The Star, tuesday 19 January 2016

special

Advancing
to the top

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2015

2 postgraduate

Professional
accounting
qualifications
in Malaysia
l Chartered Certified
Accountant by ACCA

Professional qualifications provide the skills and knowledge required to succeed in specific industries.

Well-rounded
employee
THE debate on which is the more
valuable asset between industry
experience and education is not a
new one.
A quick search through the
Internet will highlight numerous
websites that feature the opinions
of industry professionals such as
human resource managers, senior
executives and business owners
who favour one criterion over the
other when hiring or promoting
their staff.
Depending on the organisation
and management, the number of
years spent within the company
and on-the-job experience may be
sufficient prerequisites for
management to consider offering a
promotion to its staff.
Others may be more partial to
an individual with a commendable
tertiary education background.
However, in many occasions,
both experience and education are
needed before one can excel,
especially in larger organisations
with regional or multinational
operations.
Applicants for senior
management positions are often
expected to have not only tertiary
education and a high level of
experience but professional
qualifications as well.
These certifications provide
individuals with the necessary
industry-specific skills, competence
and ethics to progress through the
corporate ladder and succeed at
the top level.

Professional fit
One of the reasons professional
qualifications are highly regarded
by employers is these certifications
are accredited by industry
professional bodies.
Bodies such as the Certified

Chartered Certified Accountant

Emmanuel Anni Acquah says that
the wide breadth of knowledge
offered by professional qualifications
is useful throughout ones career.

Management Institute (CMI),

Certified Practicing Accountants
Australia (CPA Australia),
Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA) and Chartered
Institute of Management
Accountants (CIMA) are nationally
or internationally recognised and
therefore set high assessment
standards.
Individuals who are preparing
for these certifications are assured
of being introduced to the most
effective methodologies and kept
abreast of the current expectations
of the industry.
Not only will individuals gain
industry-specific knowledge but
the training and preparation
involved will help develop
cognitive skills such as decisionmaking that will have a positive
impact on their career. A higher
earning potential and professional
recognition are merely added
perks.
Many of these qualifications

have a flexible structure that

allows candidates to complete the
qualifications on a part-time basis.
This means industry professionals
can sit for the necessary papers
and assessments as well as do
assignments and prepare for the
examinations around their busy
work schedules.
Some certificates have only
minimal requirements during the
duration of the course, allowing
professionals to progress according
to their desired timeframe.
Individuals will also have access
to a substantial amount of
resources as they prepare for the
various examination papers.
Companies are confident in
hiring and promoting individuals
with a professional qualification as
every candidate would have
completed rigorous examinations
before obtaining their certification.
As companies recognise that
trained individuals have a positive
influence on the organisation, it is
not unusual for companies to
encourage their current staff to
obtain a professional qualification
if they do not already have one.
Some examples of how various
companies have supported their
staff include study leave and
funding for examination fees,
tuition and required texts and
membership fees.

Strong intellectual
foundation
Emmanuel Anni Acquah who
completed his qualification as a
Chartered Certified Accountant
accredited by the ACCA believes
that professional qualifications
such as his make individuals more
valuable in the workforce.

> SEE NEXT PAGE

The Association of
Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA) is a
global body for professional
accountants that sets out to
bring long-term value to
economies by applying
consistent accounting
standards to support
businesses.
The Chartered Certified
Accountant qualification that
is accredited by the ACCA
provides individuals with the
necessary skills, competence
and ethics to progress
through the corporate ladder
and succeed at the top level of
accounting, giving individuals
the opportunity
to choose which type of
accountancy role and the
organisation they wish to
work for.
The course has a high focus
on professional values, ethics
and governance and requires
each student to complete
a series of examinations
at a fundamental and
advanced level, record 36
months of experience in a
relevant accounting role and
complete a Professional Ethics
module.
The ACCA qualification is
flexible and self-paced,
allowing students the
opportunity to choose how
they study, how often they
will sit for examinations and
where they can get their
relevant practical experience.
Students can choose a
variety of different study
options, including a fulltime course, part-time or
evening courses and distance
learning.
However, new students
who register from March
onwards must complete all
professional level papers
within a seven-year time
limit.

l CPA Program by CPA

Australia
Recognised as one of the
worlds largest accounting
bodies, CPA Australia has
more than 150,000 members
working in 120 countries.
The core services offered to
its members include
education, training, technical
support and advocacy.
The Certified Public
Accountant Program (CPA
Program) endorsed by CPA
Australia moulds individuals
to become finance, accounting
and business professionals
who are widely regarded by
employers as it is an
internationally recognised

qualification.
Following an accountingrelated degree, students who
wish to become a CPA must
complete four compulsory
subjects that are ethics and
governance, financial
reporting, strategic
management accounting, and
global strategy and leadership
as well as two elective
subjects.
Practical experience is also
needed before one completes
the CPA Program.
The qualification indicates
soundness in depth, breadth
and quality of accounting
knowledge and the
programme uses real
business examples drawn
from current news and
legislation.

l CIMA Professional
qualification
The Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants
(CIMA) is a professional body
offering training and
qualification in management
accountancy and its related
subjects.
It is also a leading
professional body in the
areas of product costing,
budgeting, management
accounting, investment
appraisal and business
decision-making.
The CIMA Professional
qualification aims to provide
students with financial
knowledge to influence
strategic decisions and
manage performance.
Students will be able to
uphold the highest ethical and
professional standards and
have a qualification that is
relevant to current issues.
The three main pillars of
study are enterprise (how to
formulate and effectively
implement strategy),
performance (how finance
helps in formulating and
effectively implementing
strategy) and financial (how
to prepare and interpret
financial statements to make
decisions).
These subjects are further
divided into the operational,
management and strategic
level.
CIMA offers Certificate
in Business Accounting
for students with little or
no accounting background,
which is the basis for its
CIMA Professional
qualification.
The professional body also
has award-winning Islamic
finance qualifications at the
certificate, diploma and
advanced diploma level.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

postgraduate 3

Engaging in
a constant
learning curve
> FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
To become a Chartered
Certified Accountant, you need
to learn a broad range of topics
such as law, financial reporting,
auditing and basically
everything you will need to
know to be a financial
professional.
That is the reason for the
popularity of the ACCA
qualification it makes you
more versatile.
The ACCA does not train you
to be an entry-level accountant
but somebody with the skills to
be a finance manager or a chief
financial officer of a company,
says Acquah.
Acquah adds that the course
is structured with a wide
breadth of knowledge and
theoretical concepts that will be
useful throughout ones
accounting career and even at a
higher management level.
Acquah is a regional
reporting lead at a worldleading company that supplies
technology, integrated project
management and information
solutions to customers in the oil
and gas industry.
He says, A professional
qualification says something
about you, for example, it
shows what you have studied,
and that your ethical
dimensions and decisionmaking skills are strong.

Future opportunities
Twenty-eight-year-old Linus
Ng, who works as a senior
associate in one of the Big Four
network of companies, is
another individual who
has completed his ACCA
qualification and believes
the certification helps anyone
who intends to build a career
in the field of accountancy or
finance.
Many accountants will try to
work with the Big Four and the
ACCA qualification will give
them that avenue.
Although firms do hire
individuals with other degrees
or from non-accounting
backgrounds based on their
personal attributes, including
attitude, personality and
willingness to learn, individuals
who complete a professional
qualification will have an edge
over other entry-level
applicants and this will give
them an added boost of
confidence, he says.
Ng, who completed his
module papers while working
at an auditing firm, says the
experience allowed him to
better understand the
fundamental theories and
application of some of the
auditing solutions as he came
across them during his work.

ACCA-certified accountant Linus

Ng believes that professional
certification will aid anyone who
hopes to advance their careers.

Continuous growth

The advantages of having a

professional qualification do
not stop at having a certificate
or a professional title added to
your name.
Upon completion of the
qualification and with relevant
work experience, individuals
can become members of these
international bodies and
continue their learning process.
The ACCA, for example, is
not like a degree where you go
off once you graduate.
As a member, I have to
submit a Continuos
Professional Development form
stating what I have learnt in the
past year and to provide
evidence of how I have
improved as an accountant
before I can renew my
membership every year, says
Acquah.
As a professional, I also
value the amount of online
material provided by the ACCA
as I get to know about new
accounting standards, the
issues that are being discussed
on the global landscape and
new accounting methods.
Due to the never-ending
learning curve and how highly
it is regarded by companies,
professional qualifications such
as the one accredited by the
ACCA are therefore highly
recommended in the field of
accountancy.
Companies will always be
supportive of their staff who
take the initiative to pursue
such courses as they will
eventually be able to reap the
rewards under the guidance of
skilled and highly trained
professionals who combine
their acquired knowledge with
work experience.
Just as German philosopher
Immanuel Kant said,
Experience without theory is
blind, but theory without
experience is mere intellectual
play.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

4 postgraduate

Leading the way

ACCORDING to Prof Dr Noor
Raihan, dean of UNITAR
International Universitys Asia
Graduate School of Business
(AGSB), most postgraduate students
have at least five years of work
experience with some already at
managerial level and are seeking
to go to a higher level.
What they require now are
strategic thinking skills and not
merely the ability to oversee
day-to-day operations, she says.
The skills required are beyond
conceptual and technical
managers need to be able to think
strategically to meet the
requirements of specific business
environments.
Businesses operate in a highly
competitive environment where
every decision has its risk and
potential return. This makes a
managers role as a decision maker
more challenging.
A masters programme in
business administration or
management offered by most
graduate schools focuses on
managing the day-to-day
operations of functional areas in
finance, accounting, economics and
marketing.
The strategic thinking
component, which integrates each
functional area into a holistic

system, is only emphasised

towards the end of the
programme, says Prof Raihan.
AGSB embeds strategic thinking
from the beginning and
throughout the programme,
exposing students to strategic
planning in all areas of business
and in making overall business
strategies for the organisation.
In a competitive industry, AGSB
differentiates itself by employing
the UNITAR Education Core
(UNIEC) teaching and learning
approach to enhance students
understanding of the market and
industry as a whole.
Part of UNITARs mission is
to provide access to learning.
Last year, AGSB revised all
programmes to be offered on a
modular basis to accommodate
the working adult segment.
AGSB has introduced the
modular-based structure where
students can study one course in
the first half of a semester and
learn another course in the second
half. This allows students to
concentrate on one course at a
time.
The school applies the flippedclassroom approach in which
students receive the required
materials prior to a class to
prepare for discussion.

Active discussions take place

through face-to-face classes and
online forums uploaded on UNIEC
Virtual.
This concept enables students to
carry out hands-on applications of
theory and problem-solving in
class via role-play, debates and
case studies as well as interact
with the lecturer and peers via
video conferencing.
AGSB believes that industry
input is an integral part of the
discovery of knowledge. Students
are exposed to real and current
issues by industry experts who are
part of the AGSB teaching team,
allowing for the seamless linking
of theories to real practices.
Prof Raihan believes that future
leaders and managers of the
industry should be nurtured with
good values and lead with
sensitivity to the local and global
community needs.
The school is premised on the
philosophy that everyone has the
potential to lead with values.
Managers shoulder a vital
responsibility in showing
directions and ensuring that goals
are met for the benefit of the
greater community. We emphasise
professional ethics and values
throughout our programme, she
says.

Prof Dr Noor Raihan (second from right) engaging with students of UNITAR
International Universitys Asia Graduate School of Business.

AGSB collaborates with relevant

industry partners in delivering the
curriculum. Frost & Sullivan
Malaysia, one of UNITARs industry
partners, has recently collaborated
with AGSB to be part of the
teaching team of AGSB.
The collaboration involves
experts from Frost & Sullivan
participating in giving lectures and
assessments in class.
Some sessions will be telecast
live to regional centres nationwide
so that all students can participate
and benefit from the industry-led
class activities regardless of their
locations.
AGSB offers business

administration as well as
management programmes at
masters and PhD levels.
While the business
administration programmes
cover areas from finance to
marketing, the management
programmes focus on managing
people, including leadership,
psychology, organisational
development and ethics.
The upcoming intakes for
UNITARs postgraduate studies
are open till Feb 14.

n For more information, call

03-7627 7200, e-mail enquiries@
unitar.my or visit www.unitar.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

postgraduate 5

Dr Tan believes that engineering graduates and professional engineers

who wish to make a change in their career should leverage on the
masters programme to capitalise on the emerging trends of green
energy and sustainable living.

Possessing
the green
advantage
SUSTAINABILITY is the
latest buzzword for developed
and industrialised economies,
especially as governments
seek new energy sources
and ways to optimise efficiency.
Monash University Malaysias
Master of Advanced Engineering
(Energy and Sustainability),
which commences in
February, will incorporate
aspects of energy use,
conservation, sustainability,
management and processing
in areas such as water and
lighting.

Focus on
sustainability
Traditional undergraduate
engineering programmes
only gloss over these subjects,
says Dr Kenny Tan Boon Thong,
senior lecturer and course
coordinator (mechanical)
in the School of Engineering.
But these days, a strong
emphasis is placed by
governments on corporations to
clean up their act.
As such, there is a need for
more engineers who specialise
in these areas.
Dr Tan believes that
engineering graduates and
professional engineers who
wish to make a change in their
career should leverage on
the masters programme to
capitalise on the emerging
trends of green energy and
sustainable living.
He adds that as many
companies begin incorporating
sustainability into their
practices, more job opportunities
are being created in processing
and energy sectors as well as
consulting.

Nurturing innovative
engineers

Malaysia has acknowledged

the importance of such issues by
establishing the Ministry of
Energy, Green Technology and
Water in 2009 and the
Renewable Energy Act 2011 to
encourage organisations to
produce electricity from
renewable sources, reduce
carbon emissions and drive
advancement in green
technologies.
The masters programme
accepts students with a
bachelors degree in any
engineering discipline as it
incorporates elements of
electrical, chemical and
mechanical engineering.
According to Dr Tan, this gives
graduates an advantage.
Graduates will have
fundamental knowledge of
broad areas related to energy
and sustainability instead of
starting from ground zero
when joining a consultancy, he
says.
The course also features some
unique subjects, including
intelligent lighting and
engineering entrepreneurship,
where students are taught how
to commercialise an idea or
innovation.
The masters programme can
be completed full time or part
time for the duration of one year
and two years respectively.
Classes are taught from 6pm to
9pm.

n For more information about

the Master of Advanced
Engineering (Energy and
Sustainability), visit
www.monash.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

6 postgraduate

OUM welcomes its

postgraduate learners

New brand, new

leader at the helm

THIS year sees a great change

for the Open University Malaysia
(OUM) family. Prof Datuk Dr
Mansor Fadzil has been
appointed as the new President
and Vice-Chancellor.
As part of the pioneering
group of 1999, Prof Mansor has
served under both the Founding
President/Vice-Chancellor
Allahyarham Tan Sri Datuk Dr
Abdullah Sanusi Ahmad and
predecessor Prof Emeritus Tan
Sri Anuwar Ali.
Formally trained as an
engineer, he joined the

University of Malaya (UM) as a

lecturer after graduating from
the University of Sheffield,
United Kingdom, in 1985.
It was during his time at UM
that he began to realise a
personal interest in online
learning; he played an
instrumental role in introducing
the approach to lecturers in
1998.
Prof Mansor is honoured to
be given this opportunity to
lead OUM and says he plans to
continue the good work brought
about by Prof Anuwars

excellent leadership.
His appointment is part of a
bigger expansion move whereby
the newly rebranded OUM
Education group now
encompasses the three existing
institutions: OUM (part-time
learning for working adults),
Institute of Professional
Development (professional and
career-applicable learning) and
International Open College (fulltime programmes).

n For more information,

visit www.oum.edu.my

OUM experienced a good turnout of new and potential learners on its

Postgraduate Open Day.

THE Postgraduate Open Day at

Open University Malaysia (OUM)
saw an overwhelming number of
new and potential learners eagerly
coming through the doors to
understand the universitys
blended-learning pedagogy.
Newly appointed President and
Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr
Mansor Fadzil, along with many
senior members, staff and
academicians of the university,
were present to meet the learners.
Prof Mansor said he was
appreciative of the turnout
especially since it was a Sunday
and that the university tried its
best to accommodate individuals
questions and educational needs.
Learners attended seminars and
briefings on postgraduate courses,

including communication,
psychology, occupational health
and safety, Islamic studies, project
management and early childhood.
Rebates for all diploma,
degree, masters and doctoral
programmeswere offered to
students who registered that
weekend.
Additionally, learners aged 60 to
74 benefit from 75% off course fees
while 75-year-olds and above study
for free.
The January intake is still open
for registration.
To register, visit fastrac.oum.edu.
my or walk into any of OUMs 34
learning centres nationwide.
l OUM speedline: 03-2773 2121
l WhatsApp: 012-303 9934 / 35
l E-mail: enquiries@oum.edu.my

Learner speaks
Ahmad Hazriq Azalan,
Master of Project
Management
Vice president (corporate
planning, risk
management and internal
audit)
AHMAD, who is based
in Jakarta, flew
down to Kuala
Lumpur for the
Postgraduate
Open Day.
When I
decided to
further my
studies, my
challenge was
to find a
programme
that would
suit my
circumstances.
An online
search led me
to OUM and its
open and distance
learning system,
says Ahmad.

According to the programme

coordinators who were really
helpful in attending to me, I
am the only one in my batch
who is based outside the
country. I chose to study
here in Kuala Lumpur
because at OUM, you can opt
to pursue any of the
programmes online via
various learning
methods, mainly
OUMs virtual
learning system.
The
programme
coordinators were
also willing to
provide audio and
video recordings
for all my classes.
Moreover, I was
given the contact
numbers of the
lecturers and
facilitators for all
my subjects this
semester.
This was my first time
touring the facilities, going

into lecture rooms and seeing

OUMs learning systems. I must
say, I was impressed, he says.
The course fees are also
competitive and, looking at the
number of learners enrolled in
the programmes and the number
of people here today, it seems that
OUM is the preferred choice for
working adults.
Ahmads parents who
accompanied him to the event
also attended the briefings,
speeches and tours.
His mother comments, Coming
here with my son is definitely
time not wasted. It gives me the
urge to want to further my studies
too, especially after hearing that
senior citizens get 75% off their
fees.
Having been a teacher for
many years and now working in
the Education Ministry, I do think
that OUMs facilities, curriculum
and learning methods are very
good, especially for working
adults. I am strongly thinking of
pursuing the Doctor in Education
programme next year.

Many learners turned up with families in tow for the Open Day.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

postgraduate 7

VC COLUMN
ONE of the regular features of the
end of the old year and start of the
new one is the flurry of education
fairs that take place around the
country.
As higher education is a major
investment, it is one of the most
difficult choices that many of us
will make.
In his opening speech at the Star
Education Fair, Higher Education
Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh
likened the whole process to the
journey of Star Wars, citing the
many difficulties and challenges
that arise on the higher education
journey.
Selecting a course of study is an
important decision; what and
where we study (and how well we
do it) has a major impact on our
long-term success as well as
economic and social well-being.
Making a choice is difficult due
to the diverse options available
and because it is tough to evaluate
those options and determine which
one is best for you.
In addition to the public
education system and the widely
used option of studying overseas,
there is a diverse private sector
comprising broad-based
universities, campuses of
prestigious international
universities and specialist higher
education colleges and institutes.
With this diversity of institutions
comes a diversity of qualifications.
An institution might offer its own
degree or diploma, a franchised

Making the right choice

Your university of choice should offer the right study environment that makes student life exciting.

programme, a validated award or

a professional award.
Besides Malaysia, the award
could come from any number of
countries, including the United
Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand,
India, China and the United States.
With such a comprehensive
range of qualifications available,
the challenge is to find the best
option. What makes this choice
difficult is that higher education
is hard to evaluate in advance.
Until you actually start your
study, how do you really know an
institutions quality of education?
Before you join an institution,
how can you be sure that the
student experience will be good?

By PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW
And until you have graduated,
how would you know whether
your qualification can help you
get the job and career that you are
looking for?
There is no shortage of
information from education
exhibitions, institution open days,
league tables, rankings,
brochures, advertising and,
increasingly, social networks

and social media.

All these have value and can
help in the choice of institution
and qualification.
Sometimes, however, there is
too much information available
every institution can claim to be
outstanding, excellent, globally
recognised, highly rated by
employers and so on and those
making their choice of study will
find it difficult to judge whether a
given institution can live up to its
claims.
On top of these, there is the
tremendous variation in fees to
consider.
There is no easy way to handle
all of this information, but there

are ways to simplify the process.

Determining the subject and
type of qualification you want to
pursue will narrow down the
range of options to be considered.
Budget considerations can further
narrow down the available
choices.
Gathering information about
the institution will help you
understand the quality of what is
offered this is where national
rankings and international
leagues tables can be of value.
It is also helpful to listen to
what others have to say. One of
the best ways to find out about
the quality of an institution is to
hear the opinion of those who
have studied there.
If you want to know what the
student life will be like and the
range of extracurricular activities
available, then there is no
substitute for participating in an
open day.
The phrase see before you
buy makes good sense when you
are considering an investment as
major as postgraduate education.

n Prof Christine Ennew is the

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

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2015

8 postgraduate

Learning from the best

THE thought of taking up a PhD
programme came about when
I realised the importance in
keeping myself updated as
a university lecturer to
avoid being made
obsolete in the future.
The wake-up call for
me was when I heard
about the
Governments plan to
produce 60,000 PhD
holders by 2020, just
four years from
now.
The other factor
was my habit of

taking up challenging tasks.

I knew that the journey to
attaining a PhD was going to be
difficult especially at my age and
with my full-time work schedule.
However, as the saying goes,
When there is a will there is a
way and it was then that I
made up my mind to pursue my
PhD.
There were ample universities
for me to choose from to pursue
my PhD. However, because I
wanted a course that provided me
with a flexible mode of study, I
did not choose a conventional
university.

Instead, I found that Asia e

University (AeU) offered PhD
programmes with the criteria
that I had been looking for, with
an added bonus of tuition fee
discounts for senior citizens.
AeU is a dual-mode
international university
established with the support of
33 Asia Cooperation member
countries.
It was this that convinced me
that AeU would be able to help
me achieve my goal to obtain a
PhD.
In January 2010, I enrolled in
a PhD course in education to
advance my nursing education.
It was an eventful five-year
journey for me but I do not
have any regrets.
I had a good experience
studying in AeU, enjoying the
research workshops and
colloquium where I learnt so
much.
I learnt more than I could
have in a conventional
university because I could
listen to my lectures repeatedly
until I mastered the learning
concepts such as the
quantitative and qualitative
methods as well as statistical
analyses involved.
I looked forward to attending
the research workshops
conducted each semester. I
attended all the workshops
whenever my schedule allowed
me to.
I gained the opportunity to
learn from experienced
lecturers, including Prof Dr
Siow Heng Lok and dean of
School of Graduate Studies, and
Dr Soon Seng Thah, former
president of SPSS Users
Association.
The other learning
opportunity that I looked
forward to was the colloquium
that included many
international guest speakers
who shared their experience
on PhD supervision and
expectations, including
chairman of Unesco
(United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization).
I also learnt from a Harvard
University lecturer how to look
for academic literature online
via Google Scholar.
Another learning experience
that I appreciated was the
research clinic where I was able
to consult the lecturer regarding
my research proposal, where I
finally decided on my area of
study.
Through attending workshops
and the colloquium, I gained the
opportunity to meet and share
my experience with
coursemates from different
backgrounds such as music,
information technology (IT),
army, business and law, among
others.
Besides this, AeU provided me
with adequate online resources
that were useful for my studies.
I did not need to come to the
library to get information

There were
ample
universities
for me to
choose from
to pursue my
PhD. However,
because I
wanted a course
that provided me
with a flexible
mode of study,
I did not choose
a conventional
university.
Dr Than Soo Nyet

because I did my search online.

The librarians were helpful in
teaching me how to use online
materials as I was not very
IT-savvy at that point.
After five years of study, I am
now confident to do an online
search and this has taught me
to appreciate the power of
information technology in
acquiring knowledge and
learning.
In fact, I am now planning to
use emerging technologies to
conduct my teaching at my
workplace in the future.

About AeU
AeU is a collaborative
multinational university
established under the auspices
of the 33 Asia Cooperation
Dialogue Countries (ACD).
All its academic programmes
are internationally
benchmarked, approved by the
Malaysian Ministry of Education
and accredited by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency.
As an open distance learning
university, AeU today has an
enrolment of more than 22,000
students internationally in
65 countries and has more than
7,000 graduates thus far, with
a diverse and international
community of about 1,000 fellow
doctoral students from 46
countries.
AeUs programmes are
designed and customised for
working adults to accommodate
their various lifestyles.
With AeUs personalised
learning, students are in the
drivers seat always moving
forward and being in control of
their education. By Dr Than
Soo Nyet
Dr Than Soo Nyet is a PhD
graduate and alumna of
Asia e University (AeU).

n For more information,

call 1300 300 238 or visit
www.aeu.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

postgraduate 9

Nicholas Fong: Pursuing an MBA with an engineering background has provided me with a career
opportunity in the finance industry.

Merging
expertise
PURSUING a masters in business
administration (MBA) is a journey that
requires strong determination due to the
workload and commitment involved.
As a technically trained engineering
graduate, pursuing this qualification has
enabled me to gain business insights and
placed me in a better position to hold
managerial responsibility.
I have no regrets in pursuing this
qualification as it has transformed me from
a technical individual into one with business
acumen.
After I graduated with my undergraduate
degree and started working in the
engineering field, I realised that engineering
was not my cup of tea. I found myself more
interested in business strategy and financial
management.
Being an engineering graduate, it was
difficult to search for jobs within my field of
interest. However, since pursuing my MBA, I
have been given an opportunity in the
banking sector to pursue my interest.
Pursuing an MBA with an engineering
background has provided me with a career
opportunity in the finance industry, which
looks for individuals with strong analytical
aptitude, top-notch logical skills and good
business acumen.
It is important to choose a reputable MBA
programme. My main selection criterion is
the accreditation and the institution ranking
of where the degree is offered.
Another consideration is the type of
individuals joining this programme. Having
peers with working experience is essential to
share knowledge and real-life experiences,
which improves one anothers business
knowledge and skills on top of classroom
learning.
I chose part-time study as it allowed me to

test my own capabilities while continually

gaining work experience. The work
experience gained could be shared in my
group discussions and vice versa.
Throughout the MBA programme, I
enjoyed group assignments the most as they
involved the exchange of knowledge and
opinions from people of different
backgrounds and exposures.
Furthermore, group assignments enable
individuals to identify their weaknesses,
areas of improvement and people
management skills.
My current role at work focuses on
finance management involving cost savings
and project enhancement. This role requires
me to analyse the feasibility of implementing
projects such as ROI (return on investment)
computation and cost-benefit analysis.
My engineering background has
developed my analytical thinking skills while
the MBA has developed my strategic thinking
abilities.
Since I have just graduated from my MBA
from the University of Strathclyde, my next
career move will be related to business
strategy planning.
For those who wish to undertake
postgraduate study especially part time, my
advice is to be mentally prepared as it
requires determination and perseverance.
Although the journey is challenging, the
experience is worthwhile as the satisfaction
achieved is priceless. By Nicholas Fong
Kin Soon
Fong earned his MBA from the University
of Strathclyde and is working as a manager
(strategic planning).

n For more information, visit www.cdc.edu.

my or call 03-7660 8950 ext 109 (Edahani).

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

10 postgraduate

RECENTLY, Sunway University

welcomed 30 new students from
eclectic backgrounds into its
Master of Business Administration
(MBA) programme.
Many are aspiring managers
with vast working experiences in
industries such as medicine,
pharmacy, accountancy, banking,
programming, telecommunications,
quantity survey and architecture.
As Sunway University offers
one of the regions premier
postgraduate programmes with
provision of a solid academic base,
practical knowledge and corporate
networks, it is no surprise that
many progressive professionals
choose Sunway Universitys MBA.
The university specialises in
assisting large pools of aspiring
business leaders from diverse
industries to better understand the
requirements and demands of an
ever-changing business world.
The programme strengthens and
develops students knowledge,
skills and competencies while
nurturing attitudes, enabling them
to achieve their highest potential
within their chosen professional
business arena.
The two-year part-time MBA
programme offers a high degree of
flexibility to accommodate busy
working lifestyles in any industry.
This allows students to advance
their career while pursuing a
postgraduate degree.
Many MBA candidates would
have lost touch with academic
studies by the time they enrol in
the programme.

University of diversity

Dr Sureshkumar is pursuing Sunway Universitys MBA to enhance his

managerial knowledge.

With this in mind, Sunways

MBA programme is tailored to
enable students to get back on the
academic learning track within a
short time.
The first day includes orientation
with quick updates on referencing
styles, guides, tools and database.
The positive learning
environment and team culture
of the programme ensure that all

candidates get the most out of the

programme.
Given the varied working
experience each individual has
already accumulated, the
programme serves to enhance its
candidates business acumen by
providing a thorough knowledge of
the latest management theories
and tools.
It also provides a discussion

platform on which every

individual can brainstorm and
offer insights from their unique
perspective. This encourages
students to work and learn in
multidisciplinary occupational
groups.
Friendships and networks
formed during the course of study
is an invaluable resource for
graduates of the programme and
may assist with ongoing future
business development.
Participants can expect and
experience an unprecedented
personal transformation in their
lives, boasting better-honed
cognitive and collaborative skills,
judgment and decision-making
abilities upon graduating from this
programme.
Among the many students
who enjoyed the orientation was
Dr Sureshkumar V.Kumarasingam,
a medical doctor with 10 years of
clinical work experience.
He works in the pathology
department of a government
hospital in Kuala Pilah as the unit
head for blood and transfusion
services. His position involves
managing non-clinical employees
who assist in the day-to-day
administration of the blood bank.
His desire to enhance his
managerial knowledge drove him
to pursue the MBA.

Ive been to numerous MBA

previews offered by various
institutions in addition to Sunway.
I chose Sunway University due to
its partnership with the United
Kingdoms Lancaster University,
whose MBA is triple accredited.
I feel that no other university in
Malaysia can offer such a highranking MBA degree. This triple
accreditation, I believe, gives an
edge to the programme, says
Dr Sureshkumar.
For the father of two young
boys and a girl, he will face the
challenges of juggling studies,
work and family.
However, Dr Sureshkumar
feels that with the support and
encouragement of Sunways
faculty, who are among the best
management consultants,
educators and research scholars
in the world, he will overcome
the challenges and be in an even
stronger position for a better
future.
Individuals interested in the
dual-award MBA programme
can join a preview session on
Saturdays in January from noon
to 2pm at Sunway University
Graduate Centre.

n For more information, call

03-7491 8701 or visit www.sunway.
edu.my/university/MBA

Striking a balance
FOR the working adult, beginning a
postgraduate degree or professional
qualification can be daunting.
In addition to balancing the demands of
a full-time job, one has to allocate enough
time and energy for the respective course
requirements, which may include online
assessments, periodic assignments and
face-to-face classes.
For others, the decision to pursue further
study may require them to juggle family
responsibilities.
Here are five key steps to successfully
navigate through work and study:
l Study space
Studying at home can be particularly
challenging as you may be distracted by
your children, television or telephone.
It is important that you have a quiet space
in your home such as a study room so that
you can study without any interruption.

l Plan ahead
As you progress through your course, you
will be clearly informed about the topics that
are covered in your semester and when you
will be required to hand in assignments or
sit for various assessments. Make sure you
set aside additional study time during these
periods.
It is also a good idea to research and start
on your assignments much earlier so that
you do not need to rush when the deadlines
draw near.

l Take a break
It is perfectly fine to take a break from
your studies every now and again to clear
your mind. Spend some time in the
playground with the children or go out on a
date with your spouse.
Not only will your family enjoy having
your presence but you will be fully energised
and motivated for the days ahead until your
next outing.

Aside from
work, set aside
time for studies
and family.

l Limit social and leisure outings

As a working adult, you are bound to be
invited to social events after working hours
or over the weekend.
Take the opportunity to do so but be
disciplined enough to limit the time you
spend at these outings.
Remember that these outings will take
away your usual studying time and you will
need to either extend your studying time on
other nights or make additional study
sessions in the following days.

l Be in contact with peers

If you are pursuing your course in a
tertiary institution, you are likely to meet
other working professionals taking the same
postgraduate course.
Staying in touch with them throughout the
duration of your degree will be useful should
you need any clarification or a second
opinion on your coursework.
Having a group discussion with your peers
will also encourage an exchange of ideas
about the theories taught in each unit.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2015

11

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

12 postgraduate

THE Management & Science

University (MSU) is one of
Malaysias top universities.
It focuses strongly on in-demand
areas of study, which encompass
medicine, health sciences,
pharmacy, information sciences
and engineering, business
management and professional
studies, education, social sciences,
hospitality, culinary arts, music,
and fashion.
MSU has received much
recognition from Malaysian and
international independent bodies.
It has been rated as an Excellent
Status University twice by the
Higher Education Ministry through
a rating system for all universities
in Malaysia.
MSU is also accredited by the
Accreditation Services for
International Colleges (ASIC), the
United Kingdom, and the Alliance
on Business Education and
Scholarship for Tomorrow
(ABEST21), Japan.
MSUs Graduate School of
Management (GSM) recognises that
todays global companies require
managers with a broader outlook.
The university attracts
top students through its
internationalisation effort of
employing faculty members with
overseas experience and forming
effective links with businesses.
The Master in Business
Administration by MSU (MSU-MBA)
offers students an experiential
learning opportunity in crosscultural communications, building

DISCREPANCIES in taxes and

financial reporting can cause a
massive headache for accountants
and financial officers of an
organisation.
Misreporting income and stating
incorrect employment figures that
go undetected can cause the
company to undergo external
audits and face stiff penalties.
Here are five mistakes that are
commonly made by companies
when it comes to accounting
and finance:
Saving financial data on personal
devices
Employees may have the
intention of completing work
from home or while on the move.
They then decide to save
confidential company information
on their USBs or other personal
devices.
However, danger arises if
unfortunate events occur such as
misplacing their USBs or having
their laptop stolen. In the wrong
hands, this information can cause
companies their hard-earned
reputation.
All companies must proactively
educate their employees on a strict
information technology security
policy, including the dangers of
saving company data on personal
devices.

Creating global leaders

The Master in Business Administration by MSU programme equips graduates

with leadership and strategic management skills.

a global network and possibly

creating a future international
career.
In addition, students are able to
develop management skills and
techniques, obtain strategic
orientation and implement the
strategies formulated.
The MSU-MBA helps students
develop skills in leadership,
entrepreneurship, strategic
management and decision-making

so that they become successful

leaders in the most competitive
markets.
The programme aims to build
on the foundations of work
experience and, by equipping
students with new skills and
knowledge, enable them to make a
smooth transition to a higher level
of responsibility.
The MSU-MBA provides
sufficient knowledge for students

to understand the various facets

of an organisation to formulate
successful strategies. It also instils
confidence in them.
The MSU-MBA is popular with
employers as it is a recognised
currency in the human resources
marketplace. Employers know the
value of the qualification and what
they can expect from an MBA
graduate.
They also recognise the
commitment shown by MSU-MBA
students in investing heavily in
their careers. Such candidates are
likely to be dynamic self-starters
who will be an asset to any
organisation.
Active learning exercises within
the programme act as a basis for
verbal analysis and discussion,
allowing for a rich learning
environment through the
integration of classroom with
real-world experiences.
These exercises broaden
students understanding of issues
by inviting them to think beyond
their learning materials. New
terms and concepts are defined in
the margins to facilitate learning.
GSM has established
collaborative educational links
with a number of top overseas
universities, including those in the
UK, the United States, Australia,

n For more information,

call 03-2718 4302/4300/4301 or
e-mail gsm@msu.edu.my or visit
www.msu.edu.my

information between all

employees.
However, manually inputting
data into the enterprise system
increases human error, disrupts
the flow of information and leads
to bigger financial errors.
Even if companies spot these
errors, overriding the data in the
system and recalculating the
figures using different programs
can lead to confusion among its
users.
Inputting figures that are
calculated outside a central tax or
accounting program will also make
it difficult for internal and external
auditors as it does not leave any
paper trail.
Should there be a need to revise
specific figures and data, the
ability to do so must be left to the
heads of department or higher
management.

Working on a public Wi-Fi

network
It is not uncommon to spot
people in business suits scrolling
through their mobile phones or
working intensely on their laptop
at cafs or transportation hubs.
Whether it is to prepare for
business meetings or finish some
work while commuting to a

New Zealand, South Korea, Japan,

Germany, Russia and China.
The Global Mobility Programme
is a means to provide MSU
postgraduate students with
international exposure.
Through this programme,
students have the opportunity to
develop an awareness and
appreciation of other cultures,
political and economic
environments, and approaches of
doing business.
Professors of the MSU-MBA are
accomplished teachers who have
made significant contributions to
the business world, both as
academics and working
professionals.
They have conducted research
and published articles across a
broad range of business and
professional areas. They have also
taught university-level business
courses abroad, thus bringing their
rich multicultural experience to
Malaysia.
Professors at MSU are selected
worldwide from among the best
consultants and professionals in
their fields.

Avoiding common mistakes

corporate event, accessing sensitive
company information via a public
Wi-Fi network is extremely
dangerous.
This is in addition to working on
documents that are stored on the
cloud. Public Wi-Fi connections are
not secured and this leaves
company data prone to hacking
and an easy target for cyber theft.
Companies need to ensure
that employees use only a virtual
private or secured network
when accessing company
information.

Accidentally deleting Excel

formulae used for corporate
tax documents
As a result of human error such
as accidentally deleting
formulae and keying in wrong
numbers into the spreadsheet,
miscalculating corporate tax data
on Excel can create a long list of
problems for companies.
Although Microsoft provides
a number of ways to prevent
formula problems, Excel was
not made to handle extensive
accounting information.

Companies must invest in an

accounting or tax software that is
designed to handle specific
accounting needs.
Constantly overriding data in
enterprise systems
Enterprise systems are largescale applications software that
support business processes,
information flows, reporting and
data analytics in corporations.
The data on these systems are
often shared between departments
to ensure a smooth flow of

Closing books prematurely and

modifying asset information
from previous years
Another mistake made by
accountants is prematurely
closing books before all the
requisite data has been collected.
The problem is further
exacerbated when these errors go
unnoticed and are carried over for
a number of years.
In addition, reusing the previous
years annual plan and merely
changing a few numbers will not
suffice for any business.
Taking into account the changes
that can arise within a year such as
costs, business models and
industry regulations, what may
have worked in the previous year
may not work again for the
following year.