THE STAR Tuesday 19 May 2015

StarSpecial

Possibilities
The complex flavours
of higher learning.

Pioneers in sustainability > 5

Research success for academician > 12

2 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

VC COLUMN

NIVERSITY rankings are

proliferating. Alongside the
annual release of league
tables identifying the worlds best
universities, we now have regional
rankings, rankings of younger
universities and rankings by
subject.
Although each ranking system
uses slightly different indicators,
all are underpinned by attempts
to measure research quality,
typically drawing upon citations
data.
The criticisms for such
approaches are well known
they favour research published
in English, high levels of citations
do not always reflect high quality
work and comparing citations
across disciplines can be tricky.
However, numerically based
measures of research quality such
as those based on citations do
have the advantage of being easily
comparable across countries in
the way that many other quality
indicators may not.
In particular, teaching-based
performance is much more
difficult to assess across countries
because of differences in the
structure and delivery of degree
programmes.
With all their limitations,
the rankings can still tell us
something about the performance
and relative quality of universities,
particularly with respect to
research.
They may also tell us
something about the performance
of higher education systems
generally.
Like any measure based on
crude indicators, they should
be interpreted with great care
and with awareness of their
limitations.

The making of a top university

By PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW

Students trust that high-ranking universities will provide opportunities for a world-class education.
With that caveat in mind, the
rankings can highlight some
interesting and thought-provoking
trends.
In one of the most recently
published rankings, the QS World
University Rankings by Subject
released in late April, the United
States and the United Kingdom
dominate. The ranking identifies
the top 50 universities worldwide
in a range of different subject
areas.
Together, the US (36%) and
the UK (14%) account for 50% of
the global top 50 rankings. Asia
accounts for 17% and mainland
Europe 15.5%.
Given that both countries tend
to dominate the broad-based
world rankings, their dominance
in the subject rankings may not

be surprising.
At the same time, it does raise
questions about what lies behind
their disproportionate success.
Put another way, why do the US
and the UK have such a large share
of the worlds best universities?
Of course, history matters
and both these countries are
home to many long-established
universities.
But resources matter too and
US universities are some of the
worlds biggest spenders.
That said, however, the
expenditure on higher education
in the UK is significantly less,
yet the countrys universities
continue to deliver outstanding
performances in research and
teaching.
Both countries have the

advantage of having the English

language as their medium of
delivery and while that tends to
help, the higher level of citations
for research published in English is
not high enough alone to account
for the success of these two
countries.
In trying to understand what
drives the success of US and UK
universities, we need to look
beyond just resources and the
history.
At the level of the individual
institution, there are undoubtedly
specific leadership and
management factors that drive
success one that is often cited
as being of importance is the idea
that universities that perform
well are led by individuals who
themselves have outstanding

academic reputations.
There are other elements
present in the US and UK higher
education systems that contribute
significantly to the success of both
countries universities.
Universities in both countries
enjoy significant autonomy from
their respective governments.
These academic institutions may
be subject to the governments
regulation especially regarding
quality assurance but they
retain considerable autonomy in
terms of what they teach, what
they research and who does the
teaching and research.
A key challenge for countries
that wish to improve their
performance in research-related
rankings is creating conditions
that allow universities to attract,
support and retain the most
talented individuals and to ensure
that they have the resources and
freedom to pursue important
research.
In many senses, the challenge
is in ensuring an appropriate level
of regulation is observed for the
maintenance of proper education
quality without stripping away the
autonomy needed by academics
to deliver research of the highest
quality.
n For more information, visit
www.nottingham.edu.my

Achieving a broader outlook

THE Management & Science
University (MSU) is one of the
best teaching and learning
universities in Malaysia. As
a university of choice, MSU
focuses strongly on critical areas
of study, which encompass
medicine, pharmacy, health and
life sciences, nursing, business,
management, accounting,
hospitality, information sciences
and engineering.
MSU has received much
recognition from Malaysian and
international independent bodies.
It has been rated twice as an
Excellent Status University by the
former Higher Education Ministry
through a rating system on 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 efforts,
which include 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 cross-cultural 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
them with new skills and
knowledge, enable students 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 a multitude of

MSUs Master in Business Administration programme develops leaders who have strong skills in entrepreneurship, strategic
management and decision making.
reasons so many students now
consider an MSU-MBA to be
an integral step in their career
pathway. Just having an MSU-MBA
can be the determinant in getting
a high-paying and high-power 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 universitys Graduate
School of Management 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 (GMP) 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 multi-cultural heritage to
Malaysia.
Professors at MSU are
rigorously selected worldwide
from among the best consultants
and professionals in their fields.
n For more information, call
03-2273 6410 or e-mail
gsm@msu.edu.my or visit
www.msu.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

POSTGRADUATE 3

Expand to
new horizons

Prof Brian Charles Imrie (left) presents a token of appreciation to the guest
speaker, Prof Datuk Razali Mahfar, at the Sunway Universitys MBA networking
dinner.

ETWORKING
opportunities are
often deemed to be
one of the key benefits of
pursuing a masters of business
administration (MBA).
Sunway Universitys premier
dual-award MBA programme
provides networking
opportunities for its students,
one of them being through the
recently held MBA networking
dinner.
More than 40 guests
comprising MBA students and
Sunway University and Sunway
groups top management
attended the dinner.
Besides gaining valuable
contacts, attendees were
treated to an inspiring
talk titled Extraordinary
Leadership and Strategic
Management Competencies
Driving Sustainable Growth
by Prof Datuk Razali Mahfar,
adjunct professor of a local
public university.
Prof Razali shared insights
into his extensive years of work
experience at top local oil and
gas companies. He was full of
praise for Sunway Universitys
premier MBA programme.
This dual-award MBA
complies with the high
standards of the British
and Malaysian higher
education systems. The entry
requirement is stringent as
students are working adults
from management positions
who are eager for personal and
career transformation, says
Prof Razali.
Partnering with Lancaster
University, the dual-award
programme aims to aid in
transforming todays managers
into tomorrows leaders.
Upon graduation, students
will receive two certificates
one from Sunway University
and another from Lancaster
University.
Lancaster University
is ranked in the top 1% of
universities globally and the
Lancaster MBA programmes
are triple accredited by the

Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB), European Quality
Improvement System (EQUIS)
and the Association of MBAs
(AMBA).
The Lancaster Global MBA
has recorded the best progress
of any university globally in the
last 12 months, as reported in
the Financial Times (FT) World
MBA Ranking 2015 published on
Jan 26, jumping 27 places to be
50th in the world.
This is a standout
performance compared to
other MBA programmes in
Malaysia. Besides this, the FT
ranked the Lancaster MBA
programme ninth in the UK
and 18th in Europe, says Prof
Brian Charles Imrie, associate
dean (postgraduate) of Sunway
University Business School.
Dr Cheng Boon Liat, Sunway
Universitys MBA programme
chair, revealed that to date,
many industry experts,
executives and managers have
enrolled for the programme.
Subash Raj Krishnan, one of
the first few students enrolled
in the programme, says, It has
been challenging but the effects
and impact of the programme
are almost immediate. The
business knowledge that I
gained supplemented my work.
For example, the corporate
finance and management
accounting modules have
taught me about profit and loss
statements, net present value
and accounting directives,
which I can apply at work to
forecast my project to the sales
and finance team within the
company, says Subash, project
manager of an international
telecommunications company.
Sunway Universitys dualaward MBA has many desirable
features and benefits for
aspiring managers.
n For more information, attend
a preview session on May 23 at
the university or call 03-7491
8701 or visit www.sunway.edu.
my/university/MBA

4 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

ECENTLY, the Education

Ministry launched the
Malaysia Education Blueprint
2015-2025 (Higher Education) or
the MEB(HE).
In line with this, Open
University Malaysia (OUM) plans
to support the ministry in its
major transformation strategies
nationwide.
The university sees itself being
a major participant of three out
of the 10 shifts that the ministry
has proposed in the blueprint.
The three are shift three (Nation
of lifelong learners), shift eight
(Global prominence) and shift ten
(Delivering transformed higher
education).

Driving learning forward

citizens, the physically challenged,
those with learning difficulties
and those who face challenging
circumstances.

Global prominence

Nation of lifelong learners

OUM has been an avid

advocate for the dissemination
of information and the skill of
learning.
This is seen clearly by its motto
University for All. It has designed
and developed a plethora of
innovative learning tools, such
as the OUM app, MyVLE (virtual
learning environment), OUMobile,
videos, e-tutorials and forums, for
its students to access information
that would help in their studies.
In addition, the university has
recently launched its massive
open online courses (MOOC).
Many of its materials have been
made available to the public.
In fact, OUM is the first
Malaysian university to have its
learning materials made available
on iTunes U.
According to president and
vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Tan
Sri Anuwar Ali, a lot of effort and
time are spent in promoting and
nurturing lifelong learning.

Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali, president and vice-chancellor of Open University
Malaysia (OUM).
This is done through various
channels such as social media,
print, weekly exhibitions and
events as well as comprehensive
marketing strategies. He was
among the many who contributed
greatly to the construction of the
MEB(HE).
In addition, OUM is one of the
main centres for the Accreditation
of Prior Experiential Learning
(APEL) system.
Many of its students have
enrolled in programmes through
this system, leveraging on their
experience as a requirement to
further their studies.
OUM is a strong advocate
of learners from diverse

circumstances. As such, many

of OUMs learners include senior
citizens and those who are
physically challenged.
This is because it offers a 70%
discount off the tuition fee for the
former and 40% for the latter. Its
facilities are also user friendly and
easily accessible for those with
special circumstances, such as the
underserved.
OUM has been able to reach
out to the underserved with its 34
fully functional learning centres
nationwide.
Prof Anuwar says that OUMs
infrastructure was specifically
designed for lifelong learners.
Many of its students are senior

For the past decade, OUM

has been venturing beyond the
borders of Malaysia to reach out
to international learners and
promote lifelong learning.
In line with this philosophy,
OUM has arms in 10 countries,
including Maldives, Hungary,
Vietnam, Yemen, Bahrain and
Sri Lanka.
Prof Anuwar explains that OUM
collectively has more than 8,000
learners studying with OUMs
international partners.
The university has been
providing opportunities for both
international participants and
local staff to enable them to
realise their global potential, both
through increased intercultural
understanding and international
experiences and possibilities.
With Malaysia being among
the top recruiters of international
students globally, this is good
news for institutions such as OUM.
In addition to this, OUM
has been selected to host
two major conferences the
Annual Conference of the Asian
Association of Open Universities
this year and the Eighth PanCommonwealth Forum on Open
Learning (PCF8) which will take
place next year.

This places OUM prominently

on the globe as a major player in
the international education arena.

Delivering transformed
higher education

OUM has proven that it has

been an advocate for harmonising
efforts between stakeholders,
public and private educational
institutions, and the ministry.
Moreover, since it is a pioneer
in the concept of lifelong learning,
Prof Anuwar feels that OUM has
a responsibility to educate and
transform the masses.
Its large-scale delivery models,
regulatory and policy work efforts
and infrastructure can be used as
models to improve the strategic
communications and stakeholder
engagement activities conducted
by the ministry.
Prof Anuwar concludes that
change starts with the Education
Ministry.
However, the public as major
stakeholders should not sit back
and wait for the ministry to
implement change before anyone
follows suit.
Everyone needs to be proactive
and begin evolving themselves
to assist each other and reach the
same milestones together with
the ministry and as a nation.
n For more information,
call 03-2773 2121 or e-mail
enquiries@oum.edu.my or
visit www.oum.edu.my

Quality British
education
RECOGNISED internationally for its high
calibre activities in science, technology
and business, Heriot Watt Universitys
commitment to excellence has earned
it high rankings across major university
league tables.
One such table is the Guardian University
Guide 2015, which ranked Heriot-Watt
13th in the United Kingdom and second
in Scotland.
The university was also commended for
several of its programmes. For instance, it
was ranked top in the UK and Scotland for
civil engineering as well as top in Scotland
forchemical engineering.
It was also placed in the top 10 in the
UK for a number of its subjects, including
building, town and country planning.
Besides that, The Complete University
Guide ranked the university 33rd in the UK
and fourth inScotland as well as among
the top 10 in the UK for building, town and
country planning as well as art and design.
Over the years, Heriot-Watt University
has expanded to encompass five campuses.
These include its main campus in
Edinburgh, two branch campuses in the UK
and two international campuses comprising
Dubai and Malaysia.
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia officially
welcomed students into its green campus in
Putrajaya in September last year, with the
official campuslaunch held in February this
year.
With the opening of this campus,
students in Malaysia andaround the
region now have access to top-notch
Britisheducation.
In addition to a variety of foundation and
undergraduate programmes, the university
currently offers postgraduate programmes
in business psychology, international

Heriot-Watt University offers students access to

top-notch British education.
business managementwith marketing,
quantity surveyingas well as a range of
engineering specialisations, including
civilengineering, mechanical engineering
and renewable energy engineering.
Most of the postgraduate programmes
are offered on full-time and part-time basis,
allowing students more flexibility.
The university offers the masters of
business administration (MBA) via the
universitys graduate school of business
the Edinburgh Business School.
The MBA is its flagship programme that
is offered as a part-time programme, with
classes conducted over weekends in the
Putrajaya campus.
As is the common practice of the
university, the programmes have been
developed andaccredited alongside
industry professionals.
Doing so ensures thatstudents are
properly equipped for a successful career
while guaranteeing that the learning
materials used are current and relevantto
the many shifts and changes in the
industry.
As such, students canrest assured
that the education they receive at HeriotWattUniversity Malaysia will put them in
good stead as they progress intheir careers
after graduation.
n For more information, call 03-8894 3888
or e-mail hwum@hw.ac.uk

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

HILE it is difficult to
determine the time of
an economic upswing,
Multimedia University (MMU) is
confident that when it happens,
technology and sustainability will
be the main forces to drive the
economy.
For Assoc Prof Dr Lee Ching
Kwang, director of MMUs
Graduate Institute of
Engineering (pic), there
are no two ways about
it. He holds the view that
technology has become
mankinds panacea for
every problem real or
perceived.
For those who are sick,
technology has created new
drugs and better procedures to
treat them. Millions of lonely
people turn to websites and apps
to find friends or partners. As for
individuals who are strapped for
cash, the Internet can be used
to sell products and services to
friends and strangers alike.
From personal problems to
natural disasters, we look to
technology for solutions.
However, technology alone
cannot preserve the health of
an economy. Dr Lee views that
sustainability has a very strong
impact on any companys bottom
line.
Sustainability involves
everything that goes into or
supports production, including
the use of raw materials such as
wood and steel, the electricity
that powers the production
machinery, the liquefied
petroleum gas that fuels industrial
burners, and the water that is
required not only as raw material,
but also to regulate temperatures

POSTGRADUATE 5

Pioneers in sustainability
and cool machines.
Lest all this comes across as
merely an academic conjecture,
we need to consider that at
the height of the water
crisis in the Klang
Valley mid last year,
a multinational fastmoving consumer
goods company, which
had been operating
for decades in Selangor,
voiced out that it was seriously
considering relocating to another
state because the lack of water
was negatively impacting its
production.
If the water problem had not
been addressed, and the firm had
gone ahead with the plan to move,
not only would thousands of jobs
be lost, the state would have also
lost significant revenue. In other
words, sustainability is a very real
issue with real ramifications.
Although technology and
sustainability have extremely
important roles with regards to
our future economic well-being,
tapping into this opportunity is
another challenge entirely.
For many working adults who
have spent their respective careers
in non-tech companies, going to
work for a tech or sustainability
firm seems beyond their reach.
However, Dr Lee assures
the public that with sufficient
planning and initiative, working
adults can successfully make their
way into tech- or sustainabilityrelated firms.

MMUs Graduate Institute of Engineering (GIE) introduces postgraduate studies in

sustainability and technology management.
Two ways individuals can make
the shift a reality are through
GIEs two programmes, Master of
Science in Sustainable Systems
Management (SSM) and Master of
Science in Engineering Business
Management (EBM).
The SSM programme helps
experienced adults, with or
without engineering background,
to develop operational and
business expertise required to
lead or manage sustainability
initiatives and sustainabilityrelated departments.
In essence, they can become
agents of change for the industry
and guide their employers or
clients in the transition towards

sustainable operations, which

will not only ensure long-term
profitability, but also help
safeguard the environment.
On the other hand, the EBM
programme serves as a bridge
between the realms of business
and engineering.
Graduates holding engineering
and non-engineering degrees
are trained in the elements of
management and business as well
as in operations and technology.
Dr Lee is confident that either
programme would go a long way
in helping working adults break
into new areas of professional
interest not limited to big
corporations.

While multinational
corporations or even publiclisted companies are known
to offer good packages for
their employees, the public
needs to remember that bigger
opportunities lie with small and
medium enterprises (SME), he
says.
For example, while Japan and
Germany respectively the third
and fourth largest economies
of the world have a slew of
household-name corporations,
much of their wealth come from
technology-based SMEs.
The products of these smaller
firms are exported across the
world, not just as finished
consumer products, but as
highly specialised pieces that
serve as components of bigger
equipment manufactured in other
industrialised countries.
Although they are small,
the collective power of SMEs is
nothing short of breathtaking.
When Greece needed a bailout in
2010, Germany and its army of
small firms served as the financial
backstop and enabled Greece to
stabilise.
With this in mind, Dr Lee
hopes many will take advantage
of MMUs two unique masters
programmes so that they are able
to take part in the massive growth
potential of the technology and
sustainability areas.
n For more information, visit
www.mmu.edu.my

6 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

Famous advancers
of arts and science

HE discovery of new
knowledge through research
is a valuable and noble
pursuit. Our understanding of
science and the way the world
works has improved throughout
the centuries because of research.
Human civilisation and culture
has also developed through
the influence of the arts; the
exploration and discovery of
new ways to express ourselves is
invaluable to our evolution.
Arts and science both benefit
from open-minded inquisitiveness
and, nowadays, the lines between
the two are blurred.
A person can be an
accomplished artiste as well as

have tremendous knowledge and

ability in science.
Here are some famous people
who prove that the marriage
of arts and science can lead to
success.

Mayim Bialik PhD in

neuroscience, actress

Starting her career as a child

actress in the late 1980s, Bialik
became a household name when
she played the lead in the 90s
television series Blossom. After
the series finished its run in 1995,
she attended the University of
California, Los Angeles (she had
also been accepted at Harvard
and Yale).

Bialik earned a degree in

neuroscience, Hebrew studies
and Jewish studies and went on to
earn a PhD in neuroscience.
Her dissertation was an
investigation into hypothalamic
activity in patients with PraderWilli syndrome.
She continued her work in
television and film after that,
and earned a big following for
her Emmy Award-nominated
performance as a quirky
neurobiologist in the hit TV series
Big Bang Theory.
Bialik has said that she finds
being a scientist as exciting,
creative and interesting as being
an artiste.

Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

PhD in astrophysics,
author, science
communicator

Besides his doctorate in

astrophysics, deGrasse Tyson
also holds a masters degree
in astronomy and was a
postdoctoral research associate
at Princeton University.
He has served as director
of the Hayden Planetarium,
which is part of the American
Museum of Natural History,
and served on a few
government commissions on
the future of the US aerospace
industry.
DeGrasse Tyson was also a
columnist for Natural History
magazine and, besides a long
list of research publications,
has written several books
about space and astrophysics.
Tyson appears regularly
on television, radio and other
media in his role as science
communicator, where he
presents and takes part in
discussions in science-related
topics. He has stated that his
status and profound visibility
as a well-known scientist who
is black has been an important
tool to change existing racial
stereotypes.
His vast fan base, formed
mainly through his various
media appearances, has (along
with that of Bill Nye, another
popular science communicator)
played a major role in making
science part of the current pop
culture zeitgeist.

Brian Cox.

Brian Cox PhD in highenergy particle physics,

musician, science
communicator

Cox started his career in music

as a teenager in the 1980s as a
keyboardist in the rock band Dare,
which had several hits on the UK
music charts.
He later joined chart-topping
pop rock group D:Ream for a
short time, while pursuing his
bachelors degree.
Cox, who was knighted in
2010, is currently an advanced
fellow of the Particle Physics and
Astronomy Research Council in
the UK.
He is also a member of the
High Energy Physics group at
the University of Manchester, in
which capacity he works on the
ATLAS experiment, one of seven
particle detector experiments
conducted at the Large Hadron
Collider, a particle accelerator at
the European Organization for
Nuclear Research (CERN).
He has appeared in numerous
radio and television science
programmes as both panellist
and presenter and has also been a
science advisor for science fiction
films and television series.
Cox, who has stated that there
should be more investment in
future generations of scientists,
was awarded the Michael
Faraday Prize of the Royal
Society for his excellent work
in science communication.

Mayim Bialik.
>> TURN TO PAGE 8

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

POSTGRADUATE 7

Students with a
global perspective
Mingling with peers of various
nationalities can help expand
students worldview.

LOBAL education is an approach

to education that helps students
understand the diversity of global
society and the broad-based issues and
challenges that are relevant to us.
By equipping students with such a
mindset, they are better prepared for a
workforce that demands a global worldview
and an integrated perspective on the way
business is carried out and policies are
made.
For Prof Christine Ennew, chief executive
office and provost of The University of
Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC),
global education is about understanding
and being sensitive to national identity,
the celebration of different heritages and
traditions, and learning and understanding
other cultures.
It cannot be denied that the future of
higher education is in going global as the
marketplace opens up and the borders
between countries are blurred. Students
in Malaysia are in direct competition with
students from around the world for the
same jobs.
The way in which other cultures do
things can make us think and reflect on
the way we do them ourselves, which is
immensely valuable.
Global education is also about awareness
of issues that affect people around the
world. It is about understanding and
being aware of differences in cultures and
appreciating the value of the diversity that
we have, says Prof Ennew.
However, it is not enough to just say that
global education is part of the curriculum.
It has to permeate more broadly within the
community.
Global education is not a subject that
is taught as a stand-alone course nor does
it have a specific syllabus. It is instead
integrated into academic teachings and
extracurricular activities.
The pressing issues that require the
attention of researchers and the youth are
global concerns such as climate change, food
security, energy, human and international
security, and issues of equity, fairness and
justice.
Unsurprisingly, so many of these things
are interlinked. For example, if you think
about climate change, you think about
the fossil fuel used for energy and the
challenges of growing crops to feed the
planet, says Prof Ennew.
Matters related to security, equity
and justice fall under the human rights
banner. Around both groups of issues is
the underlying agenda of health and wellbeing.
UNMC encourages and supports this

mindset outside of the curriculum with

the Nottingham Advantage Award, which
is an employability-focused additional
qualification that it offers to students.
This is where students have the
opportunity to do much more in tackling
global education agendas. Students can
focus on specific issues and volunteer in
communities locally or internationally and
reflect on what they have done and learnt
in the process of getting the credit for the
advantage award.
In UNMC, there are numerous
multidisciplinary collaborations among
students.
One distinctive effort involves
physiotherapy students from the UK
campus working with the education
students from the Malaysian campus in a
disabled childcare centre in Bukit Harapan,
Sabah.
The physiotherapy students address
the childrens physical needs while the
education students help with educational
needs.
This experience allows our students
to realise and understand how privileged
they are while they are also able to see
how they can participate actively to make a
practical difference, and to do so locally and
internationally, says Prof Ennew.
UNMC has a diverse international
community on campus with students of
more than 70 nationalities, staff from more
than 30 countries and a large network of
societies and clubs. Many of these societies
and clubs are cultural and faith-based
societies.
While these societies promote and
share their cultures and practices, they
also collaborate for certain events to
bring people together and create mutual
understanding and respect.
The students put in a lot of effort to
raise awareness about their culture, which
is a fantastic opportunity to learn. Here,
students get the chance to attend events
such as the 1930s Shanghai Night organised
by the Chinese Cultural Society, Korean
Night or Discover Islam event, says Prof
Ennew.
It is the combination of all of these
activities that contributes to the delivery of
a global education in UNMC.
As a result, it is no surprise that its
students are some of the top choices for
employers who value graduates groomed
to be global citizens who understand
the issues and challenges that conform
societies around the world.
n For more information, visit
www.nottingham.edu.my

8 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

Gain an
added edge
I

N a recent survey done at the

Taylors University annual
Career and Employment Fair,
30% of respondents comprising top
multinational organisations said
that they would pay an average
of RM400 extra to the monthly
salary of a masters degree holder
who holds the same position as an
undergraduate degree holder.
This means that a masters
holder will, over time, accumulate
much more in pay as compared
to if he or she only had an
undergraduate qualification.
There are also more opportunities
for career advancement for
postgraduate holders, which will
raise salary figures even more.
A good MBA programme
attracts talented people from
every aspect of society. These
professional relationships
provide essential mentoring
and networking opportunities,
which are valuable for career
development.
At Taylors Business School,
networking does not only
comprise students but also
involves highly qualified faculty
members who are experts in their
fields as well as industry experts
from leading organisations around
the world.

The Taylors MBA Business

Circle session is designed to
accommodate face-to-face
interactions and the exchange
of ideas between students and
corporate leaders.
The Business Circle allows
students to gain better
insights into specific industries
and provides an enhanced
networking platform for students
and corporate leaders.
We believe that continuous
interactions with leading business
professionals allow MBA students
to see how concepts and theories
are applied in real business
practices and organisational
strategic planning.
Additionally, MBA students
can appreciate the applications of
various business practices within
a wide range of industries, says
Vinitha Guptan, dean of Taylors
Business School.
Top corporate leaders such
as Dr Stuart Kewley, chairman
and co-founder of The Eurasia
Consortium, and Kamal Zainul,
group chief financial officer of
NH Gain Sdn Bhd, are among the
speakers for the Business Circle
who share valuable insights with
students during the session.
Eugene Tan, Taylors MBA

Taylors MBA
graduates are
exposed to more
networking
opportunities,
ideas and insight
during the
Taylors MBA
Business Circle
sessions.

student and sales and marketing

director of EMP Image Solution
Sdn Bhd, talks about his
experience in attending the
Business Circle, saying, The
Business Circle sessions widen my
perspective in terms of looking
for ideas and directions for my
company. I applaud Taylors
University for making the Business
Circle sessions available to
students.
Taylors MBA programme
also adopts an industry-driven
curriculum. The modules are
designed in collaboration with top
industry leaders, including CIMB,
DiGi, LOreal, IBM, Tokio Marine
and Maxis.
The case studies used in the
classrooms are actual industry
experiences, giving students the
upper hand in understanding real
business problems.
Another unique feature of the

Taylors MBA programme is that

it gives students an opportunity
to participate in exchange
programmes with reputable
business schools from around the
world.
This facilitates cultural
exchange and international
networking for students to
enhance their learning experience.
Taylors MBA programme has
connections with 43 renowned
universities, including Oxford
University and University of
Bath in the United Kingdom, and
Universit Catholique de Lille in
France.
Through the one-of-its-kind
Taylors-Oxford Entrepreneurship
Leadership Programme, Taylors
students spend seven days at
Oxford University, from Aug 16
to 22 where they will have access
to professors and networking
opportunities with students and

UK industry leaders.
Students can also opt to
join the European Summer
Programme where they either
go to France from July 6 to 19
to spend time at ISEG School
of Management, Universit
Catholique de Lille or opt to take
two modules at the School of
Management, University of Bath.
Taylors MBA is offered on
a full-time basis for one-year
duration or part-time basis for
a minimum of two years to a
maximum of five years.
Financial aid of up to a
50% tuition fee waiver is also
available.
The next intake is in
September.
n For more information,
call 03-5629 5000, e-mail
postgraduate@taylors.edu.my or
visit www.taylors.edu.my/mba

Science visibility through the arts

>> FROM PAGE 6
ARTISTES are using their popularity to
reach out to a wider audience to make
science accessible. Though not all have
postgraduate degrees, their contributions to
the arts or science (or both) have changed
the lives of people all over the world.

Brian May PhD in astrophysics,

musician

May is the internationally famous lead

guitarist of legendary rock band Queen.
As a musician, songwriter and singer, May
rose to fame with Queen in the 1970s, with
whom he wrote and sang numerous hit
songs.
Following the dissolution of Queen,
May continued working as a musician,
songwriter, music arranger and singer. He is
considered a virtuoso guitarist in the music
industry and is on Rolling Stone magazines
list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
May is known for experimenting with
and creating new and unusual sounds with
his unique electric guitar, the Red Special,
which he designed and built with his
electronics engineer father when he was a
teenager.
May studied mathematics and
astrophysics at Imperial College London.
When pursuing a PhD, he studied reflected
light from interplanetary dust and the
velocity of dust in the plane of the solar
system but eventually stopped his studies
to concentrate on his work with Queen.
In 2006, he re-registered for this PhD
at Imperial College and submitted his
completed thesis, graduating in 2008.
He has appeared on science-based
television shows and is also a regular
participant and promoter of the Starmus
Festival, a science, astronomy, music and art
festival that encourages the appreciation
and sharing of information about space and
the universe.

Brian May.

Hedy Lamarr actress, inventor

Best known for her acting talent

and incredible beauty, Lamarr was
also a pioneer in the field of wireless
communication technology.
Lamarr worked in the film industry in
Berlin and Vienna in the late 1920s.
It was during her marriage to an
Austrian military arms merchant, who she
would accompany to business meetings
with scientists and military technology
professionals, that her interest in applied
science was kindled.
After World War II broke out, Lamarr, by
then a popular actress in the US, initially
used her celebrity status to help the war
effort but later acted on her desire to aid the
Allied Forces through her interest in science.
Though she never had any formal higher
education, Lamarr was successful in her
research and invention of a frequencyhopping system in collaboration with
George Antheil, a composer who was also
talented in both the arts and science.
This spread spectrum technology would
later galvanise the digital communications
boom and form the technical backbone for
the technology now used by fax machines,
cellular phones and other wireless
operations.

Tuesday 19 May 2015

StarSpecial 9

10 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

AVING to work in the information

technology field, one cannot help but
feel excited about the success stories
of self-made millionaires such as Mark
Zuckerberg or Elon Musk.
In the last few years, I realised that I
wanted to be a tech entrepreneur just
like them and to prepare myself for that
role, I decided to enrol in the University
of Strathclyde MBA programme at CDC
Management Institute.
This led me to compete in a few business
competitions, and I emerged winner of Lean
Startup Machine 2014.
I come from a humble family in Indonesia
where my parents were financially
challenged in providing for my education.
But they did their best to support my
undergraduate studies and this motivated
me to study harder. I got a scholarship to
pursue a degree in computer science in
Malaysia and graduated earlier compared to
my peers.
At the age of 19, I managed to get a job
and became independent. I pursued my
masters in business administration (MBA)
after having worked for eight years.
It was a struggle in the first two
semesters as I became overwhelmed
with the heavy course schedule, family
commitments and having to work with

Valuable learning experience

more experienced classmates.
However, I learnt the importance of
studying with mature and professional
classmates as we supported and worked
together to achieve our goal.
This MBA also introduced me to many
mentors, including classmates who were
successful in their careers.
I am currently the director of
engineering at booster.com. Booster
empowers people to raise awareness and
funds for a cause, loved one, group or
project through campaigns driven by sales
of custom-designed or cause-branded
merchandise and/or donation campaigns.
Tens of thousands of individuals use
Booster every day, including schools, small
businesses, cause marketers, charities to
run personal projects and crowd-funding
ideas.
My humble advice to those who wish to
pursue an MBA programme is to be ready to
adapt and learn.
Do not stop learning and be grateful for

Welly Salim is
appreciative of
the support he
receives from
his family.

the support you receive from your family. I

am grateful for the support I received from
my wife.
I am ultimately thankful for having
gained my MBA from the University of
Strathclyde as it is an important hallmark in
my life. By Welly Salim

Welly Salim is director of engineering at

booster.com and holder of the University
of Strathclyde MBA undertaken at CDC
Management Institute.
n For more information, call 7660 8950
ext 109 or visit www.cdc.edu.my

Focus on the
business community
RESEARCH and development (R&D) in
the business world is vital in providing
viable solutions to overcoming issues and
challenges in a highly competitive and
dynamic business environment.
Researchers in the Faculty of Business
and Humanities of Curtin University,
Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) work on
research themes that incorporate the many
aspects of business and provide cuttingedge information relevant to various
segments of the business community.
With an emphasis on business
sustainability and community-focused
research, the facultys interdisciplinary
research approach covers seven key
research focus areas.
These areas are tourism and hospitality,
entrepreneurship and human resources,
brand, communications and customer
relationships, business performance,
economics and finance, learning
pedagogies, and humanities.
The area of tourism and hospitality
includes studies of ecotourism as well as
the hospitality and services industries.
Subjects such as entrepreneurship and
human resources are also researched,
especially human resources management
and development, indigenous
entrepreneurship, ecopreneurship and
entrepreneurship education.
Green marketing, stakeholder
empowerment, international public
relations, corporate social responsibility,
retailing and service marketing are
some aspects covered under the
brand, communications and customer
relationships focus area.
The business performance focus area
focuses on financial and managerial
accounting, ethical issues, accounting
standards and performance analysis,
among others.
In the area of economics and finance,
the performance of financial institutions,
behavioural finance, biofuels, energy
and natural resource economics,
macroeconomic factors, monetary
economics, business fluctuations and cycles,
government and the monetary system, and
other aspects of economics are scrutinised.
Teaching and learning in higher
education, discipline-based education for
classroom improvement, and curriculum
and pedagogy development are the foci
of researchers in the learning pedagogies
focus area.
As for researchers in the humanities

focus area, they conduct research of

Sarawaks ethnic cultures and history,
ethnolinguistics, sociolinguistics, new
media and the democratisation potential,
inter-relationship between old and new
media, as well as new media and its impact
on contemporary society.
The Faculty of Business and Humanities
associate dean of R&D, Dr Anbalagan
Krishnan (pic), says that having built an
outstanding reputation in the national
and international research arena, the
facultys researchers also act as mentors for
postgraduate scholars at the doctorate and
masters levels.
The researchers are highly committed to
developing their research niche areas and
continually strive to achieve and maintain
research excellence.
Our seven key research focus areas are
critical components of success in discovery
research, provide unique educational
experiences for graduate students and
solutions to issues affecting the business
community, and ultimately support the
development of communities and the
nation, says Dr Anbalagan.
He says that potential students are
encouraged to undertake higher degree by
research (HDR) studies with Curtin Sarawak
and contribute towards sustainable
business practices in Malaysia and
internationally.
According to him, the number of HDR
students engaged in business research at
the university is growing steadily and with
the establishment of a graduate school
earlier this year, the number is expected to
increase substantially in the coming years.
n For more information, visit
www.curtin.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

POSTGRADUATE 11

IMUs MSc in Public Health students experience unique learning opportunities in the field.

Campaigning
against smoking
O

N April 1, International Medical

University (IMU)s MSc in Public
Health students along with its
medical students from the universitys
Clinical School in Seremban, conducted an
anti-smoking campaign for adolescents at
a semi-urban school in Kuala Pilah, Negri
Sembilan.
The adolescents were full of energy
and very receptive to the campaign. They
were given a questionnaire to test their
knowledge and awareness of smoking.
The IMU students then performed a
role play to highlight the effects of smoking.
The adolescents were asked what they
learnt from the role play and received
pamphlets on the effects of smoking on
smokers and passive smokers.
The adolescents were excited and
actively participated in a question-andanswer session.
From the response we received, I
believe that we made an impact on the
young minds. The postgraduate students
found this health promotion activity an
enlightening experience, says Meenakshi
Thigarajan, MSc in Public Health student.
IMUs MSc in Public Health is a taught
programme that provides students of
various health and related professional
backgrounds with the knowledge and
skills in public health sciences and related
disciplines.
The knowledge gained allows students
to be effective contributors to this field of
health care.
Programme coordinator Prof Hematram
Yadav says, Public health professionals
today face both old and new public health
challenges. They range from infectious
diseases such as influenza and the HIV/AIDS
pandemic to chronic disease epidemics,
cancer and obesity.
He says the other public health
challenges include the health of Malaysias
increasingly elderly population, healthendangering habits such as smoking and
substance abuse, water and food safety, as
well as the threats of natural and manmade
disasters.
The IMU MSc in Public Health prepares
one to face these challenges through
multidisciplinary approaches that apply the
latest scientific knowledge, common sense
and teamwork to solve important health
problems, says Prof Yadav.
The curriculum focuses on the core
disciplines of epidemiology, biostatistics,
management sciences, and the
environmental, biological, behavioural and
social factors that influence the health of
populations and communities.
Upon successful completion of this
course, students possess an understanding
of the science and art of public health,

IMU students present an anti-smoking role play to

engage with the adolescents.
including concepts of health and disease
and the factors that influence them.
This acquisition of the right knowledge,
skills and attitude enable graduates to apply
whatever they have learnt to a wide range
of service and academic settings.
Commenting on this programme, MSc in
Public Health graduate Gopirajan Rasamy
says, To be taught by a team of experts in
their respective fields and be able to garner
knowledge backed up by experience is
definitely the plus point of this programme.
Every single module has been tailored
to ensure that perception of knowledge
and information is effectively gained by the
students.
The incorporation of different aspects
of learning such as field visits, community
surveys, reports and research helps in
giving the students a more complete picture
of the public health field. I strongly believe
the knowledge I have gained will help me
forge a career in the field of public health,
says Gopirajan.
IMU also offers the MSc in Molecular
Medicine, MSc in Analytical and
Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Masters of
Pharmacy Practice as well as MSc and PhD
in Medical and Health Sciences (Research).
The research programmes commence
anytime during the year while the other
postgraduate programmes will begin in
September.
Those who are interested in pursuing
postgraduate studies can seek sponsorship
from the Malaysian Government via the
MyBrain15 programme.
If you have an interest in furthering your
studies at the postgraduate level in any of
the aforementioned areas, make an online
application today and gain an advantage
in a highly competitive employment job
market.
n For more information, call 03-2731 7272
or e-mail postgraduate@imu.edu.my or visit
www.imu.edu.my

12 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

Dr Lim
guiding her
postgraduate
students in
their research.

Research success
for academician

T all began with a simple fungus that

cannot be seen with the naked eye but
can kill you. That is how Asst Prof Dr
Crystale Lim Siew Ying from the Faculty of
Applied Sciences, UCSI University describes
the work that won her one of the three
inaugural LOral-Unesco For Women in
Science National Fellowships in 2006.
This was no mean feat as the programme
is at the national level of the global
initiative by LOral and the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (Unesco).
The fungus, Candida albicans, commonly
found in the mouth, gut and the female
reproductive systems of humans, is
normally harmless.
An opportunistic fungus, it becomes
dangerous to those with a compromised
immune system, including patients
undergoing medical treatment such as
chemotherapy or major surgery or those
suffering from diseases such as AIDS.
In simpler terms, although cancer,
surgery or AIDS may not necessarily kill
you, Candida albicans found in ones blood
or organs sometimes can.
Dr Lims work on the fungus focuses on
understanding host-pathogen interactions.
Specifically, she studies the molecular
mechanisms of how Candida albicans
causes bloodstream infections in those with
compromised immune systems.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, an
integrated global health enterprise in the
US, bloodstream infections from the fungus
kill 31,000 patients with central catheters
annually in the United States.
If we can understand how the Candida
albicans cells communicate and behave, we
can create better prevention or treatment
options by stopping them from producing
virulence factors, or infection responses,
that turn them into dangerous pathogens in
the host, says Dr Lim.
With her PhD qualification in molecular
science, research credentials and the
LOral-Unesco fellowship, offers for an
academic and research role were aplenty
from both public and private universities as
well as from the industry.
Dr Lim chose UCSI in 2010 and remains
appreciative of the support she has received
from the university. During her time at
UCSI, her research interest has expanded
to understanding cancer cell behaviour
and how other pathogens communicate to
cause infections.
One of her projects has been supported
by the university through a RM133,000
grant from UCSIs Centre of Excellence
for Research, Value Innovation and
Entrepreneurship (Cervie). She was also
awarded the High Impact Research Award
from UCSI in 2013.
To Dr Lim, what stands out about UCSI
besides the availability of research grants
is its environment that is conducive to
research. She shares that at UCSI, her
fellow academics support one another and

Dr Lim with her poster announcing her 2006

inaugural LOral-Unesco For Women in Science
National Fellowship.
individual success only serves to spur the
others on to keep on raising the bar. Any
new equipment purchased using a research
grant is also shared.
Now, Dr Lim is pursuing another interest
that is close to her heart guiding the next
generation of researchers through her
role as a postgraduate supervisor. Having
supervised the work of both fresh graduates
and individuals with working experience,
Dr Lim believes that no one is too old to
pursue new knowledge.
UCSIs wide range of postgraduate
degrees from research-based programmes
to coursework-based ones in either fulltime or part-time mode accommodates
both fresh graduates and working adults.
Fresh graduates usually pursue the
research-focused, full-time programmes
while working adults prefer the
postgraduate degrees by coursework on a
part-time basis.
The director of Cervie, Assoc Prof Dr
Cheah Shiau Chuen, is making it her focus to
highlight the research work of postgraduate
students.
The centre has set up the UCSIs Young
Scientist Incentive Research Fund that
postgraduate supervisors can apply for to
support his or her students research.
The university holds various events and
workshops to enhance the postgraduate
student experience. These include the
UCSI Postgraduate Colloquium and UCSI
Research Symposium.
To ensure that its postgraduate
programmes are accessible to the best
and the brightest, the university has
allocated funds under the UCSI University
Trust Graduate Fellowship, which offers
both local and international qualified
postgraduate students full or partial tuition
fee waivers.
With outstanding lecturers such as
Dr Lim who are respected researchers in
their own right, laboratories equipped
with cutting-edge equipment and funds
specifically allocated for postgraduate
students, UCSI is proving to be a world-class
institution for research and postgraduate
education.
n For more information, call 03-9102
4739 or visit www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my/
onlineenquiry

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

Scholarships
to finance
your studies

AKE the right start to

your education journey
with a scholarship
offered by KBU International
College.
Since its inception in 1990,
KBU International College
has been steadfast in its
commitment to produce topnotch graduates while being a
strong advocate of giving back
to the society.
As such, the college offers an
array of scholarships as shown
below:
l Merit scholarship 2015
Under the Merit scholarship,
SPM students who scored 9A+s
and above for their SPM are
entitled to enjoy up to 100%
tuition fee waiver. Partial
scholarships are also available
for those who obtained 8As and
below.
l Bursary awards
The college also offers
bursary awards to current
students who have excelled in
their studies.
Diploma and degree
students with a CGPA of 3.75
and above can enjoy a 100%
tuition fee waiver. Students
with a CGPA of 3.50 and 3.00
can obtain up to 50% and 25%
tuition fee waiver respectively.
l Student leaders and top
office bearers scholarships
2015
Student leaders and top
office bearers scholarships are
designed for students who are
active in uniform bodies such
as scouts, girl guides, St John
Ambulance and police cadets.
Under this scholarship
scheme, students are entitled to
a designated amount of tuition
fee waiver per academic year,
depending on their position or
rank.
There are also tuition fee
waivers for school prefectorial
board members and librarians.
l Sports scholarships
Sports scholarships are
open to students who have
represented the country in a
sport.
They are entitled to enjoy
a 100% tuition fee waiver for
foundation, pre-university
and diploma programmes
while state level players will
be awarded with a designated
amount of tuition fee waiver
per academic year.
The sports that allow
an individual to qualify for
this award include athletics,
badminton, basketball, bowling,
football, hockey, swimming,
table tennis, taekwondo,
volleyball, netball and rugby.
l KBU founders scholarship
KBU also offers its new KBU
founders scholarship in honour
of KBUs founder, the late Tan
Sri Teo Soo Cheng.
Under the scheme, Senior
Middle Three students who
have excelled in the Unified

Examination Certificate (UEC)

examinations stand to have
25% to 100% of their tuition fees
waived.
This scholarship is applicable
to any diploma and degree
programmes at KBU.
l Other scholarships or
financial assistance available
KBU International College
offers scholarships such as
the Selected School Principal
Scholarship and Sibling
Scholarship to ease students
financial burden.

Future plans

KBU is geared towards

achieving the status of
university college soon. We
are in the midst of filing for
the establishment, says KBU
principal Dr Chee Choong Kooi.
KBU International College
is set to be known as First
City University College upon
approval of its university
college status.
The construction of KBUs
Phase 2 is expected to be
completed next year and will
consist of indoor sporting
facilities, on-campus hostel
rooms, disabled-friendly
amenities and a cosy student
lounge, among others, says Dr
Chee.
On top of that, the university
college will be introducing
new programmes, such
as BSc (Hons) Hospitality
Management, BA (Hons) Mass
Communication, BA (Hons)
Fashion Marketing and BEng
(Hons) Mechanical Engineering.
KBU International College is
a private institution of higher
learning known for its relevant
programmes that meet the
requirements of various
industries.
KBU is also well known
for its excellent track record
of providing UK 3+0 degree
programmes.
Courses offered include
study areas in art and
design, business, hospitality
and tourism management,
computing/software
engineering, engineering,
languages (English and
German) as well as preuniversity programmes such
as the Australian Matriculation
(AUSMAT) and GCE A-Levels.
Since its inception in 1990,
KBU has produced hundreds of
first class honours graduates
through collaborations with
reputable partner universities
in the United Kingdom, namely
Nottingham Trent University,
Sheffield Hallam University and
Anglia Ruskin University.
KBU International College
graduates have successfully
gained employment in diverse
fields.
n For more information, visit
www.kbu.edu.my

KBU International College offers an array of attractive scholarships.

POSTGRADUATE 13

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

HE World Health
Organization (WHO)
describes that the goal of
universal health coverage is to
ensure everyone obtains the
health services they need without
suffering financial hardships
when paying for them.
It is thus a critical component
of sustainable development
and poverty reduction, and a
key element to reducing social
inequities.
In comparison with her Asean
neighbours, Malaysia is doing very
well, especially with regards to
incidence of catastrophic medical
expenditures, says Nathorn
Chaiyakunapruk, professor of
health economics at the School
of Pharmacy, Monash University
Malaysia.
However, the country
should look at improving the
quality and services at public
hospitals to reduce out-of-pocket
expenditure.
He elaborates that the amount
of out-of-pocket payments
required for health services in
Malaysia is high.
In a recent paper titled
Progress towards Universal
Health Coverage in ASEAN
published in Global Health Action
in 2014, it was reported that
Asean countries face several
common barriers in achieving
universal health coverage.
These include financial
constraints due to low levels
of government funding,
insufficient health workforces,
unequal distribution of health
professionals, increasing burdens
of no claims discount, persisting
infectious diseases

POSTGRADUATE 14

Health coverage for all

and reemerging pandemic
infectious diseases.
With the Asean Economic
Community (AEC) setting a goal
of regional economic integration
by this year, Asean leaders have
identified health care as a priority
sector.
The opening of health care
markets promises substantial
economic gains but intensifies
existing challenges in promoting
equitable access to health care
within countries. The AECs
services sector integration goals
present the biggest challenges as
well as the biggest opportunities
for the region.
Countries such as Singapore
and Thailand have already
become significant exporters
of modern services in sectors
such as professional services and
information and communication
technology, including business
processing outsourcing, higher
education and health tourism.
Some countries face challenges
related to the opening of health
care markets. For example, despite
the golden opportunity to tap
into the large Indonesian market,
the response from multinational
health care companies has been
lukewarm dues to the restrictions
and regulations on foreign
investments into the country.
Progressive liberalisation of
services of health professionals
also poses risks to health equity
within and between countries.
According to the Mutual

Recognition Arrangement (MRA)

of the AEC, physicians, nurses and
dentists are among seven selected
professional groups that are free
to work across member countries.
Although the financial
returns from this strategy seem
substantial, issues of equity within
the universal health coverage
system have become a concern
due to the possibility of health
workers leaving poorer regions
already struggling to ensure
universal health coverage.
On a brighter note, universal
health coverage can be
achieved even among low- and
middle-income countries by
strengthening the health system,
securing sustainable and equitable
financing, selecting the right
benefit package and reorganising
domestic health expenditure so
that it is used more efficiently.
For Asean countries, universal
health coverage can be explicitly
considered to mitigate damaging
effects of economic integration.
Political commitments to
safeguard health budgets and
increase health spending will be
necessary, given liberalisations
risks to health equity. Other risks
are migration and an ageing
population, which will increase
the demand on health systems.
It is certain that Asean
countries face immense challenges
when it comes to ensuring
universal health coverage.
However, with aligned
regional policies and increased

investments in public health

systems, the outlook is positive
as the region shows strong
potential in championing
better health.
Hopefully, this will
result in higher health
and safety standards,
comprehensive
social protection,
and improved
health status
for the Asean
population.
n For more
information,
visit www.
monash.edu.
my/research

Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk, professor

of health economics at the School of
Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 19 May 2015

POSTGRADUATE 15

SEGi University
offers a wide
range of
postgraduate
programmes to
suit the needs of
every learner.

Postgraduate Studies

Advance your career

N a highly competitive employment

market, a postgraduate qualification
can be the key to attracting prospective
employers, providing an extra edge in
a resume as well as a smooth career
progression.
SEGi University at Kota Damansara,
Selangor, provides a wide range of
postgraduate programmes that serve as
a stepping stone to high-flying careers
and enable learners to be future industry
leaders.
SEGi University offers several masters of
business administration (MBA) programmes
to suit the specific needs of individuals.
MBA candidates have three options
of specialisation global business,
entrepreneurship and general management.
There are also MBAs offered by
partner universities, which are University
of Southern Queensland, University
of Sunderland and the University of
Greenwich.
Other postgraduate programmes offered
by SEGi Universitys Graduate School of
Business are Master in Financial Planning,
Master of Science in Management by
research, PhD in Management by research
and Doctor of Business Administration by
research.
For enterprising ICT specialists,
the Master of Science in Information

at a Leading Private Medical

& Health Sciences University

Systems Management by the University

of Greenwich, UK, offers the perfect
opportunity to learn about ICT management
theories within a business environment.
There is also the MSc in
Telecommunication Engineering from
the University of Sunderland, UK, for IT
network specialists. SEGi University also
offers the Master of Science in Information
Technology by research and the PhD in
Information Technology by research for
assessment-inclined individuals.
Engineers can pursue the Master
in Engineering Management from the
University of Sunderland.
SEGi University offers the Master of
Environmental Management Technology,
Master of Science in Engineering by
research, PhD in Engineering by research
and PhD in Environmental Sciences by
research.
Academicians have the option of
pursuing the Master of Education (MEd)
by research or the PhD in Education by
research for professional development.
The Master of Science in Vision Science
by research is available for ocular and
clinical optometry professionals.
n For more information, call 03-6145 1777
or 1800 887 344 or e-mail askme@segi.edu.
my or visit www.segi.edu.my

Rethinking
the MBA
IN the past, the primary reason for getting
a masters of business administration (MBA)
was to increase your salary or move up
the career ladder. Today, employability is a
valued virtue in graduates.
The founding universities of International
University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW)
the University of Malaya (UM) and
the University of Wales (UW) offer
programmes of the highest calibre and
award degrees of impeccable standards.
These standards have been adopted by
IUMW.
We aim to produce graduates tailored to
meet the stringent expectations of todays
highly competitive business world, says Dr
Chong Aik Lee, dean of Faculty of Business
and Law, IUMW.
The universitys combined credentials
of UM and UW ensure the quality of its
programme delivery and the standards of
the degrees awarded.
The IUMW MBA programme is taught
by highly qualified academic experts. In
addition, the universitys MBA and other
postgraduate students have access to UMs
digital library, online databases and other
facilities.
IUMW is the first university in SouthEast Asia to be accepted as a member of
the United Kingdoms Higher Education
Academy (HEA), which formally recognises
and rewards excellent teaching practices.
The MBA programme is accredited by
the Education Ministry and the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency.

Take the
Next Step Forward

Programmes
MSc in Public Health
KP/JPS(KA10261)09/2015

Mar & Sep

KPM/JPT(R/720/7/0049)06/2019

MSc in Analytical &

Pharmaceutical Chemistry
KPT/JPS(N/442/7/0001)01/2017

Mar & Sep

KPT/JPS(N/421/7/0010)07/2017

IUMW MBA is recognised by the

University of Wales and its students have
the advantage of graduating with a dualMBA award from International University of
Malaya-Wales and University of Wales, UK.
The idea is to offer local and international
students the best of Malaysian-Welsh
hybrid higher education.
IUMW also values its staff development,
as shown by Dr Chong being awarded
the prestigious 2015 Australia Endeavour
Fellowships Award.
The Endeavour Scholarships and
Fellowships are the Australian governments
internationally competitive, merit-based
scholarships aimed at developing on-going
educational, research and professional links
between individuals and organisations in
Australia.
n For more information, call 03-2617 3000
or visit iumw.edu.my

Throughout the year

PhD in Medical and Health

Sciences (by research)
KPM/JPT(R/721/8/0043)01/2020

MSc in Molecular Medicine

(From left) The Australian High Commissioner to
Malaysia Rod Smith PSM, International University
of Malaya-Wales registrar and head manager
Mariati Shakor and the universitys Faculty of
Business and Law dean Dr Chong Aik Lee.

MSc in Medical and Health

Sciences (by research)

Mar & Sep

Throughout the year

Coming Soon

Master of Pharmacy Practice MSc in Environmental Health

KPM/JPT(N/727/7/0051)03/2019

Sep

KPM/JPT (N/422/7/0005)07/2019

For more information, please contact:

FIND
OUT
MORE

imu.my/pg1-star

+60 3 2727 7450

postgraduate@imu.edu.my
www.imu.edu.my

Pre-University | Undergraduate | Postgraduate

MEDICINE

DENTISTRY

International Medical University

126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil,
57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
KP/JPS/5195/US/2, KP(JPS)/DFT/US/W03

PHARMACY

HEALTH SCIENCES

16 StarSpecial

Tuesday 19 May 2015