THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

special

Going beyond
medicine

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

2 postgraduate

Healthcares silent heroes

By TINA CARMILLIA
THERE is more to healthcare than just
doctors, nurses and pharmacists. There
is an entire team of professionals that
runs a hospital that a patient may never

March
2014
First Ebola case reported in Guinea.
Key players:
Local health officers alerted; eventually, the
local health ministry alerts the regional World
Health Organization (WHO) office for Africa

Measures taken to control the

outbreak and prevent its spread.
Key players:
Health ministry, WHO and its
partners

see while he or she seeks treatment

for an ailment.
Administrative staff, biomedical
engineers, IT professionals, medical
microbiologists and toxicologists are
some of the few who make up the
vibrant and diverse healthcare industry.
On a larger scale, policy makers, law
enforcers, researchers, public health
officers and social workers are also key
players in the efforts to promote health
and prevent diseases through an
organised and informed manner at the
national and global levels.
The interdisciplinary approach is
multifaceted but all-encompassing to
incorporate epidemiology, biostatistics,
environmental health, health economics,
public policy, insurance medicine and

other health services.

The importance of the different
professions and roles in the public
healthcare industry can be illustrated
using the recent global Ebola epidemic.
There are many professionals and
agencies involved in containing,
treating, researching, consulting and
ensuring the logistics, policy making and
cure of an epidemic.
Dealing with an epidemic or
pandemic requires a coordinated effort
by a team of health professionals,
including clinicians, laboratory
personnel and public health officials.
In addition, the assistance of other
non-health ministries, including the
security services, immigration, animal
husbandry services and the mass media,

Deployment of multi-disciplinary teams to

detect and manage cases, trace contacts,
conduct diagnosis of more cases and set up
isolation facilities.

Ground Zero" in Guinea is visited.

Key players:
Laboratories in France and West Africa

may have to be sought, says Prof Victor

Lim, professor of pathology at the
International Medical University.
But what are the general timeline and
important steps to be taken in this type
of medical development process?
What are the funds and expertise
required? What are the first responses
towards ensuring public health and
awareness from the medical profession?
Who are involved and what do they do
first?
The infographic below provides a
simplified version of the global
healthcare responses and
responsibilities based on the recent
Ebola outbreak.

> SEE PAGE 4

Public information reported at Geneva press

conference, alerting challenges that include
geographical dispersion, public fear and
misperception.

Key players:
Global Outbreak Alert and Response
Network headed by senior field
epidemiologist; staff includes clinical
case management and logistics experts

Key players:
Public health officials

End April / Early May

Mid April

More than 200 cases in Guinea, 25 cases in

Liberia and three unconfirmed cases in Sierra
Leone. More experts deployed with
broadened scope.

Mobilisation of new medical team

of physicians with expertise in
infection prevention and control,
and intensive care.

Mobilised new
medical
teamand
Strengthening
of alert
systems
of physicians with
expertise
implementation
of international
in infection
prevention and
health regulations.
control, intensive care

168 cases in Guinea and 108 deaths

reported. Alert is issued on epidemiological
surveillance and biosafety measures.

Key players:
Medical anthropologists, risk communicators,
social mobilisation teams

Key players:
WHO, specialist physicians

Key players:
Key players:
All health
ministers
WHO, specialist physicians

Key players:
Regional public health officials

June

June-July

Cross-border surveillance in designated

hot zones to ensure contact tracing and
monitoring during incubation period.

Level 3 emergency is declared, urgent ministerial

meeting called to address political and trade
dimensions.

Key players:
Medical professionals, border security,
police and military forces

Key players:
WHO is the only agency with experience,
constitutional mandate and country presence to
lead responses to engage health officials from
African countries, and representatives of trade,
airline and mining companies

December-February 2015
Two vaccine candidates enter clinical trial.
Field trial begins in February.
Key players:
Field health workers

December

July

August

Conference for financial and in-kind

support US$100mil (RM4.3mil) needed to
support plans to build capacity for
surveillance, contact tracing, case
management and laboratory services.
Key players:
Potential donors

B
November

Diagnostic tools one of the issues faced

during the outbreak is that the tests require
specialised equipment and highly trained
personnel. A solar-powered 15-minute Ebola
diagnostic tool about the size of a laptop is
developed.
Key players:
Biomedical engineers

Declaration that Ebola outbreak constitutes a

public health emergency of international concern,
a rare declaration by WHO but intended to alert
all countries to the likelihood of international
spread after an airline passenger from Liberia
introduces the virus to Nigeria the first time it
enters a new country via international air travel.
Key players:
Emergency Committee formed under
International Health Regulations, WHO

September

Clinical trial review of protocols and data for

blood products and medicines.

New wave of even more intense transmission

Assessment of work to test Ebola vaccines.

Key players:
Scientific and technical advisory group on Ebola
experimental intervention formed by personnel
from various fields, including pathogens and
pathology, virology, biomedical research,
statistical epidemiology, military medical
research, microbiology and immunology

Key players:
Virologists, regulatory requirement experts,
medical ethicists, clinical management
experts, pharmaceutical industry
professionals

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

4 postgraduate

> FROM PAGE 2

No one knows when the next
infectious disease will strike but if
there is one thing that we have
learnt from the Ebola scare, it is
that we want to make sure there
will never be another deadly
catastrophe that is only barely
contained.
In Bill Gates March essay The
Next Epidemic Lessons from
Ebola published in The New
England Journal of Medicine, he
pointed out the complexity of
dealing with a global epidemic and
called for improvements in
preparation for the next epidemic.
One of the biggest frustrations
from the public when it comes to a
global health scare is the perceived
slow response from the medical
research community in coming up
with a cure, treatment or vaccine.
Medical professionals are in the
limelight when an epidemic occurs;
yet coming up with a cure or a
vaccine will take time.
Unfortunately the response
would be slow because time is
required to identify the cause of
the epidemic. This is especially so
when we are dealing with a new
infection.
To produce a vaccine or a drug
to counter a hitherto undescribed
infectious agent will also be time
consuming as even after the
production of such a drug or
vaccine, the drug or vaccine will
have to undergo a series of tests to
ensure both efficacy and safety
before they can be used on the
general population.
However, with better
collaboration between nations and
technological advances, the lag
time will be reduced in the future,
explains Prof Lim.

Containment and policy

At the height of the epidemic,
physicians, laboratory officers and
social workers from all around the
world risked their own lives to
study the virus, carry out contact
tracing, and monitor the cases
and contacts in almost every
community where the disease was
spreading.
Infectious diseases spread fast in
conditions of poor sanitation but
also because of the high mobility of
humans today.
The United States Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
estimated that one billion people
cross international borders each
year.
That means that besides
healthcare professionals and social
workers, border officers at every
air, land or sea checkpoint need to
be on high alert and equipped with
the training and knowledge to deal
with possible infectious diseases,
including the H1N1 flu pandemic
that affected the country.
Immigration and border
officials would require some
fundamental knowledge and basic
training in detection of infections.
This is often based on the visitors
travel history and supplemented
by some screening strategies such
as thermal screening for febrile
persons.
However, these are by no
means fool-proof. What is
important is that such personnel
are constantly updated on the
occurrence of infectious epidemics

Contributors to
global health security
in other countries and to maintain
a high state of vigilance, shares
Prof Lim.
Health officers are placed at
these ports and can conduct
random inspections and screenings
as part of the countrys policy on
disease surveillance.
In the Kuala Lumpur
International Airport, for example,
the KLIA Health Departments
main role is to prevent the entry of
diseases into the country through
air travel.
Among the units under this
department are:
l Communicable disease control
unit
l Non-communicable disease
control unit
l Health quarantine unit
l Vector borne disease control unit
l Food safety and quality unit
l Environmental sanitation and
water quality unit
l Health promotion unit
Public awareness is important
for public health. In Malaysia, the
Health Ministry plays this critical
role in health management and
disease control through its various
agencies and programmes.
While the ministry plays a lead
role in controlling an epidemic, it
works closely with other agencies
at national and international levels
to establish a robust and efficient
surveillance system to detect
clusters of cases with similar
presentation.
Besides using this surveillance
system, healthcare workers also
rely on each other to better
understand a medical condition so
that they are able to provide the
best service to the patient.
While physicians rely on
epidemiologists to learn the
patterns, causes and effects of
health and diseases in defined
populations, epidemiologists rely
on other scientific fields, including
biostatisticians, to make use of data
and analytics.
Biomedical engineers, too, rely
on the knowledge of biologists
on the behaviour of a disease to
produce therapy, diagnostic and
monitoring tools.
Such is the complexity of the
healthcare field on the global level.

The future is crowdsourcing resources

After the epidemic is over, there

will still be much to do in terms of

recovering from economic and
social impacts, as well as ensuring
vaccination, cure and/or treatment
are administered effectively to
prevent a recurrence.
As Bill Gates noted in his March
essay, Perhaps the only good news
from the tragic Ebola epidemic in
Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia is
that it may serve as a wake-up call;
we must prepare for future
epidemics of diseases that may
spread more effectively.
He warned that because there
was so little preparation in the case
of last years health crisis, the
world lost time in the current
epidemic trying to answer basic
questions about combating Ebola.
In the next epidemic, such delays
could result in a global disaster.
Gates laid down several
suggestions for how we must be
more prepared for the chance of
an epidemic, including reinforcing
basic public health systems such as
healthcare facilities, laboratories,
surveillance systems and critical
care facilities; training and
preparing personnel, including
incident managers, experts in
epidemiology and disease
surveillance, and community
leaders to lead local engagement
efforts and logistics; and exploring
the possibility of making diagnostic
tests, drugs and vaccine platforms
that can be adapted for use against
various pathogens.
His global call to action is not
unfounded indeed, the effects of
an epidemic can be felt far beyond
its health impact.
The World Bank has projected a
possible loss of US$32.6bil
(RM140.4bil) to West Africa over
the course of this year and next
year as a result of the Ebola
outbreak. Sierra Leone, for
example, did not meet its
US$220mil (RM947.5mil) worth of
diamond export last year as miners
were afraid to work in the
diamond fields, located in one of
the Ebola hotspots.
Similarly, at least one model,
presented by Australia National
University in 2004, estimated that
the global cost of lost economic
activity due to the 2002-2004 SARS
outbreak was approximately
US$80bil (RM344.5bil).
The outbreak caused disruption
to social and economic activities
ranging from the closure of
schools, hospitals and some

borders to thousands of people

being placed under quarantine.
As a result, international travel
and hotel occupancy to affected
areas in East Asia declined sharply
by 50% to 70%. Many businesses,
particularly in the tourism
industry, were suspended or failed.
What we have learned from
these recent medical crises is that
besides the healthcare personnel,
everyone plays a role too.
The public plays a crucial role
in cooperating with the authorities

in taking preventive measures.

They need to be given accurate and
timely information in a manner
that would not cause a panic.
Risk communication is an
important component in dealing
with an epidemic.
The public needs to gain the
trust of the authorities; otherwise
they will get misconceptions and
inaccurate information and engage
in activities that would hinder
rather than facilitate control
activities, concludes Prof Lim.

Readiness in
handling crises
PUBLIC health surveillance is
the basis of many health issues
affecting the world today,
including HIV/AIDS and
tuberculosis.
Healthcare professionals use
these surveillance programmes
as an early warning system for
any impending public health
concerns, document and
publish the results of
preventive measures and
interventions, set priorities and
strategies dealing with public
health problems, and track
progress towards public health
goals.
Nowadays, such systems
should involve online real-time
reporting rather than paperbased systems dependent on
the mail, and incorporate
geographical positioning
systems to allow for rapid and
graphic visual presentations
in real-time of what is
happening, explains Prof
Victor Lim, professor of
pathology at the International
Medical University.
He adds that the training of
the health personnel to use
such systems is equally
important.
Under the Health Ministrys
guidelines, healthcare
professionals play one or
several roles in the many facets
of public health, including:
l Monitoring and evaluation
l Diagnosis and investigation

l Screening and quarantine

l Public information,
education and empowerment
l Policy development, law
enforcement and regulation
l Research for drugs,
diagnostic tools, medical
procedures and others
l Healthcare services for
intervention, administering
treatment, vaccination and/or
cure
The ministry has
established a rapid response
plan to deal with these
situations. The detailed plan
identifies the key participants
and their roles and
responsibilities, says Prof Lim.
He explains that there are
also standard operating
procedures to ensure an
efficient and coordinated
response by multiple agencies
to meet the threats.
Because of the experience
gained from previous
epidemics such as Nipah and
enterovirus 71, Malaysian
healthcare professionals are
probably much better
prepared today.
The Health Ministry has
also established lines of
communication with
international and regional
agencies and receives health
intelligence on a regular and
timely basis to allow the nation
to prepare for eventualities.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

6 postgraduate

VC COLUMN

Diversity in knowledge growth

THOSE of us in higher education
have always recognised the value
of knowledge as one of the key
driving forces behind economic
growth and development.
Universities are concerned about
the knowledge business we
preserve and protect existing
knowledge and drive the creation
and sharing of new knowledge.
Higher education institutions
play a key role in ensuring
that new ideas can be used
productively by businesses,
governments and other agencies.
Educating generations of
students ensures that our societies
have a skilled and productive
workforce.
The term knowledge economy
arguably first coined by the
economist Fritz Machlup reflects
the fundamental importance of
knowledge in driving economic
growth and development.
When we discuss the idea of the
knowledge economy, it is common
to think particularly of areas such
as engineering and technology
subjects where the practical value
of new ideas and new knowledge
is most visible.
Additive manufacturing is
perhaps one of the best current
examples engineers have
IF you want an advanced
qualification that enhances your
career and increases your
knowledge in a specific field of
healthcare, you can pursue your
postgraduate degree at the
International Medical University
(IMU), Malaysias first and most
established private medical and
healthcare university founded 23
years ago.
Under its School of Postgraduate
Studies, the Master of Science
(MSc) in Environmental Health is
designed to have a flexible
modular approach, where a
student is able to accumulate
credits from completed modules.
The modules in the programme
are designed for applicants who
have basic degree qualifications in
areas such as medicine, biomedical
science, nursing, pharmaceutical
science, and environmental and
occupational health sciences.
This programme aims to
produce specialists with a strong
foundation in the broad field of
environmental health, says Prof
Stephen Periathamby Ambu,
associate dean of the School of
Postgraduate Studies.
They will be adequately trained
to improve the health of the
general population through
appropriate planning,
implementation, evaluation and
prevention of environmental issues
to mitigate diseases that threaten
public health.
The programme ensures that
students develop the capacity to
audit environmental issues,
address emergencies, carry out
investigations, monitor and
analyse environmental samples,
formulate new policies and law,
and conduct appropriate health
education workshops.
It also ensures that students

developed methods of printing in

3D that enable objects of all types
to be created from digital models
using an approach called layering
(building the object layer by layer).
It constitutes a major innovation
and is a technique that could
revolutionise many manufacturing
industries.
There are many similar
examples new composite
materials, novel forms of energy
storage, highly efficient engines,
advanced optimisation methods
and innovative forms of biomass
processing, to name a few.
So, it is hardly surprising that
higher education invests so much
in teaching and research in
engineering and technology-related
applications.
But it is essential that we do not
underestimate the importance of
developments in related areas.
Only recently, the press has
reported a decline in interest in
pure sciences at schools, which
was driven partly by a concern
about its relevance for future
careers.
There is a real danger in
underestimating the significance
of science studies.
Pure sciences play a key role in
the development of skills such

By PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW
as creativity, problem-solving,
teamwork and innovation skills
as well as in the creation of new
knowledge that underpins the
highly visible engineering-related
innovations.
Without the knowledge that
emerges from such research into
the fundamentals of physical and
life sciences, technologists would
be unable to innovate in the way
that they do.
Innovations such as the
MRI, materials for hydrogen
storage, photovoltaic cells and
environmentally friendly solvents
are all developed as a consequence
of fundamental scientific research
by physicists and chemists.
Similarly, major advances in
medicine and pharmacy are
underpinned by the research
undertaken by life scientists
(in areas such as biology,
neuroscience and biochemistry)
as well as that of the physical
scientists.
And if we are to address the

challenges of food security and

environmental sustainability,
we need access to pure sciencesrelated research.
Of course, science, engineering
and technology tend to dominate
much of our thinking in relation
to innovation.
But teaching and research in the
arts and the social sciences also
has its role to play and not just
in relation to the skills and
competencies that students develop
throughout their university
education.
Research in these areas
continues to be important, not just
in terms of understanding our
society but also in understanding
(and influencing) the behaviours,
aspirations and beliefs that ensure
social recognition and acceptance
of material innovation.
Increasingly, some of the most
exciting innovations emerge when
different disciplines work together.
Take the area of food security for
example, which may involve
multiple contributors to its
advancement molecular
biologists work to understand and
influence how plants (and animals)
grow and develop while
agricultural scientists work to
improve yields through a better

understanding of the interactions

between plants, soil, fertilisers,
pests and weather conditions.
Meanwhile, research by
engineers improves harvesting,
storage, preservation and
processing; and social scientists
address the behaviour of
individuals and organisations
to ensure the most efficient and
effective use of the food we are
finally able to produce.
What I hope this simple example
demonstrates is the importance
of a range of disciplines in driving
innovation and addressing the
great challenges that face
researchers.
Engineers cannot do this on
their own they need input from
scientists; both need perspectives
from arts and humanities.
Knowledge creation and
innovation are parts of a complex
ecosystem with lots of disciplinary
components.
Successful management of
such an ecosystem requires that
we recognise and value all of its
components.

n Prof Christine Ennew is the

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

The MSc in Environmental Health

highlights the impact of air and water
quality on human health.

As Malaysias first
private medical and
healthcare university,
IMU offers various
masters programmes
to students.

Move forward in your career

develop proactive leadership
qualities so as to foster smart
collaborative partnerships,
effective management and good
governance strategies.
Under this programme, the
curriculum highlights the impact
of various pollutants (outdoor
and indoor air/water quality) on
human health.
It introduces current methods
for assessing health impacts
and appropriate intervention
strategies to regulate and improve
environmental health.
This will enable innovations in
the management of environmental
pollution.
There is an option for students to

enrol into the National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health
Programme on Occupation Health.
Students are taught and
supervised by staff members who
are experts in their respective field
with well-established reputations
nationally and internationally.
The academic community of IMU
pursues and achieves excellence in
a wide range of research activities.
Many of them present their
findings in international
conferences to stay up to date
with the latest development in
specialised areas. They also publish
their findings in international peerreviewed journals.
On top of that, students will

benefit from the universitys

research collaborations with
various local and foreign
institutions in areas such as cancer,
bioactive molecules, nutrition and
environmental health.
Close links have also been
established with local hospitals,
especially Hospital Tuanku Jaafar,
in clinical research.
A wide spectrum of career
opportunities exists for graduates
in this expanding field, including
positions as safety, health and
environmental advisers as well as
auditors in private companies.
They can work for consultancies,
local government and public
authorities, environmental or

public advisory organisations and

agencies as well as in academia.
IMUalsooffersother masters
programmes such as the
MScinPublicHealth, MSc in
Molecular Medicine, Master
ofPharmacyPracticeas well as
MSc and PhD in Medical Health
and Sciences(byResearch).
Commencement for the
research programmes is anytime
during the year while the next
commencement for the other
postgraduate programmes is in
September.
Those who are interested to
pursue postgraduate studies can
seek sponsorship from the
Malaysian Government to finance
their postgraduate studies via the
MyBrain15 programme.
If you have an interest in
furthering your studies at the
postgraduate level in any of these
areas, apply online today and
gain an advantage in a highly
competitive employment job
market.

n For more information, call

03-2731 7272 or e-mail start@imu.
edu.my or visit www.imu.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

postgraduate 7

A global
village

The diverse international community of Universiti Tunku Abdul

Rahman prepares its students for a global career.

AS one of the premier private

universities in the country,
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
(UTAR) strives to bring an
international approach to its
services, particularly in the areas
of learning, teaching and
research.
To build a global village within
its campuses in Kampar and
Sungai Long, the university has
been active in recruiting
international students.
UTAR vice-president for
student development and alumni
relations Assoc Prof Dr Teh Chee
Seng says, Education weighs a
lot in the development of the
worlds human resources and so
UTAR is always considering
partnerships with other
reputable institutions through
private or government-togovernment initiatives.
The collaboration and
partnership among universities
has become the go-to strategy
worldwide used to help parents
and students become aware of
the outside world composed of
other peoples and cultures.
The presence of a diverse
international community in the
university will help to improve
the character and mindset of
local students.
UTAR has long demonstrated
its internationalisation efforts
through its formal relationships
with more than 190 partners, of
which at least 130 are foreign.
I heard from my seniors
that UTAR is a good university
and they recommended the
internship programme, so here
I am now, says Alperen Guler,
a student from Telecom Lille,
France, who is pursuing his
three-month internship.
UTAR is the most costeffective option with
uncompromising quality in
education. Im glad to be here in
UTAR and want to thank UTAR
for giving me the opportunity to
learn in Malaysia, he adds.
His coursemate Alaa Eddine
Gouja says, It is an experience
of a lifetime and truly rewarding
to learn a new language and
experience new cultures. UTAR
has provided me with fresh

insights and progressive

perspectives, and I am
discovering new things every
day.
Alex Muthui Musila, a
business and administration
major from Kenya who
graduated in the 20th UTAR
Convocation this year, says,
The Kampar campus is big
and provides a safe and
comfortable environment to
live and study in.
UTARs learning methods
provide a platform from which
people can grow, obtain
exposure to varied cultures and
live up to their greatest potential.
This has equipped me with the
ability to embrace diversity and
prepared me for my future
professional undertakings in a
globalised world.
Echoing his sentiments
is Master of Business
Administration postgraduate
student Katrin Unger from the
University of Applied Sciences,
Regensburg.
It was an enriching
experience to be on a threemonth exchange programme
to UTAR. The lecturers in
UTAR are helpful, friendly and
knowledgeable, she says.
UTAR provides international
students with a unique
multicultural environment to
enhance their intercultural
social skills and prepare them
for careers in the globalised
world.
Interested students are invited
to the UTAR Campus Tour & Info
Day on Sept 19, Oct 3 and Oct 17
from 10.30am to 12.30pm and
2.30pm to 4.30pm. The event will
take place in both the Sungai
Long and Kampar campuses.
In conjunction with the
October student intake, UTAR is
offering extended weekend
counselling hours at both
campuses from 9am to 5pm up
to Nov 8 (excluding public
holidays).

n For more information, call

03-9086 0288 (Sungai Long) or
05-468 8888 (Kampar) or e-mail
enquiry@utar.edu.my or visit
www.utar.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

8 postgraduate

Independence
in learning
IN the spirit of patriotism, embrace the
freedom to do things your way by moving
away from the conventional and achieving
your life goals. Open University Malaysia
(OUM) strives to be different, allowing
potential learners to reach their educational
goals in an unconventional learning setting.

Designed for distance learning

From the beginning, OUM was designed to
be a university that uses modern technology
to provide the most effective distance
learning. Various aspects of the university,

including its organisational structures,

human resources, widely distributed
learning centres as well as information and
communications technology infrastructure,
are customised to achieve this purpose.
This is different from conventional
universities that also offer distance learning
but only as an additional programme or
delivery mode on top of their full-time
programmes.
These conventional universities may
not have all the necessary structures and
expertise to effectively support distance
learners because their main focus is still

Information communication technology is at the core of OUMs infrastructure.

on their full-time students.

Breaking convention
Most tertiary educational settings in
Malaysia have similar arrangements.
Students attend lectures, laboratory sessions
as well as tutorials and have breaks in
prearranged slots. Their timetables, classes,
examinations and assignments are planned
for them.
They do not need to actively manage their
studies, which is acceptable considering
most conventional learners are full-time
students who have no work commitments
and can organise their daily events around
scheduled learning activities. This is the
accepted norm, for now.
For working adults who want to further
their studies, they often do not have the
luxury to follow a fixed full-time study
schedule. At OUM, they can manage their
own learning to suit their individual lifestyle
and commitments.
They can choose when and where they
want to study. In short, they are independent
learners who are certainly not conventional.
This independent mode of study is made
possible through the availability of:
l Customised modules
l E-tutorials and videos
l Online discussion forums
l Virtual learning environment
l The Digital Library

Award-winning institution
Although OUM is different, the university
does not compromise on its quality. All its
programmes are accredited by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA).
According to MQA ranking, OUM has
maintained a Setara Tier 5 (Excellence)
rating over the years. It has also received
numerous awards for excellence.
Recently, the university won the acclaimed
Putra Brand Awards 2015 in the education
sector organised by the Association of
Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia. This

Open University Malaysia has won its third

award this year the Putra Brand Awards
2015 in the education sector organised by the
Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia.
Earlier, it won the Industry Excellence Award
from the Ministry of International Trade and
Industry in April 2015 and in July, it was
awarded the Global Performance Award 2015
by Asia Pacific Quality Organisation.

OUM was designed

to be a university
that uses modern
technology to provide
the most effective
distance learning.
award is its third award for this year.
OUMs programmes are recognised
internationally and it has partner
universities in 10 countries, including
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Ghana and the Maldives.
At the moment, more than 7,000 learners
are pursuing OUM postgraduate studies at
these partner universities.

Opportunities for all

If you are unconventional and looking for
a university with a difference, you may
appreciate the learning experience at OUM
as it provides:
l Recognised degrees that are respected
worldwide
l The best learning resources
l A user-friendly learning system
l Modern and up-to-date learning centre
in every state
l An extensive collection of resources in
its Digital Library
Enrolment for the September intake is
still open. For those aged 60 to 74, a 75%
discount is available. Individuals 75 years
old and above can study at OUM for free.

n For more information, call 03-2773 2121

or visit www.oum.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

postgraduate 9

Spearheading
Internet
engineering

The International University of Malaya-Wales produces industry-ready

graduates.

THE International University

of Malaya-Wales (IUMW) is a
private university formed
through a strategic alliance
between the University of
Malaya (UM) and the University
of Wales/Trinity Saint David
(UWTSD).
IUMW is the first university in
South-East Asia to be accepted as
a member of the UKs Higher
Education Academy, a
prestigious body that recognises
institutions adherence to
exemplary teaching standards.
Drawing on more than 200
years of combined academic
experience from two founding
partners, IUMW offers careerfocused undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes
delivered by outstanding
academic talents from across the
globe.
We aim to produce graduates
who can meet the stringent
expectations of todays highlycompetitive IT, science and
technology sectors.
This is why we are now
offering the Master of Science in
Internet Engineering to students
who wish to obtain professional
recognition, enhance their
competency and acquire
in-depth knowledge of the
Internet and networking
systems, says Prof Dr Hamzah
Abdul Rahman, president and
chief executive officer of IUMW.
We foster innovative teaching
and learning and aspire to be
a leading research-oriented
institution that embraces global

best practices, a strong

international profile and
commitment to Asias economic
and social development.
The Master of Science
in Internet Engineering
programme aims to produce
engineers who will spearhead
the design and direction of
future Internet architecture,
infrastructure and applications.
This programme equips
graduates with advanced and
profound concepts that underlie
the design and implementation
of an Internet-based system.
It provides a solid
multidisciplinary basis and
offers a wide range of
specialisation opportunities,
which can stimulate students
creativity.
In addition, students will
acquire practical skills that are
crucial to entering the job
market.
IUMWs garden-in-the-city
campus offers an extensive
range of facilities to support the
learning experience, including a
library, an auditorium, lecture
halls and laboratories.
IUMW fees are affordable
and students will have access to
University of Malayas library
and facilities.
Experience the preview of the
Master of Science in Internet
Engineering programme on Sept
19 at IUMW to find out more.

n For more information,

visit iumw.edu.my or call
012-979 1621.

The IUMW
campus
offers
extensive
facilities
that
support
learning.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

10 postgraduate

Going global with an MBA

WITH the proliferation of masters
of business administration (MBA)
programmes, choosing the right
MBA to pursue can be difficult.
The dual-award MBA offered at
Sunway University provides a high
return over investment for young
aspiring managers who want to
become strategic leaders.
In collaboration with top-ranked
Lancaster University Management
School, Sunways MBA is considered
one of the best, immersing its
students in global recognition,
global delivery and faculty and
global networking.
Dr David Mackay, visiting

teaching fellow of Lancaster

University, shared his insights into
Sunway Universitys dual-award
MBA.
With 10 years of teaching
experience and diverse practical
work experience in production
engineering, management and
consultancy, Dr Mackay visited
Sunway University to conduct the
strategic management module of its
MBA programme.

Global recognition
Upon completion of the MBA
programme, graduates are awarded

two scrolls one from Sunway

University, a renowned private
education institution in Malaysia,
and one from Lancaster University,
which is ranked in the top 1% of
universities globally.
The Lancaster MBA programmes
are triple accredited by the
Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business, European
Quality Improvement System and
the Association of MBAs.
Triple accreditation is a prized
asset in the business school
community, which is held by only
about 1% of business schools
around the world.

Dr Mackay is a distinguished visiting teaching fellow from the UK who

delivered the strategic management module of the dual-award MBA
programme offered at Sunway University.

To gain triple accreditation

requires schools to meet the
most exacting standards for
process, programme design
and execution and student
experience.
That creates a valuable
MBA experience and practical
career gains for participants.
The benefit should be felt by
students during their study as
the programme is delivered to
the highest standards.
Students also gain the
potential for good career
progression, having graduated
from a triple-accredited school,
says Dr Mackay.

Global delivery and

faculty
The broader Sunway
organisation, which the
university is connected to, has
an inspiring mission and vision
that permeates the universitys
operations and physical setup of
the campus.
The state-of-the-art Graduate
Centre is also highly conducive
to an effective MBA learning
experience. Students learn
from a faculty that consists of
some of the best management
consultants, educators and
research scholars in the world.
Dr David Mackay is one of
many UK-based distinguished
lecturers flown in to deliver a
world-class learning experience
to Sunways MBA students.
Students also have the
flexibility of gaining credits
by taking modules at other
locations where Lancaster
delivers an equivalent to its
MBA programme, including
Singapore, Jordan, Ghana
and the UK.

Global networking

The establishing of a network

of peers who share similar level
of intellectual capability is a
desirable benefit.
Sunway Universitys careful
selection of students for its dualaward MBA ensures student
diversity in terms of industry,
age and experience.
This allows an intellectually
gifted and highly capable cohort
of students to work and learn in
a multidisciplinary environment,
further strengthening their
networks.
Graduates can also become
alumni of not only one but
two prestigious universities
Sunway University and
Lancaster University which
help graduates stay connected to
the institutions and their fellow
graduates.
Engagement in alumni
associations allows networking,
which expands professional
connections and advances ones
career through continuously
learning from peers.
As you progress through life
after the MBA programme, you
will have access to the social
network formed during your
studies, which can prove to be
an excellent resource, says
Dr Mackay.
The dual-award MBA
programme is financially
accessible with bursaries
available to students.
In addition, local students
can apply for a MyMaster
Government grant that provides
a maximum value of RM10,000.

n For more information,

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

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

postgraduate 11

Prof Ennew reveals that The University Nottingham Malaysia Campus has developed its own
exclusive degree programmes to cater to regional needs.

UNMC celebrates
crystal jubilee
IN line with The University of Nottinghams
vision of becoming a truly global university
for the 21st century and beyond, the
university took a bold move by becoming the
first British university to open a full-fledged
international campus outside the United
Kingdom.
Realising that there was a need to reach
out to students in the Asian market, The
University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
(UNMC) was opened in September 2000.

Complete education experience

Although the university started off in a
confined business environment in the heart
of Kuala Lumpur, there was always the
intention of setting up a wide and open
campus that would replicate the atmosphere
and environment of its UK campus.
With 1,000 students enrolled in its courses,
the university relocated to its current
location in Semenyih in 2005.
Since then, the university has grown
progressively not only in terms of its student
population but also in its facilities, research
activities and subject base.
If you look at private higher education,
there is typically a strong focus on vocational
subjects such as engineering, pharmacy,
business, architecture or law.
But The University of Nottingham
has always been considered a
comprehensive university offering a
considerable breadth of subjects, and that
is what we wanted to do in Malaysia, says
Prof Christine Ennew, provost and chief
executive officer of UNMC.
She continues to describe how UNMC has
adapted and contextualised its programmes
and how it has developed degree
programmes that are offered exclusively at
the Malaysian campus.
We have to adapt our courses and not
merely replicate the courses offered in the
UK. In fact, we have developed a number of
degree programmes such as mechatronics
and Islamic finance that are exclusive to
UNMC, she says.
Prof Ennew also believes that it is
important for students to embrace the
academic experience by getting involved in
co-curricular activities and that there is a
special value in being a student in a diverse
disciplinary environment.
Students who get involved in various
societies, participate in events and represent
student bodies tend to develop a broader
skill set and this also contributes to an
enjoyable academic experience, she adds.

Royal visitors former Agong Tuanku Jaafar

Tuanku Abdul Rahman (right) and Tuanku
Najihah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin (left) being
escorted by Prof Christine Ennew at The
University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
in October 2000.

The theme enriching lives through global

education is truly at the centre of what we
preach and practise, offering world-class
education and providing opportunities for
students to build skills and widen their
exposure in society.
UNMC also runs the Kuala Lumpur
Teaching Centre in Menara Chulan, a centre
that comprises lecture halls and seminar
rooms that cater to part-time postgraduate
students who require a more convenient
location to further their studies.

Special celebration
To mark the 15-year anniversary of UNMC,
a series of activities have taken place
throughout the year such as the Tweet Me
Anything #UNMC15 campaign, which was
a fun and interesting way to encourage
interaction between students and faculty
members.
The major celebration this year will take
place at the end of September with an
on-campus celebration showcasing the
achievements of the university, followed by
a major dinner and award ceremony.
In the presence of staff, distinguished
alumni and a major UK delegation, we will
host a celebratory dinner where we will
present a series of alumni and staff awards.
This will also be an occasion for the soft
launch of Yayasan UNMC, which will enable
us to further enrich lives through global
education, says Prof Ennew.

n For more information on the courses

offered, call 03-8924 8686 or visit
www.nottingham.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

12 postgraduate

Be a professional counsellor
HAVE you always wanted to
understand human behaviour and
give back to the community? Have
you encountered various mental
health and relationship problems
around you and wondered how
you could help?
Beginning in February next
year, Monash University Malaysia
will be offering the Master of
Professional Counselling.

Focus areas
The areas of study include
human growth and lifespan
development; mental health issues
surrounding grief, trauma and
substance abuse; counselling
children, adolescents, individuals
and couples; cognitive behaviour
therapy; group psychotherapy;
career development counselling;
and counselling research design.
The course is a very broad-based
one, with students being taught to
counsel across various areas, be it
organisational, mental health or
relationship counselling.
One unique feature of this
course is that it also equips
students to understand and
conduct research in the field of
counselling, says Dr Tam Cai Lian,
course coordinator for the

masters programme.
These skills may be used to
pursue further academic research
study and enable evidence-based
counselling practice.
Dr Tam adds that Monash aims
for the course to be accredited by
three different bodies the
Malaysian Board of Counsellors
(Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia),
Australian Counselling Association,
and Psychotherapy and
Counselling Federation of
Australia.
This will open up opportunities
for graduates to be able to practise
in Malaysia as well as Australia.

crisis management, manage work

stress and also play a major role in
reducing job dissatisfaction and
improving performance, he says.
At the community level,
counsellors can deal with
relationship problems through
marriage or couple counselling, as
well as manage personal grief,
trauma and various types of
mental health issues.
At schools, they can help
modify students academic
behaviour and address peerrelation problems.

Dr Tam says the

Master of Professional
Counselling
programme equips
students to
understand and
conduct research in
the field of counselling.

World-class lecturers
and facilities

Helping the community

The course incorporates 504
hours of clinical placements in
government agencies and private
organisations, of which 192 hours
will involve direct, face-to-face
client contact.
Dr Tam says the course is open
to anyone with a bachelors degree
in any field, including recent
graduates or working professionals
seeking to know more about
counselling.
Students need to have a passion
and desire to know more about
human beings and the problems

they face, and be interested in

helping themselves and the people
around them, she says.
Having graduated with a degree
in mathematics, Dr Tam chose to
pursue counselling as a way to
help the community as well as
address the various mental
illnesses and family problems she
saw around her.

Assoc Prof Shamsul Haque, head

of psychology in the Jeffrey Cheah
School of Medicine and Health
Sciences, says counsellors can
promote mental health both at the
organisational and the community
level.
In an organisation, they can
help improve relationships
between co-workers, contribute to

Students will benefit greatly

from a diverse team of highly
experienced and accredited
academics and psychologists.
They will also have access to
world-class laboratories and
facilities. These include group and
individual counselling rooms
equipped with two-way mirrors,
observation side-rooms and
recording devices.

n For more information on the

Master of Professional Counselling,
e-mail choo.may.may@monash.edu
or visit www.monash.edu.my

Excel in
healthcare
THE Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
of Lincoln University College (LUC) has a
long tradition of excellence in educating
healthcare professionals.
It is committed to ensuring that graduates
leave as competent, responsible and caring
health professionals.
The vision of LUC is to maintain its
standard of quality education, research and
community service. Its curricula are updated
on a regular basis in accordance with
changes in health education methodology
locally and globally.
Community-based education is an
important and integral part of all the
programmes. It equips students with the
necessary knowledge, professional attitudes
and skills to help improve the quality of life
of communities.
The medical profession demands high
ethical standards and makes heavy physical
and mental demands of its practitioners.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health
Sciences of LUC offers the Doctor of
Medicine, Diploma in Traditional Chinese
Medicine, PhD in Health Sciences, Diploma
in Physiotherapy and the Bachelor of Science
(Hons.) Physiotherapy.
The Faculty of Nursing at LUC focuses on
the promotion of the intellectual, cultural
and personal development of all its students.

LUCs Faculty of Nursing offers the

Diploma in Nursing, which is a three-year
programme registered with the Nursing
Board of Malaysia.
LUC, in collaboration with the University
of Huddersfied, the United Kingdom, offers
the Bachelor of Sciences (Hons.) Nursing
(top-up programme).
Other courses offered by LUC include Post
Basic Renal Care Nursing, Bachelor of
Science (Hons) in Nursing (Post Registration),
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master in
Nursing (Education), Master in Nursing
(Public Health) and Master in Nursing
(Midwifery).
LUCs Faculty of Pharmacy offers the
Diploma in Pharmacy, Bachelor of Pharmacy,
MSc Pharmacy (Research) and PhD in
Pharmacy. LUC follows a curriculum that is
problem-based, student-orientated and
directed to the community.
Graduates from the health science
programmes can explore a wide variety of
career opportunities and work as nurses,
laboratory technicians, physiotherapists,
research assistants in hospitals and
universities, public health workers and
supervisors in the healthcare industry.

n For more information, visit

www.lincoln.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

postgraduate 13

Cross-cultural
experience

Management and Science University MBA students develop entrepreneurship, strategic

management and decision-making skills to become successful leaders.

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
former Higher Education Ministry through a
rating system for all universities in Malaysia.
MSU is also accredited by the Accreditation
Services for International Colleges (ASIC),
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 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
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.
There are many reasons students now
consider an MSU-MBA to be an integral
step in their career paths.
Having an MSU-MBA can be the
determinant in getting a high-paying and
high-powered job.
Active learning exercises within the
programme act as a basis for verbal analysis
and discussion, allowing for a rich learning
environment by integrating the classroom
with the real world.
These exercises broaden students
understanding of issues by inviting them to
think beyond the text material. New terms
and concepts are defined in the margins to
facilitate learning.
The GSM has established collaborative
educational links with a number of top
overseas universities, including in the United
Kingdom, the United States, Australia, 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
heritage to Malaysia.
Professors at MSU are selected worldwide
from among the best consultants and
professionals in their fields and are capable
of delivering high-quality education to
students.

n For more information, call 03-2718

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

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

14 postgraduate

All for an enriching experience

and discussions these are some of the
many aspects of a postgraduate students
life.
The postgraduate experience highlights
the importance of prioritising while
multitasking.
Many students juggle other
responsibilities along with postgraduate
school, including holding down a part-time
job or caring for a family.
You learn to manage your time and
therefore, develop a sense of discipline to
get the job done without excuses.
Matching your actions with your goals
will give you that extra push you need to
drive your efforts forward productively.

PURSUING a postgraduate degree offers a

unique experience, both academically and
personally.
Making the choice to further your studies
not only signifies you are serious about your
field of study or work, but also proves you
are ready to make serious commitments for
your future.
The primary benefits of obtaining a
postgraduate qualification involve advancing
your career, venturing into academic
research or improving your knowledge and
skills within an area of expertise.
By the end of your studies, though, you
may have learnt many other life lessons; it is
safe to say you will leave postgraduate school
with more than an academic qualification.

Resilience, diligence,
perseverance
It is common knowledge that conducting
and reporting research can be difficult and
daunting. Many people find that they are
unable to cope, but those who persevere
come out stronger and feeling accomplished.
Therefore, completing a postgraduate
degree requires great dedication supported
by a never give up attitude.
Being able to bounce back from
disappointments, stressful moments or
setbacks teaches that you can conquer any
mountain, no matter how high.

Responsibility and ownership

Working on something that you can truly

Pursuing a postgraduate degree gives you more than an academic qualification.

call your own is not only personally

rewarding, it also proves responsibility to
see your tasks to completion.
Not only will your work reflect your
ability to take charge, you will also learn
how to stick with decisions and control your
life. On top of that, it will become clear that
achievements are direct products of your
effort and dedication.

Valuing what matters

It is during these busy and often
challenging times that students realise what
matters most to them. To many, this includes
supportive friends and family.

Spending time away from the important

people in your life teaches you to appreciate
them more, especially as they continue to
offer love and support through thick and
thin.
This time could also be useful to identify
other things you value whether they are
sports, hobbies or even social work, you
learn the importance of creating a healthy
balance in life.

Time management
and discipline
Field or laboratory work, presentations,
lectures, revision, examinations, research

Communication and
people skills
Presentations and group work help you
communicate and connect with people,
while interaction with your lecturers,
supervisors and coursemates trains you to
work well with others for the best possible
outcome.
If you are progressing to postgraduate
studies immediately from an
undergraduate degree, this will be a great
platform for you to first meet individuals
in the industry you are looking to break
into.
Mutual inspiration and motivation is
also something you pick up from those
with similar interests as you learn that
two heads are, more often than not, better
than one.

Hands-on learning and training

SEGI offers a wide range of programmes to
suit every learners need. The programmes
include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and
optometry and vision sciences, which are
offered exclusively at the SEGi University
Kota Damansara campus.

Medicine
The five-year Bachelor of Medicine,
Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme is
aimed at nurturing holistic doctors who are
capable, skilful and compassionate.
The curriculum was designed to embed
moral and ethical values, which are fostered
through the implementation of a mentormentee system throughout the programme.
SEGi medical students conduct practical
and clinical rotations at the Teluk Intan
General Hospital and also Sibu General
Hospital.

Dentistry
SEGi conducts the five-year Bachelor of
Dental Surgery to produce competent, caring
and knowledgeable dental practitioners.
Students are involved in clinical
procedures from the start of the programme,
with an emphasis on the recognition and
prevention of oral diseases.
The Faculty of Dentistry at SEGi University
is actively involved in community service. It
regularly provides free dental check-ups to
the public at its Oral Health Centre.

Pharmacy

In the four-year Bachelor of Pharmacy

(Hons) programme, problem-based learning
and student-centred collaborative learning
are implemented.
Students are introduced to real practice
in hospitals, community pharmacies and
relevant industries from the first year.
The curriculum ensures that graduates
have been exposed to almost every possible

SEGi aims to produce world-class professionals

in the health science industry.

work setting and benefit from experiential

learning.

Optometry and vision sciences

The four-year Bachelor of Optometry
(Hons) programme provides students with
sufficient clinical training alongside a strong
academic grounding.
Much of the clinical teaching is
undertaken at the SEGi EyeCare optometry
clinics located on campus and at the
neighbouring Tropicana Medical Centre.
The clinics have a wide range of
ophthalmic equipment for both teaching and
research and its primary care optometric
centre is open to the public.
Students have the opportunity to examine
patients at SEGis EyeCare clinics and pursue
an area of interest in greater depth through
a final year research/dissertation study.

n For more information, call 03-6145 1777

or 1800 887 344, e-mail askme@segi.edu.my
or visit www.segi.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

postgraduate 15

Prof Barker conducting a supervisory workshop at AeUs main campus in Kuala Lumpur.

Fostering
understanding
THE School of Graduate Studies
(SGS) of Asia e University (AeU)
organised a special supervisory
workshop for practicing doctoral
supervisors and PhD students at
AeUs main campus in Kuala
Lumpur on Aug 12.
More than a hundred participants
from different universities and fields
joined the event.
The primary objective of this
professional workshop was to
provide an opportunity for
supervisors and students to discuss
issues relating to their doctoral
supervision relationships that they
found difficult to broach.
The topic of the workshop was
Fifty-Seven Questions That Doctoral
Supervisors Worry About, facilitated
by Prof Dr Miles Barker from the
Department of Mathematics, Science
and Technology Education, School of
Education, the University of Waikato,
New Zealand.
Prof Barker has worked at
institutions in Malaysia including
in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Tanjong
Malim and Kuching over the last
25 years.
Now semi-retired from the
University of Waikato, Prof Barker
has, over the years, presented
workshops in places such as China,
India, Thailand, South Africa, Kenya,
Sweden and Germany.
While his specialist areas are
science and environmental
education, he is interested in
teaching and learning in general as
well as the history and philosophy
of education. He has around 150
publications to his credit.
During the workshop, Prof Barker
introduced his list of 57 questions,
garnered from the experiences of
supervisors in New Zealand, and
grouped the questions into 10
clusters:
l Acquiring my own students
l Assessing the best mode
of PhD
l Coordinating expertise and
communications
l Advising how to write the
proposal
l Obtaining ethics approval
l Supporting my student
l Deciding on the structure of
the thesis
l Giving feedback on the writing

They found the workshop

interesting and allowed them a more
in-depth understanding of what
should be expected of supervisors.
This workshop has certainly
helped to motivate me in realising I
need to speed up my work, as I have
been procrastinating for some time.
The workshop is an eye-opener for
PhD students who plan to supervise
other postgraduate students in
future, said Chan.

About AeU
Prof Barker from the Department of
Mathematics, Science and Technology
Education at the University of Waikato,
New Zealand.

l Handling the examination

process

l Examining a thesis
Participants found the workshop
interesting and beneficial as it
enriched their knowledge especially
in their areas of supervision,
where issues were highlighted
and suggestions of solution or
improvement given.
Among the participants who
attended the workshop was AeUs
distinguished alumnus Tan Sri Datuk
Seri Dr Syed Hamid Albar, who is the
chairman of Malaysias Public Land
Transport Commission.
Another participant, Dr Lok Lay
Hong, an AeU alumnus of the
PhD in Education and head of
the Department of Music at the
Malaysian Institute of Art, said,
Working on an understanding of
mutual expectations with your
supervisor is an essential part of
developing a good working
relationship.
The relationship is often
presented as one changing from that
of master-apprentice to one of
colleagues. A more satisfying
relationship will help students
develop a better-quality thesis,
added Dr Lok.
Among the other participants
were three students pursuing
their PhD at AeU teacher Veronica
J.S. Louis, part-time lecturer
Hamiza Ahmad and head of mass
communications at UCSI University
Gloria Chan Choi Sim.

AeU is a collaborative
multinational university established
under the auspices of the 33 Asia
Cooperation Dialogue countries.
All academic programmes are
internationally benchmarked,
approved by the Education Ministry
and accredited by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency.
Established in 2007, AeU has
grown to become one of the leading
providers of open distance learning
(ODL), with an enrolment of more
than 21,000 students in 65 countries.
As an ODL institution, AeUs
focus is to provide accessible and
affordable higher education for all.
There are three intakes every year
January, May and September.
Though registration is open based
on the month of intakes, registration
for postgraduate (by research)
programmes is open throughout
the year.
A Postgraduate Research
Conference will be held on Oct 4 at
AeUs main campus from 8.30am to
5.30pm.
The conference will cover
research topics in business and
administration, education,
information, communication and
technology, arts and humanities and
social science.
The objectives of this conference
are to promote the research culture
and provide a platform for
researchers to discuss their
knowledge, experiences and
findings.
Registration fee is RM100 per
attendee. The closing date for
registration is Sept 25.

n For more information, call 1300

300 238 or visit www.aeu.edu.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

16 postgraduate

Steps to get your work published

DEPENDING on the course you are
studying, especially if you are a
PhD student and intend to have a
career in academia, you will be
expected to have your research
and results published in a journal.
While the entire process can be
daunting, here are some key steps
to help you get that done. These
steps can be broken down to three
interrelated areas:

Writing

Before commencing writing

your article, you will need
to identify an area of
research that has not yet been
explored or if there are gaps in the
theories that need to be filled.
It is then important to plan and
have a clear understanding of the
research methodologies you will
use to complete the article.

Although you may have

your own ideas about how
to go about your research, it
is best to have a good relationship
and constant interaction with your
supervisor.
As an expert in the field and
with the experience in writing
journal articles, he or she is the
best person to guide and assist
you along the way. This includes
advising you on specific areas of
your article that would need
further improvement in terms
of clarification or reference.
Your professor may also know
of specific journal publications that
suit your topic of research or those
that are open to publishing student
papers.

Plan your article by first considering areas of reasearch that could be explored.

In addition to the advice

from your supervisor,
you should also study
scholarly articles produced by top
researchers and adopt elements
that may be adaptable to your
research.
Networking and discussing your
ideas with other researchers and
senior lecturers will also give
you a new perspective on your
research study, providing you with
additional pointers to produce a
more comprehensive research
article.

When writing your article,

it is crucial that you are
always clear about the
objectives you wish to highlight.
Present your findings clearly
and be sure you support your
arguments with relevant theory
and empirical material throughout
the entire article.

Submission

One of the biggest reasons

students struggle to get
their work published is
because they do not submit
their applications to suitable
publications.
You need to be aware that the
general acceptance for student
articles is low for high-quality
journal publications and this is
mainly because your article is
up against works produced by
more experienced researchers

Maintaining
a good
working
relationship
with your
supervisor
will help
you create
a paper
worth
publishing.

Brainstorming with your peers can help to give you a fresh insight into
your research.

and professors.
Therefore, you should instead
apply to less prominent, yet
credible journals to publish your
work, especially those that are
more open to student research.

Journals tend to be very

specific and have a defined
aim or scope of work. It
is recommended that you read
previous issues of the journals
you wish to apply for to have a
better grasp of the topics and
writing styles required for each
publication.
Understanding aspects such as
the amount of literature reviews
needed, referencing styles and
article structure will help you to
tailor your work accordingly,
boosting your chances of having
your research article published.
It is normal for journals to have
some form of submission guideline
and you may use this as your guide
to formulating your journal article.

By not adhering to these

instructions will only result in both
you and the journal editor wasting
time and stretching the publication
process.

You will also need to be

cautious so as not to submit
your applications to nonlegitimate publications.
As a higher number of
publications lead to future grants
and tenure, many researchers are
tempted to get their works
published in lower-tier or lowquality journals that are willing to
publish almost any article as long
as the required application fees
are paid.
These scam publications are not
peer-evaluated, and this will raise
the question of credibility around
your work.
Consider this: if you have never
heard of such a publication during
your years of study, it is likely that
others have not heard of it either.

Just as you would send a

cover letter about yourself
when applying for a
position with a new company,
you will need to present a good
cover letter to journal editors
highlighting what you think is the
most interesting or significant
aspects of your research article.
Editors will then understand
why you think the piece is a good
fit for the journal and be more
interested in reading your research
findings.

Revision

It can take a few months

before you actually get
word on the outcome of
your article and, in most instances,
these articles would be rejected or
returned with specific areas that
need to be revised.
As your article is reviewed by
industry professionals, you should
therefore take the time to correct

or rewrite your article based on

the feedback and criticism. It is
extremely rare that journal articles
are accepted without any
necessary revision and these
include articles submitted by
distinguished professors.

10

It is also acceptable to
challenge the opinion
of reviewers,
depending on the situation and
if you have good justification for
your decisions.
Before you reply the reviewer,
consider all the feedback received,
discuss it with your seniors and
make sure you have a rational
explanation should you feel there
are certain parts of your article
that do not require revision.
Every revision generally
improves the overall value of your
article and your perseverance in
making a few revisions brings you
closer to reaching your goal of
getting published.