THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018

Postgrad studies vital for the future

THE Fourth Industrial Revolution
heralds a shift in the economy,
indicating Malaysia’s move from
one based on manufacturing and
services to another that leverages
contribute to this initiative by experience such as occupational
improving postgraduate provision
and enrolment. The emphasis By PROF health and safety risk
management, nursing, and early
DATUK DR
At Open University Malaysia
(OUM), we believe that
on an advanced MANSOR
childhood education.

on digital technology and advanced
skills.
Going forward, higher education
institutions will need to ensure that
learners and graduates are
sufficiently prepared to fulfil the
needs of this emerging economy.
Higher education
institutions can
postgraduate studies play an
increasingly important role in
future economy.
This is because higher
qualifications will be a must for
high-skill jobs. Those who wish to
earn higher wages will certainly
find postgraduate studies an
excellent personal investment.
The current job market is
extremely challenging. Diploma
and bachelor’s degree holders,
especially, are finding it difficult to
secure employment.
Bank Negara Malaysia reported
that graduate unemployment was
at a staggering 10.7% in 2016. In
the same year, the Department
of Statistics reported that
those with tertiary
knowledge-based
FADZIL
economy, coupled
with a competitive needs to be proactive in managing
job market, his or her own skill development.
means that many Acknowledge that you need to
learn continuously if you want to
Malaysians are now be more marketable in a changing
economy.
looking to pursue Besides adding value to an
postgraduate individual’s qualification,
postgraduate studies offer other
programmes to boost advantages as well. Master’s or
doctorate programmes provide the
their professional best opportunity to hone
worth. transferable skills such as
leadership, information
management and critical analysis.
Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil In addition, research conducted at
the postgraduate level often leads
qualifications represented a third to new ideas and innovations.
of unemployed Malaysians. Google is a good example. Did
The emphasis on an you know that it started as a PhD
advanced knowledge- project? This goes to show just how
based economy, coupled influential postgraduate research
with a competitive job can be.
market, means that I also believe that pursuing
many Malaysians are higher studies can broaden one’s
now looking to horizons.
pursue postgraduate Postgraduate qualifications can
programmes to open up one’s career options. This
boost their is especially true for industry-
professional worth. relevant programmes that provide
Every individual opportunities to gain practical
In an evolving economy where
multidisciplinary knowledge leads
to successful careers, programmes
such as liberal arts, or those that
incorporate entrepreneurship or
economics, are great options for
those seeking to expand their skill
sets.
With new leadership helming
the Education Ministry, I look
forward to seeing broader
developments in higher education.
It is also anticipated that new
policies and strategies will be
introduced to rejuvenate Malaysia’s
higher education sector so that we
can better prepare for a
demanding future.
The new Education Minister’s
pledge to encourage
multilingualism, improve the use
of technology as learning tools and
emphasise TVET (technical and
vocational education and training)
and STEM (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics)
education within the school system
are ideas that can also benefit
university students.
I hope that similar plans will be
introduced at the higher education
level.
n Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil is
the president and vice-chancellor
of OUM.

Public health degree can take you places

IF you hold a globally recognised
postgraduate degree in public
health, there are countless career
options you can take on locally and
worldwide, depending on your
background qualification.
Public health is a very popular
choice of study among young
students due to increasing global
public health problems that
require all-encompassing solutions.
With freer movement of
people, human and animal
foodstuff, emerging and recurring
infectious diseases along with non-
communicable diseases have made
public health an important and
sought-after field of study.
Earlier this week, the Master of
Science in Public Health (MScPH)
programme director Prof Datuk Dr
Rashid Khan hosted a live webinar
on career opportunities in public
health for interested participants.
Prof Rashid is a member of
numerous international and
national editorial boards of
medical journals, adjunct professor
at the University College Dublin
(UCD) at Ireland, site supervisor for
the University of South Florida and
collaborator at University of
Western Australia’s Centre of
Excellence in Natural Resources
Management.
The MScPH programme at RCSI
& UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) in
Penang (formerly Penang Medical
RCSI's chief executive officer and registrar Prof Cathal Kelly (left) with MScPH graduate Tay Lee Huay.
College) is awarded by the National
University of Ireland and UCD,
and complies with standards of the
European Credit Transfer System,
Malaysian Qualifications Agency
and Education Ministry.
Upon graduation, students
may choose to further their studies
with a doctorate anywhere in
the world.
This public health programme
creates professionals who will lead
and implement change in public
health sectors across nations,
cultures and diversities. Emphasis
is placed on disease prevention
and tackling factors that contribute
to illness.
Gift aid for regional
applicants
South-East Asian students are
highly encouraged to apply for
the MScPH via partial or full
scholarships awarded by the
region’s One Health University
Network (SEAOHUN).
Public health is a
very popular choice
of study among
young students
due to increasing
global public health
problems that require
all-encompassing
solutions.
Prof Datuk Dr Rashid Khan
The scholarship application
is to be completed online and
submitted to RUMC for valid
endorsement.
Terms and conditions,
application steps and forms
are available on the college
website.
Online application and
scholarship forms must be
e-mailed to postgraduate@rcsiucd.
edu.my by July 10 for processing
before submission to the SEAOHUN
Scholarship committee.
n For more information, e-mail
study@rcsiucd.edu.my or visit
www.rcsiucd.edu.my
2 Postgraduate
Employing latest education trends
THERE is no doubt that 21st century
economy dynamics has changed the
landscape of business at home and abroad.
Global organisations and establishments at
all levels of management in corporate and
industrial sectors continually seek cost-
effective ways to stay afloat in the Red
Ocean.
However, one vital question remains: Is
the current human capital able to adapt to
and adopt the megatrends of disruptive
change?
Management & Science University’s (MSU)
approach to 21st century learning and
industry-driven education has built strong
traditions that enhance current and future
pools of human capital to address the
challenges of the modern knowledge
economy.
Multinational companies in Malaysia, the
Asean Economic Community and the Asia-
Pacific region are constantly on the lookout
for new, innovative strategies for improving
talent enhancement to sustain business
leadership beyond national boundaries.
Offered by its Graduate School of
Management, the MSU Master of Business
Administration (MBA), is geared towards
providing only the most critical skills in
talent creation for the business and
management marketplace.
The MSU MBA remains an important
provider of modern education for
professionals and leaders, as it helps
students generate business-centric skills
to meet human capital demands for
new business perspectives around the
globe.
By adopting global standards of the
industry’s best practices, the MSU MBA
modules pioneer new directions in
enhancing key abilities for all levels across
the management spectrum, including from
MSU equips graduate students with skills needed to thrive in the modern business environment.
entrepreneurial, managerial, financial,
technological, governance and human
resource perspectives.
The MSU MBA seeks to incorporate real-
world practice into classrooms for an
immersive, exciting, 360-degree learning
experience.
By advocating the United Nations
Sustainability Goals, the MSU MBA
incorporates practical dimensions into
helping its students develop top-tier
management skills that encompass
entrepreneurial leadership, strategic
management, Islamic finance, project
management and key business and
management knowledge.
The MSU MBA’s combination of affordable
fees, world-class teaching and leading
industry collaborations has created a
sustainable network of graduates and
managers who are well prepared to meet the
demands of the business world.
MSU’s CEO Talks and Entrepreneur Talks
series provide MBA students with the
opportunity to get up-close and personal
with chief executive officers of international
THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018
corporations to better understand cross-
sectional approaches across the business and
management spectrum.
The university has accreditation from the
Malaysian Qualifications Agency and the
United Kingdom’s Accrediation Service for
International Schools, Colleges and
Universities.
MSU has achieved 5 Star: Excellent status
in the Education Ministry’s Rating for Higher
Education Institutions in Malaysia last year.
It also attained 5 Stars in the QS Stars
University Ratings 2016 for the Excellence in
Teaching, Employability, Facilities, Social
Responsibility and Inclusiveness categories.
MSU placed 217th in QS World University
Rankings this year, and is among the top
1.8% of all universities in this year’s QS Asia
University Rankings.
In addition, it was crowned The Most
Entrepreneurial Private University in 2016
and is the first non-Japanese university to be
accredited by the Alliance on Business
Education and Scholarship for Tomorrow
(ABEST21).
Besides the MBA programme, MSU’s
Graduate School of Management also offers
postgraduate programmes in management
and business, accounting and finance,
management, educational management and
leadership, education (Teaching of English as
a Second Language), international business,
fashion business, international hospitality
and tourism management, and early
childhood education.
These and other postgraduate
programmes are offered as flexibly timed
weekend or weekday classes.
n For more information on MSU’s
programmes or its upcoming intakes,
call 03-5521 6868, e-mail enquiry@msu.edu.
my or visit www.msu.edu.my​
THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018 3
4 Postgraduate
PHARMACY continues to evolve
worldwide, with pharmacists
extending and changing their roles
to meet the challenges and
changing needs of healthcare,
populations and consumers.
The value of pharmacy and
pharmacists to healthcare systems
is increasingly recognised and
exploited, even as healthcare itself
changes with advances in robotics,
artificial intelligence, new drugs
and health technologies.
Evolving and expanding roles for
pharmacy signify strong
employment growth for
pharmacists, and open
opportunities for individuals with
relevant skills and entrepreneurial
spirit.
The Master of Pharmacy Practice
(MPP) programme at International
Medical University (IMU) lets
pharmacy graduates address their
needs for education and training,
as well as remain relevant to
healthcare and healthcare
management.
Offered in blended mode, the
programme lets pharmacists work
towards a master’s degree while
continuing to practise and
Boost your career
immediately apply what they learn
in their context.
Blended mode allows students to
undertake most of their course
online, with on-campus face-to-face
sessions on some weekends.
The programme is thus able to
personalise education and offers
the accessibility of online learning
together with social and
professional interaction.
The university’s e-learning
environment (Moodle) lets students
access all study content and offers
technology-enhanced learning
facilitated by moderators.
Face-to-face sessions include
lectures, workshops, seminars and
case presentations. Most of these
sessions are scheduled on
Saturdays at the IMU Bukit Jalil
campus.
Students in the master’s
programme come from diverse
backgrounds, bring varied talents
and experience in the course, and
show that the programme appeals
to hospital and community
pharmacists as well as fresh
graduates.
There are also students with
academic pharmacy backgrounds.
The small intakes foster an
excellent learning culture and the
programme provides many
opportunities for cooperative
learning with a high level of peer
support.
Every student undertakes a
research study under the
supervision of faculty members
with established research
credentials.
Students benefit from the
expertise of faculty members and
the university’s research
collaborations with various
institutions.
While the formal output of
the research semester is a
dissertation, students’ professional
interpersonal skills are also
enhanced by one-on-
one interaction with
their research
supervisors, academics
and other
professionals.
Students of the
first cohort are
currently finalising
their research
dissertations – marking
the last stage
of their journey through
the master’s programme.
Though not its primary
purpose, the master’s
qualification also opens
opportunities for more
advanced research training such
as via doctoral programmes.
As befits a university with a
6 Star: Outstanding score in the
Rating for Higher Education
Institutions in Malaysia, IMU
periodically reviews and revamps
its courses.
Climbing up
global rankings
CURTIN University ranks 250th
among the world’s universities in
the 2018-2019 QS World
University Rankings.
Its continued climb up the
global university rankings is
a boon to the Perth-based
university and its four
international campuses,
including its Malaysian campus,
says Curtin University Malaysia’s
(Curtin Malaysia) pro-vice-
chancellor and president Prof Jim
Mienczakowski.
According to him, Curtin
University’s global standing and
reputation for innovation and
excellence extend to its
Malaysian campus.
Students at Curtin Malaysia
study courses identical to those
at other Curtin campuses and the
degrees they earn are conferred
directly by Curtin University.
In addition, they have
access to the same online
learning resources and student
support mechanisms as their
counterparts in Australia. They
are also offered the flexibility to
complete their degrees at one of
the other campuses.
In the Times Higher Education
Young University Rankings,
Curtin is ranked 68th among the
top 250 institutions under 50
years old in the world – up 16
places from last year’s rankings.
It has also risen two places to be
ranked 12th in Australia.
Curtin Malaysia is Curtin
University’s largest international
campus and global hub in Asia,
besides being among the leading
tertiary institutions in Malaysia
and South-East Asia.
Its growing reputation has
THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018
The MPP is no exception, and
is currently undergoing a review
of content and delivery aimed at
enhancing learning experience
and outcomes.
n For more information about
IMU’s postgraduate programmes,
call 03-2731 7272, e-mail
postgraduate@imu.edu.my or visit
www.imu.edu.my
seen the university rapidly rise
up the international rankings in
recent years. Last year, it was
ranked among the top 1% of the
world’s universities in the
Academic Ranking of World
Universities.
In the 2017 QS World
University Rankings by Subject,
Curtin ranked second in the
world for mineral and mining
engineering and in the top
100 for architecture/built
environment, art and design,
earth and marine sciences,
education, nursing and sports-
related subjects.
“We are very proud that Curtin
continues to receive global
recognition, ensuring its students,
staff and alumni can be proud to
be involved with one of the
leading education providers in
the world,” says Prof
Mienczakowski.
According to him, Curtin
ensures that all its campuses are
viewed as equally important.
Connections and collaborations
across locations are becoming
more embedded in their daily
practices, including collaborative
research, development and
internationalisation of courses,
and bi-directional delivery of
course material between
campuses.
Curtin’s undergraduate and
postgraduate courses are
regularly reviewed by the
industry and government to
ensure graduates are prepared
for today’s changing global
market.
n For more information, visit
www.curtin.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018
Filling the gap
THE golden age of Islam
between the eighth and 14th
century saw various scientific,
economic and cultural works
flourishing. Places such as the
House of Wisdom allowed
scholars, authors, scientists and
translators to gather regularly to
write, translate, read, discuss
and exchange ideas.
After the golden period of
Islam, the western world
developed exponentially,
becoming the leader in
knowledge and education till
this day.
However, people have begun
to realise that the knowledge
discovered during Islam’s golden
age holds relevance to this day,
even making its way into
modern economics. This has led
to a growing interest in Islamic
studies among academicians and
researchers.
“In the past, students could
only pursue general Islamic
studies, offered as either syariah
or Usuluddin. However, times
have changed. To keep up with
the demands of society,
contemporary Islamic studies
have branched out into more
professional fields,” says Assoc
Prof Dr Mohamed Azam
Mohamed Adil, deputy chief
executive officer of International
Institute of Advanced Islamic
Studies Malaysia.
Besides history, philosophy
and Arabic, contemporary
Islamic studies delve into social
sciences, economics, politics,
science and finances from an
Islamic point of view.
As the global Muslim
population and its spending
power increase, businesses are
realising the importance of
having experts who are well
versed in the unique needs of
the Muslim market.
According to Global Takaful
Report 2017 by Milliman, the
global contribution of the takaful
industry in 2015 was US$14.9bil
(RM59.37bil). The same report
recognises Malaysia as the
world’s largest family takaful
market.
Takaful accommodates the
insurance needs of Muslims in
accordance with the syariah law,
which prohibits gharar
(excessive uncertainty) and riba
(usury).
Takaful, which means
solidarity in Arabic, follows
the Islamic muamalat (act
of civil and commercial dealings)
and operates as a mutual
support system whereby the loss
of a brother is compensated by
another.
Another growing field that
requires experts is the halal
industry. Assoc Prof Mohamed
Azam emphasises, “There is a
high demand for halal
professionals globally, which is
not being met. Hence, there is a
large vacuum that needs to be
filled.
Postgraduate 5
“The demand for halal
professionals is growing since
not just the food industry but
other industries including
cosmetics, hospitality and
tourism are recognising the need
for halal products and services
to cater to the rising Muslim
population.”
According to My Say: New
growth frontiers in halal market
report published in www.
theedgemarkets.com, the halal
market is set to grow from US$3
trillion (RM11.96 trillion) at
present to US$8 trillion (RM31.9
trillion) by 2030.
This growing demand has
attracted Muslims and non-
Muslims to pursue professional
Islamic courses to fill the niche.
However, the pursuit of
Islamic studies is not solely to fill
a niche in the economy. Many
non-Muslims choose to pursue
Islamic studies for academic and
intellectual purposes – to better
understand Islam’s history,
philosophy and cultural heritage.
This is especially significant in a
time when Islamophobia seems
to be on the rise.
“Islamophobia is more
widespread in non-Muslim-
majority countries because of
ignorance. It can be overcome if
more people understood the
teachings of Islam and made an
effort to study the religion,” says
Assoc Prof Mohamed Azam.
A survey titled Why I Study
Islam conducted by the Digital
Islamic Studies Curriculum
(DISC), University of Michigan,
reveals that an increasing
number of students of varied
backgrounds are taking a keen
interest in pursuing Islamic
studies to bridge the gap that
causes Islamophobia.
Meghan Hough, a social media
and communications intern at
DISC and one of the survey’s
participants, says, “Islam, or
people's assumptions about
Islam, became very visible in the
media and in the world during
my childhood.
“As such, I wanted to learn
more about Islam, instead of
relying on often biased
information given by the media
or present in my environment.
“Making an attempt to learn
more about Islam is one of the
first steps in developing a
community that includes,
instead of excludes based on
‘otherness’.”
As the world becomes
increasingly interdependent,
religious division threatens to
disrupt this globalisation
process. On the other hand, a lot
can be achieved when effort is
made in understanding religious
differences.
As a Muslim-majority country
and an aspiring education hub,
Malaysia has a crucial part to
play in filling the economic
niche and bridging the gap
through holistic understanding.
6 Postgraduate THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018

Through the
looking glass
EARLIER this month, the Quacquarelli
Symonds (QS) World University Rankings
were released. Universities across the world
look to these rankings with eager
anticipation.
The table below shows the rankings of the
five Malaysian public research universities
As the United Kingdom’s first overseas branch campus, the University of Nottingham Malaysia as well as 11 foreign branch campuses in
has undertaken a range of quality activities across the Asean region. Prof Kendall (left) shared Malaysia.
the university’s plans for expansion in the region and beyond at a live science demonstration by A foreign branch campus is categorised as
Prof Martyn Poliakoff, which was held at the Malaysian Petroleum Club last month. The a foreign university that has a campus in
demonstration was assisted by Vicki Treadell (right), the British High Commissioner to Malaysia. Malaysia, but whose degrees are awarded by
the campus in its home country.
Malaysia is host to foreign branch
campuses of universities in Australia, China,
Ireland and the United Kingdom.
University of Malaya (UM) is now
ranked among the top 100 universities in
the world.
The Higher Education Ministry has
harboured a long-term aim to have a
Malaysian university in the top 100.
It is interesting to note the year-on-year
progress that UM has made since 2015. Its
ranking has gone from 151st (2015) to 146th
(2016), 133th (2017), 114th (2018) and 87th
(2019). To have five consecutive years of
continual improvement is a remarkable
achievement.
Ben Sowter, research director at QS, said,
“Malaysia has shone in this edition of the
rankings. Its higher education system has a
solid reputation among international
academics and employers.
“To support this positive ascending
trajectory, local universities should continue
to focus on increasing the impact of the
research they produce.”
Research impact is becoming increasingly
important as a way of measuring the
quality of a university as everybody is
looking at the return on investment made
by funding agencies.
However, I will go slightly further and
not just focus on public universities.
I urge all Malaysian universities, both
public and private, to focus on increasing
their research impact by delivering high-
quality research.
A relevant concept is the Red Queen’s race,
which is based on a quote from Lewis
Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, and
What Alice Found There – “It takes all the
running you can do, to keep in the same
place.”
This sentiment is pertinent to universities
in Malaysia, who cannot rest on their laurels.
To maintain our rankings next year, we must
all work even harder.
The sector is already looking forward to
this time next year when the 2020 rankings
will be released.
More information is available at www.
topuniversities.com
n Prof Graham Kendall is the chief
executive officer, provost and pro-vice-
chancellor of the University of Nottingham
Malaysia.
Twitter: @Graham_Kendall

Institution Type 2018 Ranking 2019 Ranking

Monash University Foreign branch campus 60 59

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Foreign branch campus 62 59
University of Nottingham Foreign branch campus 84 82
University of Malaya Research university 114 87
University of Southampton Foreign branch campus 102 96
Newcastle University Foreign branch campus 161 141
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Research university 230 184
RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus Foreign branch campus 168 193
University of Reading Foreign branch campus 188 195
Universiti Putra Malaysia Research university 229 202
Universiti Sains Malaysia Research university 264 207
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Research university 253 228
Curtin University Foreign branch campus 262 250
Heriot-Watt University Foreign branch campus 312 302
Swinburne University of Technology Foreign branch campus 421-430 387
Xiamen University Foreign branch campus 431-440 476
THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018
An enlightening
journey
FAZALUR Rahman (pic) is a business
management director for Talentpepz
Career Solutions in India. A strong believer
in lifelong learning, he found Asia e
University (AeU) to be the most
ideal institution for him upon thorough
research.
He enrolled as a fully online PhD student
in 2013 and hopes to graduate soon
following his viva voce at the AeU main
campus in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Fazalur shares his learning experience at
AeU:
“Learning is a continuous and ever-
evolving process that defines the aim of an
individual.
“The training I pursued from University
of Edinburgh through Coursera on a course
titled Critical Thinking in Global Challenges
helped me excel as a developing leader in a
competitive environment and make quick
decisions to manage uncertain
circumstances.
“It also helped reveal the gaps in my
learning process that I needed to address as
my hunger for knowledge grew. Hence, I
decided to embark on the highest academic
level through AeU’s PhD programme in
business administration.
“Before I joined the PhD programme, I
had the mistaken belief that knowledge can
only be gathered through experience and
practical activities, and did not give much
thought to the importance of more
theoretical aspects of learning.
“After going through the rigorous
research and learning processes of a PhD,
my viewpoint has changed vastly. I realised
that I improved my skills by gaining more
knowledge.
“I am now able to understand that
theoretical knowledge lays the foundation
for improving one’s self. I am pleased with
how this programme has contributed to my
self-development as well as my professional
career.
“An important change I experienced
during this programme was to learn to
accept criticisms and ideas from others, and
use them for academic and professional
improvement.
“When I wrote my thesis – Determinants
of the Leadership Development Program
Effectiveness – I underestimated the amount
of effort required to complete this research.
“This misunderstanding did not last long
as my supervisor, Assoc Prof
Dr Mohmad Yazam
Sharif, was able to
impress the vastness
and challenges of
the topic upon me.
“From the
writing format to
the presentation of
Postgraduate 7
A major benefit I
had as a fully online
student was being able
to study at my own pace
and in my own time from
afar while still remaining
well connected online
with AeU academic
facilitators, my supervisor
and staff.
Fazalur Rahman
the research, every aspect was a challenge
and a valuable learning experience for me.
“A major benefit I had as a fully online
student was being able to study at my own
pace and in my own time from afar while
still remaining well connected online with
AeU academic facilitators, my supervisor
and staff.
“The primary research knowledge and
skills that I have gained will help me
develop a competitive advantage that can
add value to my business.
“Lastly, I must say I am glad that my
leadership, communication and time
management skills have improved
somewhat, which has let me overcome my
toughest challenge in trying to achieve a
work-life balance.
“I hope to allocate more time for my
family who have been patient and
supportive of me in my pursuit to complete
my PhD studies. It is my objective to keep
evolving and improving myself to reach my
optimum self in all my future endeavours.”
About AeU
A collaborative multimodal university,
AeU was established with guidance from 34
Asia Cooperation Dialogue countries.
A key feature in the university’s strategic
plan is to embrace the digital frontier and
provide students with an immersive
personalised and borderless education
experience to bring them flexibility, quality
and relevance anytime, anywhere and on
any device.
A highly accessible, visually rich and
interactive digital presence lets students
achieve their goals at their own pace, no
matter where they are geographically,
academically and in their careers or lives.
Today AeU has 15,000 graduates and
more than 29,000 students. This is a
testimony to AeU’s capability to produce
high-calibre graduates.
Besides that, AeU has over 3,000 students
enrolled in its programmes from its
collaborative learning centres abroad,
including those in Asia, Europe and
Africa.
AeU intakes are in January, May
and September, with intakes for
postgraduate programmes (by
research) open throughout the
year.
n For more information, call
1300 300 238 or 03-5022
3400, or register
online at www.
aeu.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2018 Postgraduate 8

A central learning hub

DATUK Seri Mohd Suhaimi Rohani
lives life at a hectic pace. A
television personality who often
appears on TV9’s Tanyalah Ustaz,
he is also a freelance speaker,
entrepreneur and Islamic
alternative medicine practitioner. Lumpur to attend seminars and
At the same time, meet with his supervisors at the
he is also enrolled Kuala Lumpur Learning Centre
in the PhD (Arts) (KLLC).
programme at Despite this need to travel, he is
Open University upbeat about studying at OUM.
Malaysia “My experience thus far has
(OUM). been very positive. The learning
Although he process is easy and practical, and
lives in the tuition fees are affordable too.
Pendang, Kedah, The lecturers and supervisors are
he travels to also very accommodating.”
Kuala KLLC is unique in that it was
especially set up for postgraduate
students.
As the hub for postgraduate
studies, KLLC’s convenient
location allows it to leverage
on the expertise of OUM’s
faculty members as well as
subject-matter experts from
universities and industries
in the Klang Valley.
Seminars and Dr Soo (left) and Dr Anas successfully completed their doctorates at OUM.
workshops are conducted
regularly, giving students Digital Library. 2016, and Dr Anas Alam Faizli, the necessary support throughout
the opportunity to meet The digital library is a scholar, activist and author who their studies, whether for
with their lecturers, peers particularly valuable resource graduated with a Doctor of conceptualising research titles,
and supervisors. Students centre for students such as Mohd Business Administration in 2015. preparing proposals, conducting
can also communicate via Suhaimi. It has an extensive OUM’s postgraduate research or writing theses.
the online discussion forum collection that includes more than programmes comprise one For those who are looking to
on the university’s learning 40,000 volumes of printed books, postgraduate diploma, 14 master’s boost their personal value or
management system, 30 online databases, 190,000 degrees and seven doctorate advance their careers the way
myINSPIRE. e-books, 55,000 e-journal titles, courses. OUM’s clusters of business Mohd Suhaimi,
Datuk Seri KLLC is equipped almost 3.85 million e-thesis titles, a and management, education and Dr Soo and Dr Anas did, KLLC is
Mohd with facilities designed for newspaper database and a local social sciences, and applied certainly worth a visit.
Suhaimi. an environment conducive to legal act database covering all the sciences offer a wide range of Its May intake is currently in
learning and complemented courses OUM offers. industry-relevant disciplines. progress.
by support services that are Thus far, 2,109 students have A stringent selection process
located at OUM’s main campus successfully graduated from KLLC. ensures only qualified and n To learn more about OUM’s
on Jalan Tun Ismail in Kuala Among its alumni are celebrity Dr experienced academics and postgraduate programmes, call the
Lumpur, such as its Centre of Soo Wincci, who graduated from industry practitioners are speed line at 03-2773 2121, e-mail
Learner Affairs and Alumni and the Doctor of Philosophy (Business appointed as supervisors. This is enquiries@oum.edu.my or visit
the Tan Sri Dr Abdullah Sanusi Administration) programme in to ensure that students receive www.oum.edu.my