to challenge conventional
economic theories.
This training taught him not to accept
the status quo but to instead be inquisitive.
Inspired by his own Monash experience,
as the head of the School of Business at
Monash University Malaysia, Prof Benson
hopes to produce graduates who are
innovative, entrepreneurial and capable of
asking the right questions.
I want the school to be the leading
business school in the region. To achieve
this goal, the school will have to
focus on three things
research that addresses
contemporary business
issues, engagement with
and maintaining relevance
to industries, and
encouraging students
to be inquisitive of
the world around
them, says Prof
Benson (pic).
He has high
hopes of producing
well-rounded
graduates who can
be future leaders in
the global business
world.
At the School of

Excellence in
education

Business, we develop our students not just

academically but also holistically. Coming
to university is not only about attending
lectures, reading books and passing exams.
We want our students and researchers to
be able to push themselves and be the very
best that they can be.
Our graduates will be career ready, and
when they leave the university and join the
workforce often global and multicultural
organisations they will be able to adapt
and succeed, says Prof Benson.
To ensure its relevance to business and
industry, he says the school has an Industry
Advisory Board comprising senior managers
that plays an integral role in its decisionmaking processes.
We do not make decisions in isolation
about what is best for students.
Rather, we listen carefully to the board
members as to what we should be doing
to ensure that we are, and will continue
to remain, relevant to the global business
world.
The board looks into various aspects
of the activities that are taking place at the
school and if they think we are not doing
enough on the content of certain subjects,
or we need to re-align our research more
closely with industry, we will listen as we
take the comments raised by the board
very seriously, says Prof Benson.
n For more information on Monash
Malaysias School of Business, visit
www.buseco.monash.edu.my

COURSE FOCUS 3

QUEST International University Perak

(QIUP) is a fresh and dynamic university
with equity participation from the Perak
state government.
Conceptualised to nurture the younger
generation to become inquisitive, socially
aware and impactful individuals, this
university deploys the best intellectual
minds.

Gain a solid foundation

QIUPs foundation programmes provide
a good platform for students to develop
practical and academic skills after SPM that
will help them in their journey towards
higher education.
The Foundation in Business and
Foundation in Science programmes have a
practical focus, which means having handson activities that help students gain the
confidence and skills needed to participate
effectively in tertiary studies.

Well-rounded graduates
QIUPs goal is to develop well-rounded
graduates who not only excel in their
studies but have also participated in
conferences and educational competitions
during their study here.
The first-year medical undergraduates
selected for the Third International Public
Health Conference and 20th National Public
Health Colloquium, which took place in
Kuching, Sarawak, had their paper chosen
among the thousands of papers submitted
for selection.
The paper was titled Prevalence of
hypertension and its risk factors in an Orang

Students gain the confidence and skills needed to

participate effectively in their tertiary studies.
Asli community in Perak, Malaysia.
In addition, four undergraduates of the
Bachelor of Computer Science programme
were crowned champions at the national
level of the IBM Mobilithon 2013
competition.

Wide range of programmes offered

There are three faculties and one centre
at QIUP.
At foundation level, the programmes
offered are in business and science while
at diploma level, courses are in hotel
management, business management,
tourism management and accountancy.
A number of programmes are offered
at degree level, including the Bachelor
of Science (Hons) in Biotechnology and
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Electronics
and Communications Engineering.
The university offers the Master of
Business Administration at postgraduate
level.
n For more information, call 1800 887
487, e-mail enquiries@qiup.edu.my or visit
www.qiup.edu.my

Build your
success story
with ACCA
See what your career could look like
at yourfuture.accaglobal.com

With ACCA,
you can enjoy a
career across any
industry and role
specialisations in
180 countries.

1800 88 5051

myinfo@accaglobal.com

Facebook.com/ACCA.my

4 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

SWINBURNE University of
Technology offers individuals
the opportunity to pursue a
unique, internationally recognised
Australian education in its
Sarawak campus.
The impressive graduate
employability of the university,
which has been awarded Setara
Tier 5: Excellent Status multiple
times, is attributed to the handson focus of its programmes that
tackle real-world issues.
Applied learning is experienced
through classes. Laboratory work,
case studies, teamwork projects,
research projects and projectbased assignments are among
the components found in most
programmes.
The curriculum originates
from Swinburne University,
Australia, and the high standard
of its courses is maintained in
the Sarawak campus. Students
in Malaysia will receive the same
qualification as their Australian
counterparts.
The programmes in Swinburne
Sarawak may be completed
entirely in Kuching, Sarawak, but

A distinctive degree

Dedicated facilities and services ensure that students have access to the latest
technology and adequate support in their studies.
students may choose to transfer to
the Australia campus to complete
their course.
Students can also do a onesemester exchange programme
in the Australian campus while
paying their fees in ringgit,
making it a third of its cost in
Australian dollars.
For most of the universitys
three-year degrees, students can
undertake a professional major
alongside a co-major or two
minors, which may come from a
different discipline to the major,

allowing students to add breadth to

their studies.
The multicultural diversity on
campus encourages a rich learning
experience and helps create a broader
outlook among students and staff.
Swinburne Sarawak has highly
advanced facilities. For example, its
lecture theatre is equipped with the
latest audio-visual technology and
seats more than 300 people.
n For more information, call
03-5637 2202 or e-mail
study@swinburne.edu.my

Vast career
opportunities
W

HEN I was younger,

I wanted to be a
scientist, doctor, pilot
or engineer. But I realised that
understanding accountancy
topics came naturally to me,
so I chose to pursue something
that I was good at instead,
says Muhammad Razin Shah
Mohd Roslan, a member of
the Association of Chartered
Certified Accountants (ACCA).
It was then that I discovered
just how vast the career
opportunities are in the field of
finance.
Razin is currently a senior
executive at the Securities
Commission of Malaysia where
he is building his expertise in
regulatory enforcement.
Being on the regulatory side
is something different as it is
not a desk job. More often than
not, Ill be engaging with people
from various industries, which
is something I enjoy as I get to
exchange ideas and knowledge
in addition to building my
confidence in liaising with
people from all walks of life,
he shares.
A career in accounting was
not what he had anticipated but
he has no regrets. The finance
industry that we know today is
different from that of 50 years
ago. New regulations, products
and concepts are being
introduced rapidly, so those
who plan to pursue a career
in finance need to keep their
knowledge current and be open
to innovation, says Razin.
It was through the process of
getting his ACCA qualification
and membership that Razin
understood the value of a
professional qualification. Right
off the bat, he noticed how
the ACCA syllabus requires
students to be more critical and
think outside of the box.
It was a challenge I
accepted because the results
were evident when I started
working, says Razin. There are
no textbook answers to your
problems at work. Youll need
to analyse issues and work on
solutions.
This might sound like an

easy concept, but Razin says

the execution of this is no
simple task. The training I
received from studying ACCA
really helped me tackle dayto-day issues more calmly and
effectively.
Razin advises young
graduates not to limit
themselves. I have met many
graduates who think that by
having the ACCA qualification in
hand, they must only work in the
auditing sector. In truth, we can
choose to specialise in any area
of finance. The ACCA programme
teaches us to be a professional
first and an accountant second,
he says.
Razin believes his enthusiasm
and drive are what earned him
a nomination by his employer
to participate in ACCAs Leaders
of Tomorrow (LoT) programme,
which is open to only a select
group of talents.
He joins 27 other nominated
ACCA members below the age
of 30 for the intensive, highlevel learning and development
programme aimed at grooming
them to become effective leaders
in business.
LoT, which is developed
by ACCA with the support of
Talent Corporation Malaysia,
will also see participants being
mentored by senior ACCA
members at the C-suite level.
Razin is enthusiastic about the
12 months to be spent in this
programme.
My mentor is Nuraini Ismail
FCCA, vice president-treasury
of Petronas. From our initial
meeting, she appears very
knowledgeable and she brings
such positive energy. Im very
motivated, says Razin.
Razin joins the global ACCA
network of 436,000 students and
170,000 members around the
world.
It is the worlds fastestgrowing gateway to the
accountancy profession, helping
people build successful careers
across industries and national
borders.
n For more information, visit
www.yourfuture.accaglobal.com

Muhammad
Razin Shah
Mohd
Roslan is
a member
of the
Association
of Chartered
Certified
Accountants
(ACCA).

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

COURSE FOCUS 5

A background in business or
accounting will open doors
to business opportunities
worldwide.

Entrepreneurs
in the making
A

T Infrastructure
University Kuala Lumpur
(IUKL), the Faculty of
Business and Accounting (FBA)
believes that theories have to
be put into practice to make a
difference in society.
FBA is the place where you
can develop your interests and
skills to be a successful player in
the industry.

Managing business
Business administration is
a popular field of study among
students and is also one of the
core business programmes
offered at IUKL. It focuses on
how organisations operate,
such as what they do, how they
do it and which strategies they
employ.
At IUKL, the Bachelor of
Business Administration (Hons)
is unique in its approach to
management, leadership
and entrepreneurship in the
business profession.
With eight majors entrepreneurship, finance
and banking, Islamic finance
and banking, marketing,
management, and e-commerce
- this programme prepares
students for management
positions or professional careers
in various departments.
During the programme,
students will have the
opportunity to meet people
and build contacts relevant to
their future career. Graduates
will be able to demonstrate
an understanding of
markets, finance, operations,
management of business
and people and all the other
business-related aspects.
Students can also opt to
pursue IUKLs Diploma in
Business Administration. This
programme offers insights
to the world of business
administration, which
covers topics ranging from
management to information
technology.
Students will be able to
develop fundamental skills to
acquire knowledge in business,
finance, marketing and
management in this two-year
programme.
The course syllabus has been
carefully designed to introduce
new ideas and concepts
emerging in the marketplace.

Students will be exposed to

effective classroom discussions,
case studies and business plans.
For individuals who aspire to
further their studies at higher
levels, the Master of Business
Administration and Doctor
of Philosophy in Business
Administration programmes
are also available.

Creating quality
accountants
IUKLs Bachelor of
Accountancy (Hons) offers
specific knowledge in
accounting, finance, taxation,
auditing, costing, management
and economics.
The aim of this three-anda-half year programme is
to produce competent and
dedicated accountants who
possess the attributes required
in the accounting profession
and to develop a holistic
understanding of business
operations, particularly in all
functional areas of accounting.
Through industrial
placement at established
corporations, students will be
able to gain valuable hands-on
experience in real-life working
environments.
The programme is
recognised by professional
bodies such as ACCA, CIMA and
MICPA.
IUKL also offers Diploma in
Accounting. The curriculum
of this two-and-a-half-year
programme is designed to
provide sound knowledge
on the important principles
and concepts of accounting,
auditing, taxation as well as
analysis of various corporate
financial statements.
Scholarships and tuition fee
waivers of up to 60% are offered
to students who excel in their
studies. Study loans such as
PTPTN, MARA and Yayasan
Negeri are also applicable.
IUKL Info Day will be held
on March 21 and 22 from
10am to 4pm. You can start
a programme at IUKL with
only RM100 and enjoy a
RM500 rebate for on-the-spot
registration during the Info Day.
Its March intake is in progress.
n For more information, call
1 800 88 STUDY (78839) or
visit www.IUKL.edu.my

6 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

HINESE independent high

schools in the country
have been successful with
more and more students opting
to study there. Recognising
this, KBU International College
(KBU) embarked on a journey of
creating a strong rapport with
Chinese schools.
Our main purpose in visiting
schools is to create a mutually
beneficial relationship between
organisations. Through our
visit, we found that there are
abundant opportunities for
more strategic collaborations,
says KBU principal Dr Chee
Choong Kooi.
For instance, we would like
to introduce initiatives such as
English language programmes
and innovative projects that
will enhance students creative
thinking and help nurture the
leaders of tomorrow.
The visits were also to
introduce the quality UK
programmes, fun-learning
approaches and attractive
scholarship schemes offered
at KBU.

Establishing valuable connections

KBU representatives with Foon Yew High School, Johor Baru principal at a visit to
the school.
The visits will create
opportunities for KBU as the
college gets upgraded to First City
University College.
KBU also has plans to visit
Chinese independent high schools
in Selangor and other states to
forge good relationships with
them.
Dr Chee, together with a
team of representatives, recently

visited the Chinese independent

high schools in Johor. Those
who joined him were marketing
and corporate communication
manager Angela Tan, School of
Design head Siow Yin Yoong,
School of Engineering and
Computing head Lye Boon Han
and senior marketing executive
Sophie Wai Chung Peik.
Among the new programmes

that the college plans to offer

in the future are BSc (Hons)
Hospitality Management, BA
(Hons) Mass Communication,
BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing
and Branding, and BEng (Hons)
Mechanical Engineering.
KBU International College is
a private institution of higher
learning known for its relevant
programmes that meet the
requirements of various industries.
KBU is also well known
for its excellent track record
in providing UK 3+0 degree
programmes. Courses offered
include those in art and design;
business; hospitality and tourism
management; computing
or software engineering;
engineering; languages (English
and German) as well as preuniversity programmes such
as the Australian Matriculation
(AUSMAT) and GCE A-Levels.

Since its inception in 1990, KBU

has produced hundreds of first
class honours graduates through
collaborations with reputable
partner universities in the United
Kingdom, namely Nottingham
Trent University, Sheffield Hallam
University and Anglia Ruskin
University.
KBU graduates have
successfully gained employment
in diverse fields, all within a
short period of time and in many
instances, immediately upon
graduation. KBU is hosting its
Open Day weekends from now to
March 29 from 10am to 6pm.
Early birds can receive up to
30% tuition fee waiver (terms and
conditions apply).
n For more information, call
03-7727 3200 or e-mail
enquiry@kbu.edu.my or visit
www.kbu.edu.my

Build a fulfilling career

UoRM will offer various programmes when its main campus is opened
this September.
THE University of Reading
Malaysia (UoRM) is expanding
in its delivery of world-class
programmes in Malaysia.
In September last year, UoRM
launched its first undergraduate
programme BSc in Finance &
Business Management.
The BSc in Finance &
Business Management is an
innovative programme that
focuses on equipping students
for the finance and business
management field, delivered
through its world-renowned
and prestigious Henley Business
School.
This programme combines
the leadership and management
studies for which Henley is
famous for with the knowledge
of the banking and investment
industry. There are two intakes
for the programme September
and January.
The University of Reading
is renowned for its exciting
and innovative research-led
teaching, friendly and supportive
environment and excellent
graduate employability record.
Students at the new Malaysian
campus will benefit from the
same world-class education that
is offered in the United Kingdom.
The cost of studying at UoRM
is significantly lower than in
the UK, yet, the opportunities
for learning are as diverse
and varied. UoRM provides
scholarship opportunities and
awards for high-achieving
students throughout their
studies.
UoRMs soon-to-be-completed
main campus in EduCity,
Iskandar, brings together the very
best of its UK campus experience
with Malaysias natural
environment.
It will cater up to 2,500
students. The main campus will

open in September this year

and will offer programmes at
undergraduate level (subject
to approval by the Malaysian
Ministry of Education)
in the subject areas of
business and management,
accounting, finance, real
estate, quantity surveying,
pharmacy, psychology and law.
Programmes at postgraduate
level will be offered next year.
The University of Readings
vice-chancellor David Bell says,
We are delighted to be part
of the EduCity initiative and
to meet the growing demand
for quality education. We have
about 3,000 graduates from
the University of Reading in
Malaysia and Singapore, the
majority of whom travelled
to the UK to experience our
unique education offering,
first-class resources and
world-class teaching.
We are therefore proud and
excited to have the opportunity
to deliver the same experience
to students in the Asia-Pacific
region. We are developing
this campus to offer the best
experience to students, from
infrastructure to the education
delivered.
Each programme at
University of Reading will
draw on its long-established
reputation for academic
excellence and tailored
support.
Its impressive 15-acre
(6.07ha) campus in Malaysia is
designed to provide students
with everything they need
to make the most out of their
university studies.
n For more information,
call 07-295 5010 or e-mail
my.enquiry@reading.edu.my
or visit www.reading.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

COURSE FOCUS 7

SEGi has 38 years of experience in providing quality business programmes

that effectively prepare its students for work upon graduation.

Entering
the world
of business

T is important that you get

the right foundation before
pursuing a degree. With so
many choices available, it is easy
to be inundated.
In recognising the
importance of a strong
foundation, SEGi offers a wide
range of programmes that
leads seamlessly to degrees in
business. These programmes are:

If you are certain of your

decision to pursue business
studies in your undergraduate
degree, you can take up the
Foundation in Commerce. This
foundation programme helps
you to progress in your higher
education by providing you a
platform to qualify for university
entrance.
The foundation programme
is preferred by many students as
it provides a smooth transition
from secondary studies to a
university degree and takes only
one year to complete.
The duration of a diploma
programme is usually longer
than that of a foundation, taking
two and a half to three years to
complete. However, the beauty
of having a diploma is that you
will have the option of joining
the workforce upon completion
of the programme should you
choose not to pursue a bachelors
degree.
Alternatively, you may decide
to pursue an undergraduate
degree and, depending on the
modules completed in the
diploma programme, may
even apply for exemption from
certain modules. This allows

for the possibility of obtaining

a business degree in a shorter
period of time.

Progressing to degree
programmes
Upon completion of the preuniversity programme, there is a
wide variety of business degree
programmes you can pursue at
SEGi.
For other business degrees
that can be completed locally,
SEGi also offers 3+0 business
degree programmes from
the University of Greenwich,
University of Sunderland and
University of Teesside, all from
the United Kingdom.
You get to complete your
business studies at one of the five
SEGi campuses in Malaysia while
obtaining a bachelors degree
from top-notch UK universities.

Opportunities to study
abroad
There is also an option to
pursue 2+1 business degree
programmes from Abertay
University. You only need to
spend two years at the SEGi
Kota Damansara campus and,
upon meeting all necessary
requirements, transfer to
Abertay University located in
Dundee, Scotland for the final
year of study.
SEGi University at Kota
Damansara also offers its own
business degrees and dual
award business degrees from
SEGi University and Abertay
University.
n For more information on
the business programmes,
call 03-2070 2078 or 1800 888
028 (SEGi College Kuala Lumpur),
03-6145 1777 or 1800 887 344
(SEGi University), 03-8600 1888
or 1800 888 622 (SEGi College
Subang Jaya), 04-263 3888 (SEGi
College Penang) or 082-252 566
(SEGi College Sarawak), e-mail
askme@segi.edu.my or visit
www.segi.edu.my

8 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

The right head start

UR Business and Accounting

graduates enjoy outstanding
graduate employability
because we equip them with
extensive industry-specific skills
required to become Industry
Specialist Professional (ISP) Certified
graduates, says Soon Fook Huang,
senior lecturer of Binary Universitys
School of Accounting and Finance.
The ISP Centre of Excellence at
Binary University is supported by
more than 280 Faculty of Industry
Professionals (FIPs).
The ISP Certified programme is
conducted over a three-year period
and runs parallel with Binary
University degrees. It has a positive
impact on graduate employability
as students acquire more industryspecific skills.
Binary Universitys graduate
employability is one of the highest
in the country as evidenced by the
Tracer Study (an annualstudythat
surveys the performance of

The ISP certified

programme is
run concurrently
with degree
programmmes at
Binary University.
graduates in the job market upon
graduation) conducted by the
Ministry of Education, Malaysia,
says Roland Wee, Binary
University registrar.
Binary also equips its
graduates with extensive
entrepreneurial skills. Driven
by the EYE Centre of Excellence
(E3), all business and accounting
students acquire extensive
entrepreneurial knowledge and
skills as our degrees have high
entrepreneurial content, says
Datuk Prof Joseph Adaikalam,
founder and chairman of
Binary University.

The BA (Hons) in Accounting

is among the few accounting
qualifications in Malaysia that
is triple accredited - by CPA
Australia, MQA and ACCA. It
provides exemption from eight
ACCA papers.
Binary University offers PhD,
masters, bachelors and diploma
courses.
The next intake will
commence on March 25 and
April 28.
n For more information, call
03-8070 6590/96 or visit
www.binary.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

COURSE FOCUS 9

Become a
recognised
accountant

In the Meet Your Future Employers yearly forum, students hear from companies such as Ernst & Young,
PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, BDO and Grant Thornton on their recruitment and selection criteria.

HE Certificate in Finance, Accounting

and Business (CFAB) by the Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England and
Wales (ICAEW) is a stand-alone business
qualification.
It provides essential knowledge in the
fundamentals of finance, accounting and
business, and can be used as an entry route
into the ICAEW programme.

Innovative pathway
At the Sunway TES Centre for
Accountancy Excellence (Sunway TES CAE),
the CFAB qualification is an innovative
pathway designed for school-leavers to
provide them with an accelerated route to
the ICAEW ACA qualification.
The Associate of the Institute of
Chartered Accountants (ACA) qualification,
regarded globally as a leading business and
finance qualification, is recognised and
valued in practice, the industry, commerce
and the public sector.
Through this pathway at Sunway
TES CAE, students can progress to the
ICAEW programme as well as obtain the
ACA qualification right after completing
secondary school.
The ACAs unique approach to classroom
studies and practical activities offers
students a holistic learning experience.
It equips them with the relevant
skills needed to be an adept chartered
accountant.
The ICAEW qualifications are recognised
around the world.

Proven track record of excellence

The ICAEW is the largest professional
accountancy body in Europe that provides
leadership and practical support to more
than 140,000 members working in the
government, regulatory agencies and
industry, maintaining the highest standards
in 160 countries.
In South-East Asia alone, there are more
than 1,800 members with a majority being
in Malaysia and Singapore.
Sunway TES CAE is the only ICAEW
Partner in Malaysia offering both the ACA
and the CFAB qualifications and the
only provider in the world to offer CFAB
as an accelerated route to the ICAEW for
school-leavers.

Pave your way forward

With their SPM or O-Levels results, highachieving students can qualify as an ACA
within a minimum of five and a half years
through this pathway.
For this accelerated route, students are
required to pass all their exams in their
first attempt, followed by fulfilling an
ICAEW training contract for three years.
Students are also required to
take additional subjects in English,
business mathematics, interpersonal
communication and thinking skills to help
equip them with important soft skills.

Practical learning experience

Students have a chance to receive
exposure to real business environments
and hands-on opportunities to put theory
into practice through a three-month workbased learning programme at an ICAEWauthorised training employer.
Sunway TES CAE works closely with
ICAEW Authorised Training Employers
(ATEs) to provide students with work-based
learning and ICAEW training contracts.
The ATEs include BDO, Deloitte, Ernst &
Young, KPMG and PwC.

Preparing for the future

Students are provided a chance to meet
potential employers through the Meet
Your Future Employers yearly forum where
representatives from Ernst & Young, PwC,
KPMG, Deloitte, BDO and Grant Thornton
are invited to share their organisations
recruitment and selection criteria.
Through a practical approach,
students are fully equipped with
the relevant experience, skills and
professional knowledge required to make
sound decisions in genuine business
environments.
Intakes for the CFAB at Sunway TES CAE
are in January and July.
n For more information on the Certificate
in Finance, Accounting and Business
(CFAB) or other professional accounting
programmes offered by Sunway TES
CAE, call 03-7491 8622 or e-mail info@
sunway.edu.my or visit sunway.edu.my/
college/sunwaytes

10 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

A solid foundation
T

UNKU Abdul Rahman

University College (TAR
University College) has
established itself as one of the
nations leading institutions with
a track record in preparing schoolleavers for tertiary education.
With the recent upgrading to
University College, the Centre for
Pre-University Studies (CPUS) now
offers a foundation programme
that is unique to TAR University
College, which will allow a
seamless transition into various
TAR University College bachelors
degree programmes.
The TAR University College
Foundation Programme has been
specially designed to ease the
progression into tertiary studies
for school-leavers, particularly
for disciplines at TAR University
College.
The foundation programme
comprises the arts and science

streams. Each stream consists of

two different pathways Track
A and Track B which have been
developed to strengthen the key
knowledge and competencies
required in undertaking specific
disciplines at undergraduate level.
Students are guided in their
track selection by academic
counsellors. Students have to
consider the degree that they
intend to take at TAR University
College as well as their academic
results.
For the Foundation in Arts
programme, Track A includes core
statistics and accounting-related
subjects that develop quantitative
skills in students intending to
pursue accounting, business or
finance degree programmes.
Track B for the Foundation in
Arts, on the other hand, will focus
more on the arts, humanities and
communication aspects.

For the Foundation in

Science programme, Track
A consists of subjects in
applied physics, information
technology, engineering and
built environment areas, with a
stronger focus on mathematics.
Track B has core subjects that
lean more towards pure science
subjects such as chemistry and
biology that stream students into
bachelors degrees in chemistry
and biology as well as bioscience
at TAR University College.
Head of CPUS Looi Li Chin says,
Our foundation programme
curriculum is developed to
complement the specific academic
requirements of the various
degree programmes at TAR
University College to ensure
students are well-prepared for
their undergraduate studies.
With a huge campus covering
186 acres (75.3ha) of land,

Students benefit from an environment that is conducive to learning at

TAR University College.
students can expect not only
quality education but one that is
enhanced through a myriad of
recreational and leisure facilities
at TAR University College.
There are many parks on
campus such as the beautiful
Koi Waterfall Garden and Spiral
Park. There are modern science
laboratories, a multi-storey
library and a state-of-the-art
Cyber Centre, which is the IT hub.
There are also gymnasiums,
an Olympic-sized swimming
pool, rooftop tennis courts, a
football field, running tracks and

futsal courts.
With its foundation
programmes and extensive
facilities, TAR University College
is a complete education provider
for students seeking quality
tertiary education.
TAR University College is
hosting its Open Day until
March 22 at its Kuala Lumpur
campus and branch campuses
in Penang, Perak, Johor, Sabah
and Pahang.
n For more information, visit
www.tarc.edu.my

Towards a promising future

Heriot-Watt University officially opened its Putrajaya branch in February.

BUSINESS is a wide field with
a variety of rewarding career
options available. Encompassing
areas such as finance, marketing,
operations and management, it
offers opportunities for students
to venture into specialisations
that are suited to their skill sets.
In the finance field, government
policies and financial theories
are covered.
Students who want to kickstart their career in business
and finance should look
into obtaining a world-class
education that will prepare them
for a fast-paced and exciting
career. At Heriot-Watt University
Malaysia, they will be able to
gain just that.
Founded in 1821, HeriotWatt University is one of the
top British universities and
has consistently achieved high
rankings across a number of key
university league tables.
One such table is The
Guardian University Guide 2015,
which ranked the university
13th in the United Kingdom and
second in Scotland, and in the
top 10 in the UK for a number of
courses, including accounting
and finance, business,
management and marketing,
chemistry and mathematics.
The university has grown
and expanded over the years.
It currently has campuses in
Edinburgh, Dubai and Putrajaya.
The university arrived in
Malaysia in 2012 and officially
welcomed students into its new,
green campus in February this
year.
Heriot-Watt University
Malaysias current programme
offerings include foundation,
undergraduate and postgraduate

programmes in a variety of
fields.
Students will be able to
kick start a successful career
in business and finance with
Heriot-Watt Universitys MA
(Hons) Business and Finance
programme.
This is a three-year specialist
joint undergraduate degree
programme that equally
emphasises both business and
finance studies.
The programme has been
structured to teach students how
to apply business management
as well as finance knowledge and
skills to a range of managerial,
business and problem-solving
situations.
As the university works with
industry professionals to develop
its curriculum and accredit its
programmes, students can be
assured that the syllabi and
learning materials are up to date
and relevant to the industrys
requirements.
As is the practice at the
university, a mixed mode of
teaching and assessments is
employed, which includes
lectures, coursework, tutorials
and projects.
This allows students to put
into practice the theories learned
in the classroom and to develop a
more practical understanding of
the course.
Find out more about the
universitys programmes,
scholarships and application
procedures during its Info Week
held from March 23 to 27 or at its
Open Day on March 28 and 29.
n For more information, call
03-8894 3888, e-mail hwum@
hw.ac.uk or visit www.hw.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

COURSE FOCUS 11

The right fit

HASYAHAR Sanjabi arrived in

Malaysia six years ago for his preuniversity studies. He then pursued
a mechatronics degree at a local private
university in the Klang Valley.
However, after two years, Khasyahar
found his grades slipping to the point of
failing and he was uncomfortable in the
crowded urban setting of the city campus.
Khasyahar informed his parents that
he wanted to find an alternative and,
seeing how miserable their son was, they
agreed. His online research led him to Nilai
University (Nilai U) in the quiet suburb of
Putra Nilai.
Having struggled to adapt to the
fast-paced lifestyle in the city, I was keen
to find an alternative, says the 23-yearold from Tehran. I learnt that for me to
flourish academically, I needed a peaceful
environment. The presence of nature and
greenery at Nilai U was so calming that I
knew I had found the right place.
Besides choosing the right institution,
Khasyahar was careful about his choice of
programme.
I should have realised early on that I was
not suited to the sciences and engineering.
I could not understand the lessons and was
thoroughly demotivated, which affected my
grades, he recalls.
He decided to enrol in the BBA (Hons)
in International Business programme as
he envisaged a career in a multinational
corporation that requires a lot of travel.
I love to travel and I thought my degree
should facilitate that dream. I also realised
that this degree affords me plenty of
employment opportunities both at home
and abroad, says Khasyahar.
Six years on, Khasyahar now regards

Khasyahar Sanjabi is pursuing the BBA (Hons) in

International Business at Nilai U.
Malaysia and Nilai U as a home away from
home. Initially, he found the multiple
languages and accents bewildering,
especially in lectures and group discussions.
He has since adapted to the culture and
now speaks several local languages - Bahasa
Malaysia, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Once he had made himself comfortable,
Khasyahar began to thrive academically. He
credits Nilai U lecturers for their boundless
energy in passing on their knowledge.
Nilai U offers many programmes to
choose from and a campus environment
that is perfect for higher studies, says
Khasyahar.
n For more information, call 06-850 2308
or 07-226 2336 or visit www.nilai.edu.my

est. 1984

LEADER IN GRADUATE
EMPLOYABILITY
Do you know that Binary graduates enjoy one of the highest graduate employability in
Malaysia? Thats because our graduates are the only graduates that are Industry Specialist
Professional (ISP) Certified.
At Binary, graduates earn 2 certificates ; an internationally recognized degree with high
entrepreneurial content and the ISP, giving them a major competitive edge in the job
market. Join us to experience the power of ISP, at an institution with over 30 years of
excellence producing entrpreneurial managers, entrepreneurial accountants, entrpreneurial
IT professionals and entrepreneurs.

BINARYS FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

Internationally
Recognised
Degree

High
Entrepreneurial
Content

Industry
Specialisation

Outstanding
Graduate
Employability

BINARY UNIVERSITY
MASTERS in Business Admnistration,
Information Technology Management,
Computer Science, Project Management,
Social Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship &
Innovation, Islamic Banking & Finance and
Education Management
BACHELORS in Accounting,
Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Computer
Science, Business Management &
Management of Technology
DIPLOMAS in Accountancy,
Entrepreneurship, Business Administration,
Marketing and Information Technology.

Binary College
(City Campus)

No. 22-26, Jalan Ipoh Kecil off Jalan Ipoh, 50350 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel : 03-4041 8562/92 Fax : 03-4041 8568
Website: www.binarycollege.edu.my Email: citycampus@binary.edu.my

Foundation in Arts Specializing in

Accounting, Business and IT.

BINARY COLLEGE
BA(Hons) Business Management,
Diploma Education (TESL),
Diploma Tourism Management
Diploma Business Administration
Diploma in Accounting
Next Intake: 25 March/28 April 2015
Full time / Part time available
CALL 8070 6590 / 4041 8562
KPT/JPS A11688 /14, A67854/16, PA3526/18, PA3681/18,PA2654/18,PA3805/18,PA3810,PA4040/19
KPT/JPS A6396 /16, A6397 /16, A5943 /15, A5944 /15, A5945 /15, A5986 /15, A5945 /15, A0050 /16,
A0048 /16, A4005 /14, A5941 /15, A5942 /15
KPT/JPS A11530/16 , PA 1240/17 , PA3789/ 19, A7446/16, A7614/16

Binary University

No. 1, IOI Business Park, Persiaran Puchong Jaya Selatan, Puchong, 47100 Selangor
Tel : 03-8070 6590/96 Fax : 03-8070 6594
Website: www.binary.edu.my Email: admission@binary.edu.my

12 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 March 2015

TANDING out from the

myriad of accounting and
business management
programmes in Malaysia are
Universiti Tenaga Nasionals
(Uniten) five programmes in
these fields.

Provided by Unitens College

of Business Management and
Accounting (COBA), the five
programmes are accredited by
the Malaysian Qualifications
Agency (MQA) and have gained
recognition from various
professional bodies.
Recognition from the
professional bodies means that
our graduates will be exempted
from several papers when they
pursue professional qualifications.
COBA was able to obtain this
coveted recognition through its
high-quality curriculum and
teaching methods, says Assoc
Prof Dr Salina Daud, COBAs dean.
In fact, the Bachelor of
Accounting (Hons) programmes
recognition by the Malaysian
Institute of Accountants (MIA)
means that the graduates can
obtain their Chartered Accountant
title with just three years working
experience.
Dr Salina explains that
COBA uses external examiners,
usually professors from foreign
universities. These academic
experts give the college

Industry-led learning

Uniten College of Business Management and Accounting is fully equipped with

state-of-the-art facilitites.
feedback on its curriculum and
examinations so that COBA is able
to constantly improve them.
We have linkages to other
national universities and several
foreign universities, which
facilitate staff and student
exchanges, knowledge transfers
and guest lecturers both ways,
she says.
The college also has advisors
who are adjunct professors from
academia and industries, such
as chief executive officer of the
Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia
Tan Sri Datuk Wira Dr Mohd
Shukor Mahfar and chief executive
officer of hi-tech manufacturer

Silterra Malaysia Sdn Bhd Dr

Kamarulzaman Mohamed Zin.
They provide updates on the
current issues from the business
world so that students are
provided with real-time practical
knowledge of what the industries
are like and are aware of current
market needs.
The overall development
of students is taken seriously.
They are required to complete
industrial training in their final
year, where they are attached
to top firms and companies in
the country to receive practical
training. Many of them are
retained by the company after

graduation.
Students are also required
to be active in co-curricular
activities where each activity
earns them certain points that are
incorporated in their graduation
requirement. Co-curricular
activities provide an important
component to soft skills and
overall development, especially in
leadership skills, says Dr Salina.
COBA provides each student
with an academic advisor who
guides and advises students on
their academic progress. The
advisors help motivate students to
perform better academically and
also act as mentors throughout
the students university life.
The Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah
Campus in Bandar Muadzam
Shah, Pahang, is fully equipped
with all the facilities students
require, including a 2,000-pax
capacity auditorium, lecture
theatres and classrooms equipped
with the latest technological aids
for learning.
There are full boarding hostels
and apartments for students
so that students are able to live
on-campus for the full duration of
their studies. The quiet location,
surrounded by lush greenery,
makes for an environment
conducive learning.
We plan to transform the
campus into a green campus
and healthy campus within the
next two years. We have already
implemented a comprehensive

recycling programme. We plan

to equip our campus with cycling
tracks and car-free zones. For
healthy campus initiatives, we
are working with the Ministry
of Health in organising various
healthy living programmes,
says Dr Salina.
Registration for Unitens College
of Business Management and
Accountings June intake opens
on May 23.
n For more information, visit
www.uniten.edu.my

Assoc Prof Dr Salina Daud.