THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017
COURSE FOCUS
MANAGING people is one of the
main elements of business
disciplines as most positions in
the field are interactive jobs and
require a degree of knowledge in
the delicacies of professional
human interaction. While most
of these jobs involve dealing
with clients and vendors, there
exists a branch of internal
relations human resource (HR)
management.
Previously, terms such as human
capital and labour acquirement
were used in line with how
employees were viewed as a
means for profit. Now, the term
human resource refers to
viewing peoples skills as a
renewable and improvable
resource.
HR managers observe how
talented a prospective employee
is in regards to the organisations
vision, how his talent can be
improved and grown in line with
company direction as well as how
desirable his talent is that his
services will be retained in the
long run.
Quality over quantity
HR management involves
THE Malaysian Government has
highlighted the need to develop
more accounting professionals for
our nation because as an economy
grows, the need to have highly
skilled accountants grow with it.
For the past eight years, The
Malaysian Institute of Certified
Public Accountants (MICPA) and
Chartered Accountants Australia
and New Zealand (CAANZ) have
been conducting the MICPA-CAANZ
Programme. The programme
provides graduates with two
memberships and qualifications,
which are Certified Public
Accountant, Malaysia and
Chartered Accountant, Australia
and New Zealand.
Traditionally, professional
courses are undertaken while
gaining work experience to ensure
candidates obtain a deep
understanding of technical
knowledge and how it applies to
business in real life. This is what
makes the programme effective as
it develops practical professionals
who can adapt their solutions
using their technical know-how to
advise clients in their respective
environments.
There is a growing demand for
talented accounting graduates even
BUSINESS, ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
Great value to HR managers
recognising, recruiting and
retaining talent for an
organisation. The success of a
company depends heavily on the
people working for it, thus the job
of screening people to work for the
company is highly important. On a
wider scale, HR managers are
needed by governments
to monitor and
influence
employability of
people in a country.
Twenty years
ago, the organisations
in Malaysia were only
concerned about
compliance and
performance of
employees to ensure
their operations run
well. However, now
organisations are
more focused on
retaining the right
talent for their
long-term success
says Ahmad Raji
Yaakub, chief executive
Golden opportunity
before they leave university. The
MICPA Students Sponsorship
Programme (SSP) is a bridge that
connects talent to employers
during their final undergraduate
year and provides students with
sponsorship to commence the
MICPA-CAANZ Programme before
graduating. The SSP also ties in an
internship placement and a job
offer upon graduating with the
same employer.
An SSP candidate, Foo Jun Lin
commenced the programme in the
final year of his Bachelor of
Accounting at Universiti Malaya
sponsored by an SSP participating
employer, PwC Malaysia. He did
his internship there and joined as a
full-time employee in audit after
graduating last year.
I was attracted to the affiliation
between MICPA and CAANZ, which
will grant me access to Global
Accounting Alliance (GAA). This
allows me to pursue my career
abroad in the future, as the GAA
passport ensures I can obtain the
technical and membership support
officer of Irshad HR Consulting
Sdn Bhd.
The shift in focus of HR
management from an
administrative point to a more
strategic function has led an
evolution in skills needed to work
in the HR industry. According to
Ahmad Raji, students who are
interested in studying and working
in HR management should first be
firm in their choice.
To be successful in HR, first
you must have a profile and
passion for people service and
administrative work. Dealing with
people requires the willingness to
go the extra mile to give them
satisfaction while at the same time
managing yourself and your own
stress, says Ahmad Raji.
The path less taken
Besides the straightforward
degrees available for eventual
employment in the HR industry,
there are also a few other
programmes that can lead to a
There is a growing
demand for talented
accounting graduates
even before they
leave university.
I will need as a global professional.
Secondly, the structure of the
programme is not only based on
my performance in the final
examination but has online
assessments and workshops, which
effectively and continuously
enhance learning throughout the
module. The online resources
provided virtual classrooms,
e-learning and quizzes, which are
very useful and beneficial in
learning, says Foo.
The SSP provided a great
platform for Foo to get a head start
in his professional studies. He was
able to secure his internship and
job in HR management. Most Inversely, if a student completes
business and finance degrees offer his HR management degree but
a level of competency in HR decides to pursue a career in
management and prospective another field of business, he will
students should examine various have no problem finding
course pathways to find a certain
flexibility in options when they
alternative career pathways.
If they are trained and educated
eventually get the chance to apply in the areas of HR management,
for jobs. and also have a passion for people
A student with good knowledge service as well as administrative
in HR management-related functions, which is a critical trait
subjects such as staffing, strategic for people working in HR, students
management and business ethics can pursue careers in education
is desirable, but additional and training lines at various levels.
qualifications in business They are also relevant in
management and technology- administrative and people-service
oriented fields will likely lead to departments such as secretarial
higher prospects of employability. services, customer service
If undecided, a student may management and relationship
choose to undertake a general management, says Ahmad Raji.
business administration degree to
cover all bases before opting to
Think two steps ahead
specialise in HR management at
the masters level. A business With a measure of planning,
administration degree covers the prospective HR management
basics of HR management in students may travel far in their
relation to an organisation and a career.
student can supplement their skills
with industry training. > TURN TO PAGE 2
future career with a Big Four.
The MICPA Students
Sponsorship Programme has
Foo Jun Lin was
able to secure his
developed my analytical and internship and
problem-solving skills, which are future career
very practical in my professional
through the
work. It has helped me gain
solid technical knowledge and
MICPA Students
manage my time better in coping
with a professional programme
Sponsorship
Programme.
while having to work, says Foo.
To be eligible for the SSP,
candidates must be
undergraduates from a
MICPA-accredited university,
pursuing a four-year degree in
accounting. SSP participating
employers will assess candidates
based on their academic
track record and soft skills
proficiency. Interested candidates
should be prepared to apply
before they enter their
fourth year.
n For more information, call
03-2698 9622, e-mail eileen.mktg
@micpa.com.my or visit
www.micpa.com.my.
2 Course Focus
Increasing employability
> FROM PAGE 1
Limiting their point of focus to a sole HR
management position is unwise, as they
possess a certain versatility upon completion
of study and like any people-oriented field,
the HR management field is subject to
evolution and shifts in perspectives.
There are several options available for
the HR industry newcomers. Most
consultancies and organisations require
new hires to contribute a few years of
general HR management duties, before
they can specialise or diversify. Three
distinct pathways are available for
consideration business leader, HR leader or
HR specialist.
A business leader position would involve
supplementing existing HR qualifications
with knowledge in business and finance
operations to gain experience to run
organisations. A business leader must be
willing to be independent from HR and
seek new experience in other areas,
including technology. A HR management
background supplemented with
diversification of skills could also open the
gates to a position in top management.
In the past, most chief executive
officers (CEOs) were people with technical or
financial backgrounds, but now I see people
from human resources getting positions in
top management. Harvard Business
Review recently published an article on how
skills of HR officers make them great CEOs,
highlighting a new possibility for us, says
Ahmad Raji.
On the flip side, specialising in HR
management involves gaining a deeper
understanding of the fields importance and
contribution to organisational success.
Junior HR officers can be promoted to
specialised departments such as
compensation, recruitment, talent
management, industry relations and even
legal positions. Some officers move from
bigger companies to start up or join
specialised HR consultancies, or even
become freelance consultants.
As Ahmad Raji sums it up, Whatever
option you choose, the only way to grow
and move forward is to plan your education
and career, prioritise personal and career
development as well as enhance networking
within and outside of your organisation of
employment.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017
Road to triumph
IF you are searching for a place that offers
an international business degree and a
UOL graduates
world-class education at reasonable prices in have been hired at top
organisations such as
Malaysia, then you should register the
Bachelor of Science Business and
Management course by the University of
London (UOL). law firms, multinational
This course is available at Advance
Tertiary College (ATC) starting August this
companies and major
professional services
year. ATC uses a combination of traditional
and contemporary teaching-learning
strategies so that the students are well firms.
versed and well-rounded.
With subjects such as human resource
management and financial management,
this three-year course is academically Ong Soo Ann, a partner at Grant Thornton
directed by the London School of Economics finds UOL graduates who studied at
and Political Science (LSE). Since 1895, Singapore Institute of Management a good
LSE has been regarded as an international fit for the firm. I would say they are every
centre of academic excellence an innovation. employers dream. They are independent,
UOL graduates have been hired at top street-smart, possess a certain level of
organisations such as law firms, maturity and are willing to learn.
multinational companies and major Professionals need a full range of skills apart
professional services firms. There are from technical proficiency, says Ong.
also some who have pursued their education In light of ATCs 30th anniversary,
at the worlds best universities such as applicants are entitled to apply for
University of Oxford, University of the Tan Sri P. Alagendra scholarship.
Cambridge, LSE, Harvard University and ATC is also offering 15%
the National University of Singapore. to 25% rebates for
ATC had assisted me with excelling in the diploma
education and widening my horizon of the and degree
business world, says Julaine Lee, a former programmes.
student of ATC. The advantage of the
standardised system set by UOL is that, if a n For more
student has to relocate to another country, information, call
he can continue his studies from any part of 1800 889 292
the world without any difficulties. or visit www.atc2u.
Grant Thornton International is one of edu.my.
the worlds leading accounting and
consulting firms, with more than 2,600 Julaine Lee is a first-
partners in more than 100 countries. Its class honours
member firm in Singapore, Foo Kon Tan LLP, recipient from
currently employs around 20 UOL Advance Tertiary
graduates. College.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017
A real-world approach to education equips Brickfields Asia Colleges students with skills useful
Improved
for the workplace.
experience
BRICKFIELDS Asia Colleges (BAC)
commitment to transform lives through
education is an approach that prepares its
students in the best way possible, making
them highly employable.
The brave and insightful students choose
to pursue a degree that is part of the social
science framework. Despite the stereotypes
of social science degree holders finding
difficulty in getting a job or earning much
with one, we now have a wealth of data that
proves otherwise. Many world leaders
whether in government, business, or non-
profit sectors are disproportionately drawn
from graduates with skills in the social
sciences.
What makes social science majors so
predisposed to success is the promotion of
soft skills and flexible qualities. The
skills and qualities include critical thinking,
oral and written communication,
interpersonal, teamwork, technical,
analytical, organisational know-how and
problem-solving.
All these attributes are important to
employers and organisations that must
contend with the rapidly globalised world
that grows more complex by the day.
Indeed, perhaps the main reason why
graduates in these fields end up in
leadership and managerial roles is their
ability to see the bigger picture.
BAC is well known for providing more
than 200 pre-university and degree
programmes in the fields of law, business,
accounting and finance, marketing,
economics, human resources, logistics and
mass communications, among others. With
campuses in the cities of Kuala Lumpur and
Petaling Jaya, BAC is a prestigious,
comprehensive and highly affordable option
for world-class degrees in the social sciences.
BAC provides a wide range of subjects in
the arts and sciences for the A-Levels while
offering students the option of choosing
either the Express Route (11 months) or
Standard Route (18 months). BACs A-Level
students have received the Top in the World
Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award for
their excellent results in 2012, 2013, 2014,
2015 and last year.
BAC also offers Foundation in Arts that
focuses on interdisciplinary studies. The
programme provides an alternative route
that forms the base to any education or
career and has been designed to provide a
learning experience focused on the
development of academic skills.
Business School
Students can choose from a wide array
of degrees via the UK Transfer Degree
Programme (Business) with a choice of
more than 10 prestigious United Kingdom
partner universities.
Course Focus 3
BAC is well known
for providing more than
200 pre-university and
degree programmes in the
fields of law, business,
accounting and finance,
marketing, economics,
human resources, logistics
and mass communications,
among others.
Accounting
BAC offers a fast-track route to
professional accounting and finance degrees.
BACs links with leading professional bodies,
including the ACCA (Association of Chartered
Certified Accountants) and CIMA (Chartered
Institute of Management Accountants),
ensure that upon graduation, students
receive several exemptions from
professional examinations.
Law School
BAC offers a wide range of law
programmes in Malaysia, ranging from pre-
university, degree, postgraduate and
professional courses.
The LLB (Hons) is recognised for the
Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) and the
Bar Professional Training Course. Students
can choose to complete their degree locally
via the University of London International
Programmes (the only external law degree
recognised by the Legal Professional
Qualifying Board) or abroad via the UK
Transfer Degree Programme (Law).
The Career Centre
The Career Centre assists students to
obtain career-related skills, which help them
get the right start to their careers. The Career
Centres meet and greet sessions with
partners and associates from legal firms
expose students to the reality of practising
law in the corporate and legal arenas.
The BAC Education Fund grants Financial
and Merit Scholarships up to RM10mil to
assist deserving students to achieve their
dreams. The September intake is now in
progress.
n For more information, call 03-2274 4165 or
03-7960 0063 or visit www.bac.edu.my.
4 Course Focus
Preparing for success
THE human resource (HR) department of
any organisation involves various positions
held by HR officers of different
qualifications, seniority and certifications.
HR personnel deal in sourcing, hiring,
retaining and terminating employment of an
organisations personnel.
The most common title heard is HR
manager, which is used as an umbrella term
outside the industry to refer to HR
personnel. Other titles that are less popularly
known are HR officer, talent manager,
staffing specialist and employee relations
Skills
Communication
Knack for conducting interviews
Able to work as a part of a team
Leadership
Fluent in languages
Proactive in
sourcing for
talent
Networking
consultant, among many more.
A fresh graduate going into his first HR job
should be open to being appointed to various
positions throughout his career and must
actively seek locally- and internationally-
recognised HR certifications, and ways to
network with other HR professionals.
Work experience is invaluable in this field,
so students should be proactive in finding
internships or even unpaid placements to
gain experience and start building a network
soon after graduating while looking for a
more permanent position.
Some qualifications for HR managers
Bachelors Degree in Human Resource
Management or related discipline
Master of Business Administration in Human
Resources (for more senior positions)
Master of Science in Human Resources
Professional Certificate in Human Resource Management
Certified Human Resource Practitioner (CHRP)
Society of Human Resource Management Certified
Practitioner (SHRM-CP) or Senior Certified Practitioner
(SHRM-SCP)
> TURN TO PAGE 7
THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017
The graduates during University of Reading Malaysias inaugural graduation ceremony, which
was held at the Educity Iskandar Malaysia campus last week.
Two places
to call home
STUDENTS at University of Reading Malaysia
(UoRM) can enjoy the best of both worlds, as
they can choose to study entirely at the The employability
Educity Iskandar Malaysia campus or travel
to the United Kingdom to continue the
rate for graduates from
second or third year of their programme. the school in the UK has
The Malaysian campus offers programmes
under the Henley Business School (Henleys), recorded a remarkable
which is a renowned business school that
has a triple accreditation by the Association
96%, which means
to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business graduates are likely to
Association of MBAs and EQUIS.
They offer four bachelor programmes secure a job or pursue
including the Bachelor of Science in Finance
and Business Management, Bachelor of
higher education within six
Science in Accounting and Finance, Bachelor months of completing their
of Science in Real Estate and Bachelor of Arts
in Management and Business. programme.
The first cohort of graduates was awarded
its bachelor's degree during UoRMs
inaugural graduation ceremony on last
week.
Henleys head Dr Susan Rose said the According to Rose, the school provides
school has been operating at UoRM for three students guidance and support in getting the
years and already enrolled more than 200 right skills for the workforce as well as
students in its programmes. We have a very encourage them to gain work experience
ambitious target as we aim to have 500 to from the beginning of the course.
600 students by year five and, in due course We run workshops and support classes
we will develop more in terms of for them to learn how to conduct themselves
programmes that we deliver, said Rose in during an interview, prepare their resumes
an exclusive interview with The Star and about the expectations of employers for
recently. young people, so they are way ahead and
She noted that Henleys strength is can hit the road running once they
predominantly in three areas particularly in graduate.
real estate, in line with the University of She also said the programmes offered at
Reading being one of the top schools in the the school at UoRM is the same as the ones
UK for real estate, land management and in the UK and as a result of this, students are
property. able to start their programme here and then
We, therefore, are following on that travel to UK to continue studying at the main
tradition and it is particularly relevant given campus.
that we are here in the Iskandar region,
where there is so much development going n For more information, call 1800 186 867 or
on and there is a demand for young people 07-268 2605 or e-mail my.enquiry@reading.
in the workforce with the skills and edu.my.
experience in real estate, said Rose.
The school is also expected to offer a new
master's programme in investment banking
and Islamic finance in September this year.
For this programme, we are partnering
with International Centre for Education in
Islamic Finance, which is the leading Dr Susan
institution in Kuala Lumpur for the delivery Rose
of Islamic finance both in teaching and
research.
The campus started offering master's of
business administration in February last
year with 40 students registered. It is a
blended learning part-time programme,
where its students are usually executives
and middle managers who are seeking to
continue their employment at work and
study at the same time.
The employability for graduates from the
school in the UK is at a remarkable 96%,
which means graduates are likely to secure a
job or pursue higher education within six
months of completing their programme.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017 Course Focus 5

CHOOSING the right university is

not as easy as one might think.
Parents and students look for
defining features from
universities such as track record,
world ranking, infrastructure,
courses offered, reputation,
prestige, loans and tuition fee.
With Manipal International
University (MIU), Nilai, students
need look no further. The
sprawling 142-acre (57.47ha)
Nilai campus boasts a Leadership
in Energy and Environmental
Design platinum certification.
MIU is in a class of its own.
MIU boasts six campuses and is
affiliated with 13 universities
worldwide. Responsible for
producing some of the brightest Manipal International Universitys campus spreads across 142 acres (57.47ha), nestled amid green hills and flanked by a beautiful lake.

Stand out with Manipal

minds in Asia, MIUs
programmes are
multidisciplinary and are
constantly evolving to meet the
needs of an ever-changing
business world. They are
delivered within the context of a
vibrant, diverse and
multinational environment. Malaysia that offers recognised MIU to get career advice, experienced counsellors.
As part of its exciting offer,
MIU is providing a 100% Responsible accounting and business
programmes. Students and
discuss study options and get
information regarding financial n For more information, call 1800
scholarship for students in
foundation programmes.
for producing parents are encouraged to visit assistance from the best and 222 648 or visit www.miu.edu.my.

Students opting for diploma some of the

programmes will get a
scholarship up to RM13,600,
which is 40% of the tuition. The
scholarships offered by MIU are
in line with the governments
current policy of producing more
local graduates to serve the
country better.
In addition, through
collaborations with MIUs
accredited industry partners,
MIU students are given valuable
on-the-job training even before
they graduate. According to
reports taken from employers
throughout the country, there
seems to be a mismatch between
industry requirements and
graduates produced by
universities.
Keeping this in mind, the
university infuses subjects such
as personal development,
communication and
entrepreneurial development
into their syllabus to ensure their
students not only graduate with
a world-class degree but are also
holistically equipped with
technical know-how and soft
skills, which will be the
foundation to a bright future.
MIU is renowned for its
management and business
courses. The School of
Management and Business
(SoMB) at Manipal offers world-
class education and excellent
career prospects for graduates.
SoMB boasts excellent industry
links, ensuring students are
informed, knowledgeable and
brightest minds
in Asia, MIUs
programmes are
multidisciplinary
and are constantly
evolving to meet
the needs of an
ever-changing
business world.
connected long before they
graduate.
MIUs Diploma in Business
Administration equips
students with core business
principles and
entrepreneurial skills
necessary for fresh graduates
who have just stepped into
the working world.
MIU degrees are approved
by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency and
Higher Education Ministry.
The university is in a
partnership with CIMA
(Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants).
The benefits of having
programmes accredited by
CIMA are vast, including
being benchmarked as a
respected institution in

A combination of
theoretical knowledge
and practical
application is
emphasised in the
business and
accounting syllabus at
Manipal International
University.
6 Course Focus THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017

The Monash
Malaysia
ADAPTING to the changes in a rapidly Business Alumni
evolving world is crucial in staying relevant Chapter kicked
in a modern workplace. To maintain ones off the
competitive edge, individuals need to inaugural
acquire skill sets to cope with the evolving Alumni Speaker
economy. Series with
To provide students and graduates insights
Talent Needs of
into the skills of the future, the Monash
Tomorrow:
Malaysia Business Alumni Chapter kicked
off the inaugural Alumni Speaker Series
Insights into the
with Talent Needs of Tomorrow: Insights Malaysian
into the Malaysian Market. Market, which
The discussion featured five panelists, featured five
Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar, Tian-Pouw Pun, panelists who
Devendran Sinnadurai, Cheryl Teh and Dr shared their tips
Jane Tong. They explored three themes, and experiences
which are career switches, economy outlook in an evolving
and skills in demand (11th Malaysia Plan), economy.

and key skills required in the workplace by
2020.
While reasons such as dissatisfaction at
work or burnout may prompt an individual
to consider a career change, Pun, who is a
principal at Korn Ferry and has more than a
decade of experience in human resource,
explained that candidates should ask
themselves five questions to help them
decide if they are ready for a career switch.
Following are the five questions:
l Why do you want a career switch in the
first place?
l How much change can you bring
Skills in leadership
to the organisation and role you are
applying for?
l Can you perform as well as the current
or previous employee who held the role?
l Do you have the ability to do the job?
l Are you aware of the sacrifices you are
about to make?
Group managing director of Chemical
Company of Malaysia Berhad Leonard Ariff
opined that networking is an important skill
he looks for when hiring C-level leaders in
an organisation.
This is not about who you know as
opposed to what you know. Ultimately,
every individual creates their own brand.
Your brand becomes more powerful and
dependent on what you bring to the table,
and the incredible portfolio of networking
that you have, said Leonard Ariff.
In speaking about important attributes
for graduates to possess, Ariff explained
that the ability to be adaptable and curious
irrespective of what happens in the future
will help candidates stand out from normal
performers.
On communication, Teh, who is vice-
president of Knowledge Management at
Khazanah Nasional, highlighted her concern
about the lack of interpersonal skills
among the youth, adding that many are
becoming progressively isolated as most
of their conversations are taking place
through WhatsApp.
They may have long conversations on
the messaging app but are unable to do so
face-to-face and thus have difficulty
networking.
The School of Business deputy head
Professor Pervaiz Ahmed explained that in
order to become successful leaders in the
future, it is important for graduates to adapt
to todays fast-changing business
environment.
It is a very important aspect for you to be
able to move with the times and try to keep
abreast of the changes that are happening,
he said.
Prof Pervaiz also highlighted that it is
important for us to look at the Malaysian
economy and see how it is evolving,
including technological changes and social
changes. This is so that we can understand
and make those changes as well as build the
necessary skills and competencies.
n For more information, visit
www.buseco.monash.edu.my.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017
(From left) Sunway Medical Centre chief executive officer Dr Khoo Chow
Huat, Sunway Group Healthcare Services managing director Lau Beng
Long, Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah,
UTAR president Prof Dr Chuah Hean Teik and UTAR Internationalisation
and Academic Development vice-president Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat at the
Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony.
Education
in caregiving
THE Bachelor of Nursing (Hons)
programme in Universiti Tunku
Abdul Rahman (UTAR) is
designed to prepare students for
their roles as registered nurses
in increasingly multifaceted
healthcare scenarios locally and
internationally.
The students are exposed to
legal, ethical and professional
issues. This is in line with the
programmes aim to equip
students with a strong
foundation in the principles,
theories and practices of modern
nursing.
The learning process is
conducted using the latest
innovations in nursing education
with emphasis on evidence-
based practices. Extensive
multimedia, skills laboratories
and library resources are
available to support students in
independent study.
UTAR also creates an
environment conducive to
learning by providing
simulation wards and skills
laboratories equipped with
simulation models. This
empowers students to gain
confidence and prepare before
commencing their clinical
posting.
Nurses are the pillar of the
healthcare system, providing
care that enables us to live
healthy long lives. The
knowledge and power to help
heal others is what keeps them
going in challenging times, says
head of the nursing department
Liew Siew Fun.
The programme is facilitated
by a team of academic staff who
are highly experienced in their
respective fields. The
programmes industry advisors
and external examiners hail
from Singapore and Hong Kong.
These experts possess years of
experience and are constantly
reviewing UTARs nursing
syllabus and examination papers
to ensure quality and
international standards are met.
All this thorough planning
allows the students to acquire
the knowledge and skills to be
competent registered nurses
who can provide care across age
groups in various healthcare
settings.
Furthermore, students gain
their experience of nursing care
delivery in public and private
hospitals as well as community
health clinics. They are
supervised by clinical
academicians to facilitate and
monitor learning.
Course Focus 7
Towards a bright future
> FROM PAGE 4
Someone in a HR department could perform a variety of tasks depending on their job title. With different HR
titles come with different responsibilities, which makes describing basic daily duties a fresh HR hire quite
impossible as the scope of duties is immense. Students seeking a career and education in HR should learn to be
open to change since more often than not, HR personnel are the ones creating change within organisations.
Responsibilities Work hours
Involved in recruitment, hiring Handling payroll and payroll disputes Regular business hours
and termination of employees. Performing analysis and reporting 5-day or 6-day work week
on HR department of an organisation
Manage employee relations
by handling disputes of employee Talent management and
rights and employer treatment engagement Career progress
Employee job satisfaction Fresh graduates start out as HR officers or
Conduct employee training
human resource management trainees.
Service quality
Manage an organisations
Employee turnover More specialised career options are
benefits programme for employees
available.
2
E=mc
Staff supervision Monitor and improve organisational
performance and development Other possible opportunities are business
Maintaining comprehensive
Employee compensation development, finance and sales.
employee records
Employers Related fields of study Related jobs
Wide range of Business administration Business development manager Public relations manager
companies Accounting Brand manager Recruitment manager
Hospitals Marketing 543210 Credit manager Sales manager
Government Financial Customer relations manager Labour relations manager
bodies public Marketing communications
Private HR consultancy firms relations manager
The learning
process is
conducted
using the latest
innovations in
nursing education
with emphasis on
evidence-based
practices.
A noteworthy example that
testified the excellence of UTARs
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Sciences (FMHS) nursing
programme is the achievement
of graduate Angela Ong Yoke
Fong, who obtained a distinction
in the Malaysian Nursing Board
Registration Examination in
December last year.
She credited her success to
the revision classes conducted
by the FMHS nursing
department lecturers for they
had given her guidance in
answering the questions
confidently.
In a bid to boost its nursing
programme, UTAR also sealed a
Memorandum of Understanding
with Sunway Medical Centre
Sdn Bhd in August last year for
future collaborations in
advancing nursing education
and creating career
opportunities, as well as joint
efforts such as career fairs,
conferences, recruitment drives,
health seminars, talks,
workshops and exhibitions to
benefit both parties and the
public.
One way the university
stimulates excellence is by
providing scholarships to
students with outstanding
academic performance to pursue
their foundation and
undergraduate programmes.
The university also currently
offers nursing scholarships to
qualified candidates who are
interested in the programme.
Selected candidates will study
the programme full-time at the
Sungai Long Campus.
n For more information, call
05-468 8888 (Kampar Campus)
or 03 9086 0288 (Sungai Long
Campus) or visit
www.utar.edu.my.
8 Course Focus THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017

AROUND 800 students from the faculties of

arts and social sciences, engineering and
science graduated at The University of
Nottingham Malaysia Summer Graduation
this year in a series of ceremonies from July
22 to July 25.
Each student graduated with a world-class
British qualification and some of them
earned a chance to witness the conferment
of Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah
Sultan Idris Shah with an honorary degree
from The University of Nottingham for her
contributions to education and advocating
for the betterment of society.
The award was presented by the
university's vice-chancellor, Prof Sir David
Greenaway at the first of 10 graduation
ceremonies.

Exceptional achievements
Three graduates from UNMC Arvind Prof Greenaway awarding Arvind Jayaratnam (second from left) and Ong Jin Hui (rightmost) the Vice-Chancellor's Achievement Award for their

Rewarding high flyers

Jayaratnam (economics and finance), Ong Jin
Hui (accounting and management) and
Ahmed Afrah Ismail (mechanical
engineering) received the Vice-Chancellors
Achievement Award at their respective
graduation ceremonies held in conjunction
with The University of Nottingham's
Summer Graduation at UNMC.
UNMC's chief executive officer and provost
Professor Graham Kendall congratulated
Arvind Jayaratnam, Ahmed Afrah Ismail and
Ong Jin Hui for their achievements and
contributions to the university in his speech.
The Vice-Chancellors Achievement
Award acknowledges outstanding students
and I am proud to say that these three
students certainly deserve the recognition.
Graduation is a wonderful time to celebrate
the achievements and memories of
our graduates, and on this special occasion,
I wish to congratulate all students and their
families, said Prof Kendall.
Exemplary performance
Ahmed Afrah Ismail is a student from
the Maldives and is the outgoing student
council chairperson and past
outstanding contributions to UNMC.
vice-president of the universitys student
association. His achievements include being
awarded Nottingham's Jan Atkin Prize for
the 2015/16 term.
Ahmed Afrah was awarded for creating an
online news platform in the Maldives to
promote democracy and freedom of press
there, as well as for preservation of
Maldivian historical records.
He was also involved in formulating the
universitys 2025 Strategic Roadmap for its
student association and creating a
framework to ensure the student
association leadership elections are free
from democratic pitfalls.
As a vice-president of the association,
he created a website and social media
platform, which provided an insiders look at
student life on campus. In addition, he also
managed the Nottingham Charity Run
website, which attracted about 900
participants to sign up online.
Driven by excellence
Arvind Jayaratnam is a student who
represented the university in regional and
international events including the
Malaysian Model United Nations (MUN)
conference. He was also the co-lead in the
International Student Summit 2016 a
tri-campus initiative where he designed a
real-life international trade simulation that
required participants to engage in a series
of progressively challenging tasks.
These tasks drew from the fields of
engineering, environmental sciences,
economics and diplomacy.
In 2015, he represented the university
and country as part of the Malaysian team
at the World MUN Conference 2015
organised by Harvard University in Seoul.
Leadership in sustainability
Ong Jin Hui is the outgoing vice-president
of the universitys student association.
His key initiatives implemented during
his term included the 30-hour famine
campus, which he organised in 2015.
Another initiative led by him was the
Sustainability Bonding Camp, which aimed
to foster good relations across cultures
and increase student participation in
community projects in UNMC. He has
also been an active member of the student
association for the past five years.
n For more information, visit
www.nottingham.edu.my.