THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

special

Evolution through
knowledge

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

2 postgraduate

Jump on the
career springboard
By IAN JEROME LEONG
THERE will be a healthy demand
for graduates of masters level
business programmes this year,
particularly for masters in
business administration (MBA)
graduates, according to the YearEnd Poll of Employers, 2015 Report.
The report was released by
the Graduate Management
Admission Council (GMAC), a
global non-profit education
organisation of leading graduate
business schools that serves to
provide graduate management
data for the industry.
Despite many analysts and
economists warning of a global
recession, the report revealed
many companies are less focused
on overcoming economic
challenges or costs overheads but
are instead working towards
improving performance and
productivity, which includes hiring
MBA graduates as one of their
priorities.
The hiring outcomes from 179
employers across the globe not
only showed an increase in hiring
MBA graduates but projected
companies to continue doing so
this year while maintaining or
increasing the number of MBA
internship openings.
But why is an MBA qualification
in such high demand among
employers? Is it suitable for
students from a technical
background such as engineering,
accounting, science or those from
the health industry?
How did it help Nike co-founder
Philip H. Knight, Mary Barra of
General Motors, Stephen Luczo of
Seagate or Jeffrey Bewkes of Times
Warner Incorporated to become
chief executive officers of their
respective companies?

Comprehensive
understanding
Covering a broad spectrum of
business-related topics that
includes business economics,
accounting, corporate finance,
leadership and managing for
sustainability, an MBA programme
provides students with the skills
and knowledge that are helpful in
starting a new business, and
managing and transforming
corporations.

Director of non-thesis
programmes at Universiti Putra
Malaysias Putra Business School
Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff
says an MBA programme is the
hallmark of a path to develop and
enhance ones ability in honing
leadership and management skills.
Prof Dr Azlan Amran, dean of
the Graduate School of Business at
Universiti Sains Malaysia, agrees,
adding: Employers want their
employees to see the big picture
instead of working in silos. An
MBA course offers the necessary
basic financial acumen and
knowledge in management and
marketing.
According to Prof Christina
Kwai Choi Lee, director of MBA
International at Monash University
Malaysia, Students from a
technical background are able to
synergistically align technical
development with business
strategy.
Technical professionals with an
MBA have a clearer understanding
of organisational, market and
stakeholders needs, she says.
For Michael M. Dent, MBA
programme chair at Sunway
University, students with an MBA
should have a good appreciation of
the type of issues faced by
businesses in the 21st century.
Students may not be experts in
any one particular area but they
will have the ability to diagnose
problems and generate a number
of possible solutions, he says.

Professional
stepping stone
As an MBA produces graduates
with high business acumen, the
qualification opens new doors in
ones career.
Many students who are at their
managerial crossroads believe an
MBA will take them to higher roles
in management while others
believe it is a passport to more
lucrative job offers overseas.
There is also a perception at the
corporate level that employees
with MBAs tend to perform better
than those without, Dr Khong Kok
Wei, director of MBA programmes
at The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus, says.
Prof Kwai believes that though
technical knowledge is essential to
build a career, as one matures in a

rises up the corporate ladder.

Technology
Further, globalisation dictates
professionals
that businesses increasingly work
with international customers and
who enrol in MBA
suppliers, managers who can
successfully drive multicultural
programmes are
teams will be considered for
aware of the need
promotion.
for cross-disciplinary
Avenue for change
skills and believe
Business-related fundamentals
an MBA can help
remain relatively similar across
industries and the MBAs wide
them move up in
range of topics provides graduates
or beyond their
with the sufficient skills and
respective industries. knowledge to manage companies

company, more managerial or

strategic skills are expected.
Dent shares this thought and
believes most people now
recognise that the value of
technical knowledge decays as one

across various industries, switch

professions and venture into an
industry that differs from their
previous education background.
Notable MBA graduates who
have made such a move and hold
top management positions include
Datuk Syed Hashim Syed Wazir
of UMW Holdings Berhad

Lasting
connections
ONE of the most crucial aspects
of an MBA programme is the
opportunity to network with
alumni and fellow students.
Prof Dr Azlan Amran, dean
of the Graduate School of
Business at Universiti Sains
Malaysia, says much of what
students learn about current
developments and trends in the
world of business involves peer
learning when students share
their insights and experiences
with others.
Establishing new
relationships with peers of
diverse cultural backgrounds
and industry experiences not
only allows students to have a
clearer understanding of the
wider business environment,
but also enables future career
possibilities.
Prof Christina Kwai Choi Lee,
director of MBA International
at Monash University Malaysia,
says, As business extends
beyond Malaysian shores, it is
imperative that MBA students

develop cultural sensitivity

when dealing with
international business
partners.
Working together fosters
close relationships and support
for each other and this helps
students cope with the added
pressure of studying.
Friendships formed in this
manner usually run deep and
should last well beyond their
time in university, she says.
To facilitate this, MBA
programmes often encourage
students to work in groups
consisting of individuals of
mixed experiences and
academic backgrounds.
Students are able to help
each other at various points of
the MBA and this not only
develops teamwork but also
fosters network building one
of the most important benefits
of an MBA based education,
says Michael M. Dent, MBA
programme chair at Sunway
University.

(mechanical engineering), Choong

Yee How of Guocoland Limited
(biochemistry), Datuk Abdul Farid
Alias of Maybank Group
(accounting) and Nasarudin
Mohammad Idris of MISC Berhad
(arts).
Professionals such as engineers,
scientists, lawyers and accountants
are specialists in their respective
areas but an MBA is a general
programme that coaches students
to take on a more holistic role at
top management as well as have
the skills to diversify into other
industries, says Dr Khong.
Meta and integrative
competencies such as adaptability,
critical thinking, interpersonal
competence and diversity
orientation are key attributes of
what organisations look for in
human capital, he says.
Dr Khong and Prof Azlan say the
many technology and oil and gas
professionals who enrol in MBA
programmes are aware of the need
for cross-disciplinary skills and
believe an MBA can help them
move up in or beyond their
respective industries.

Well-rounded leaders
Assoc Prof Dr Stanley Yap, dean
of the Graduate School of Business
at SEGi University, believes the
workplace in todays competitive
world requires employees with
both technical and management
skills.
He says, People from technical
backgrounds need to have the
ability to translate complex
technical process into clear and
comprehensible structure to
stakeholders and non-technical
people.
The MBAs emphasis on
creativity and critical thinking is
vital to the success of various types
of businesses.
Market trends suggest that
irrespective of industry,
geographical location, cultural
background or economic outlook,
there will be a continuous demand
for professionals with an MBA
qualification a prediction backed
up by GMACs year-end poll of
employers.
Businesses that aim to expand
and remain competitive in the
local marketplace are only as good
as the individuals who lead them.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

4 postgraduate

Bright future in science

IMUs MSc Molecular Medicine course equips

graduates with solid theoretical knowledge.

IN the 21st century, many

developing countries are
evolving into knowledge-based
economies. This suggests that
human capital training is a key
element of economic growth.
This training is given a boost
by the concept of lifelong
learning. Fauziah Abdul Manaf,
a medical product specialist,
explored the concept of lifelong
learning by enrolling in the MSc
Molecular Medicine course at
International Medical University
(IMU).
According to Fauziah, the key
factors that influenced her
decision were the weekend

classes and course content.

The programme conducts its
classes on weekends, which
allows me to work on weekdays.
It is relevant to my profession
and I am particularly attracted
to the drug design module that
gives me an edge in
pharmaceutical research and an
advantage in entering the
pharmaceutical development
industry, she says.
Similar sentiments are shared
by Goh Shan Loo, part-time
intellectual property executive
and patent writer.
He says, Molecular medicine
is a suitable course for me.

Hopefully, increasing my
experience in my areas of
interest will give me access to
new opportunities in the future
to undertake research,
particularly those relating to the
therapeutic delivery of DNA,
RNA and other biomolecules.
According to Goh Hun Min,
senior medical laboratory
scientist at Institut Jantung
Negara (IJN), pursuing the MSc
Molecular Medicine is worth the
challenge as a masters degree
offers good job development
prospects in his current
workplace.
Under my current portfolio, I
am encouraged to participate in
local medical conferences. The
research methodology and
scientific writing module has
strengthened my skills in report
writing and oral presentations,
says Hun Min.
The MSc in Molecular

Medicine at IMU educates

students to identify scientific
research questions in clinical
observations and to translate
laboratory findings into medical
treatments.
Students engage in a research
project in any one of the IMU
research thrust areas. The
programme is delivered through
an insightful and innovative
research-driven approach by
experienced faculty members
who have vast experience in
molecular medicine.
Commencement for the
research programmes is
anytime during the year while
the commencement of the other
postgraduate programmes is in
March and September.

n For more information, visit

www.imu.edu.my or e-mail
postgraduate@imu.edu.my or
call 03-2731 7272.

Course
for
change
UNIVERSITY of Strathclyde
alumna Chiamein Goh earned
her MBA (masters in business
administration) last year and is
currently a strategic alliance
and business development
manager.
Here, she talks about the
experiences of earning her
MBA.
Pursuing the Strathclyde
MBA has changed my
perspective on my career
choices and opened my eyes to
see the difference I can make to
an organisation.
It has also allowed me to
switch jobs and be on the
management level in a
completely different field.
I enrolled in the MBA course
five years after I started
working merely out of an
interest to learn a new subject
and did not expect that it would
change my line of work.
Working in a hospital
environment where it was all
about patient care had blinded
me to the business side of
running a hospital.
The MBA provided the other
side of the equation for me, thus
giving me a holistic view of
running a hospital in terms of
impact and profits to ensure
that the benefits are sustainable.
The best part about the
programme was that I enjoyed
working with teammates,
learning from each other and
leveraging on each others
strengths.
I also learnt different
leadership styles to better
manage a team.
My current work is to plan

Pursuing the Strathclyde MBA has

transformed Chiamein Gohs
career perspectives.

the strategy for new business

units in the company as well as
collaborate with new suppliers,
clients and co-development
partners on a daily basis.
Knowledge gained from the
course especially on strategy,
entrepreneurship and
innovation are particularly
relevant to my current job
scope.
My job scope expands every
few months as new
opportunities arise, thus the
broad range of business skills
acquired from the course has
helped me to adapt quickly.
If you want to do well in the
course, be prepared to put in the
hard work and odd hours for at
least two years, including
working with your teammates
through the wee hours of the
morning and having to go to
work the next day.
However, at the end of it you
will find that the benefit
outweighs the cost. By
Chiamein Goh

n For more information,

visit www.cdc.edu.my or call
03-7660 8950 ext 109 (Edahani).

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

postgraduate 5

AirAsias chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (left) receiving
the Honorary Doctorate in Entrepreneurship from Binary Universitys
founder chairman Datuk Prof Joseph Adaikalam.

Earning
niche skills
HAVING opened its doors in
1994, the Binary Graduate
School (BGS) is a pioneer in
offering postgraduate courses.
It started off offering three
courses.
The BGS has grown by leaps
and bounds and offers more
than 20 postgraduate courses,
including its flagship PhD and
Doctorate in Business
Administration (DBA), both of
which are fully accredited, says
vice-chancellor Prof Dr
Sulochana Nair.
According to Binary
Universitys founder chairman
Datuk Prof Joseph Adaikalam,
the success of the BGS is a result
of its unique delivery structures
that meet the different needs of
working adults and full-time
students.
For working adults, we
deliver using the Block Release
Mode, which enables them to
pursue the PhD, DBA or masters
degrees without needing to
leave their jobs. In addition, all
our postgraduate courses are
offered on a modular basis,
says Prof Joseph.
As for full-time students
pursuing masters by research
or taught masters programmes,
they carry out research that
matters to employers, thus
becoming highly employable
graduates.
Students can pursue the
masters of science (MSc) by
research in areas such as
human resource management,
international marketing,
innovation and
entrepreneurship, social
entrepreneurship and
environmental management.
The Binary MBA receives
excellent support from the
corporate sector, with numerous
multinational corporations
sponsoring their staff to pursue
this highly sought-after

qualification, says Prof Nair.

The Binary MBA offers
ambitious individuals the
opportunity to combine a
general MBA with industryspecialist skills, thus grooming
one to take on senior positions
in the future, says Prof Joseph.
According to Prof Nair, the
fully accredited Binary PhD has
a large following because it is
supported by five dedicated
research centres.
PhD candidates may publish
using our homegrown journal
Future Journal of Management &
Entrepreneurship, which is
internationally subscribed, says
Prof Nair.
As for individuals from the
corporate sector who wish to
combine their work experience
with contemporary
management thinking, Prof
Joseph says the DBA is the ideal
programme.
Despite current economic
challenges, our Government is
highly supportive of creating
more postgraduate talents.
Under the revised Budget 2016,
the MyBrain15 grant is being
extended to benefit all
Malaysians through MyMaster
and MyPhD, he says.
The next intake for the PhD,
MBA and MSc by research
programmes are on April 27
while the intake for DBA is on
May 23.
All postgraduate applicants
may apply for the MyMaster
and MyPhD grants of RM10,000
and RM20,000 respectively
through the BGS.
These grants are provided by
the Education Ministry to
qualified candidates.

n For more information about

personal counselling sessions,
call Thinaharan at 012-288 8500
or Kumarandran at
017-254 7125.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

6 postgraduate

Convenient, independent MBA

AS a premier provider of business
education, SEGi University and
Colleges offers a wide range of
programmes under its Faculty of
Business and Accounting, including
postgraduate programmes.
Especially for high-level business
decision-makers or aspirants who
want to climb the career ladder,

Varinderpal Singh is pursuing the

Master in Arts in International
Business from York St John
University at SEGi College Subang
Jaya.

SEGi offers a new breakthrough

method to enable them to pursue a
postgraduate programme at their
own convenience, anywhere and
anytime.
PACE (Professional and
Continuing Education) is a
consortium of global universities
that enables adult learners to
advance at their own pace and
complete their studies with
assurance that they can still attend
to other obligations and have a
fulfilling work-life balance.
Students have a choice of
selecting the mode of study that is
best for them. The weekend/
evening mode allows students to
attend classes either on the
weekends or in the evenings.
In the supported learning mode,
students can access online classes
at any time of the day instead of
attending scheduled classes at a
physical venue.
They only need to attend
workshops at the nearest
authorised SEGi location twice a
month.
The third mode is independent
learning, where students study
mostly online and only need to
attend intensive revisions at the
nearest authorised SEGi location
once a month.
With these choices, students

Be it part-time
or full-time
postgraduate
study, one should
never give up.
SEGi believes
in its students
abilities, which
has been the
motivating
factor for me to
succeed.
Varinderpal Singh

have the opportunity to network

with coursemates, meet their
lecturers and gain any additional
support they may need while
completing their studies.
Students will also have the
independence to complete their
studies as fast as they want to. The
number of subjects to pursue in a
semester is entirely up to the
students.
SEGi provides a guided learning
plan to ensure students get the

best out of lessons, including

study guides and strategies for
coping with coursework and
examinations.
Alumnus Varinderpal Singh is a
human resource and
administration executive in the
service industry.
After obtaining an Executive
Diploma in Business
Administration in 2014, he did not
want to stop learning and felt the
need to equip himself with
knowledge on human resource and
management so that he could have
a smooth path up the career
ladder.
Varinderpal wanted an overseas
business qualification but it had to
be done locally.
He discovered that SEGi College
Subang Jaya offers a wide range of
overseas business postgraduate
programmes.
Due to the programmes
attractive financing scheme and
worldwide recognition, he chose to
pursue the Master in Arts in
International Business from York
St John University at SEGi College
Subang Jaya.
In the beginning, Varinderpal
found it difficult to balance his
work and studies, but he pushed
through the challenges with the
encouragement of friends and

family, especially his mother

Tarlochan Kaur.
He was also motivated by
the team of academics that
understand the challenges
students face juggling their
work and studies, and are
willing to go the extra mile to
guide them.
He found the modules to be
very relevant as they are based on
actual corporate situations, thus
preparing him for any future
challenges and to solve them in a
professional manner.
Varinderpal has no regrets
embarking on a path that he
believes will be worthwhile in the
end.
Be it part-time or full-time
postgraduate study, one should
never give up. SEGi believes in its
students abilities, which has been
the motivating factor for me to
succeed, he says.

n For more information, call SEGi

College Subang Jaya (03-8600 1888
or 1800 888 622), SEGi University
(03-6145 1777 or 1800 887 344),
SEGi College Kuala Lumpur
(03-2070 2078 or 1800 888 028),
SEGi College Penang (04-263 3888),
SEGi College Sarawak
(082-252 566), e-mail askme@segi.
edu.my or visit www.segi.edu.my.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

postgraduate 7

VC COLUMN

There is much to be considered before choosing an MBA provider, not least whether the
programme will enable graduates to deliver benefits to society.

Weighing
both sides
A MASTERS in business administration
(MBA) has a lot in common with a durian;
it is a qualification that evokes strong
reactions, resulting in some very committed
advocates as well as robust critics.
As with the durian, an MBA is something
that people seem to either love or hate. For
its advocates, it is a transformational
qualification that builds leadership
potential, provides a critical and integrated
perspective on business, and encourages
creative and innovative approaches to
problem-solving.
To detractors, it is an overpriced degree
that lacks academic rigour and encourages
a selfish focus on business success at any
cost.
Business scandals of varying sorts in the
past involving companies such as Union
Carbide, Nestl and Enron have inevitably
fuelled the detractors fire.
More recently, some of the responsibility
for events as diverse as the global financial
crisis, revelations of emissions testing by
Volkswagen and scandals surrounding
corporation tax payments (or lack thereof)
by Google and Starbucks have been traced
back to the style of education in and the
behaviours encouraged by MBA
programmes.
In particular, critics have focused on the
perception that the MBA encourages future
managers and leaders to focus on profit at
any cost and on the needs of the business
taking absolute precedence over the needs
of individuals, communities and the
environment.
Yet, ironically, as the Aspen Institute has
charted, the past decade has seen a
substantial increase in the focus on
business ethics and corporate social
responsibility in MBA programmes around
the world.
Of course, a business has the
responsibility to act in its investors
interests, and if their interests revolve
around a return on their investment, then
profit is clearly a primary concern.
However, businesses are also part of our
social structures and cannot act without
recognising their broader social and ethical
responsibilities. This goes beyond simply
abiding by the rules.
Businesses and those who lead and
manage them must abide by the law
where they fail to do so, they will be subject
to very real legal sanctions (as many

By PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW
leading banks found to their cost in the
period following the financial crisis).
While the law works to discourage and
punish bad behaviour, social responsibility
focuses instead on encouraging good
behaviour to ensure that businesses have a
positive impact on the societies in which
they exist and operate.
There is a moral dimension to this it is
the right thing to do but increasingly, there
is a powerful economic rationale with
growing numbers of consumers preferring
to make their purchases from businesses
that have a reputation for their broader
contribution to society and respect for their
stakeholders.
MBA programme providers are
increasingly recognising that they must
integrate such perspectives into the learning
that they provide they must ensure that
those who are learning the trade of
management and leadership are aware that
alongside their responsibilities to the
business owners, they also have
responsibilities to a range of stakeholders,
including the community, their workforce,
suppliers, customers, governments and the
third sector.
An MBA is an expensive qualification and
the selection of an MBA provider requires
careful consideration.
There is much to be considered in
decision-making and a range of league
tables to help prospective students, but
fundamental to any choice of programme
must be the evidence that the preferred MBA
programme will help its graduates deliver
benefits to both the individual and society.
Alongside reviewing the many
conventional MBA league tables that focus
heavily on private benefits, much may be
gained by taking into consideration the way
in which an MBA programme will help to
develop ethical and socially responsible
managers and business leaders.

n Prof Christine Ennew is the chief executive

officer and provost of The University of
Nottingham Malaysia Campus.

8 postgraduate

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

Prepared
for career
advancement
THE Management & Science University
(MSU) is one of Malaysias top universities
and focuses strongly on the critical areas of
studies that encompass medicine, health
sciences, pharmacy, information sciences
and engineering, business management and
professional studies, education and social
sciences, hospitality and culinary arts, and
music and fashion.
MSU has received numerous
accreditations from the Malaysian and
international accreditation bodies.
It is accredited by the Accreditation
Services for International Colleges (ASIC),
United Kingdom, and the Alliance on
Business Education and Scholarship for
Tomorrow (ABEST21), Japan.
It has been rated twice as an Excellent
Status University by the Malaysian Ministry
of Higher Education through a system that
rates all universities in Malaysia.
MSU through the Graduate School of
Management (GSM) recognises that todays
global companies require managers with a
broader outlook.
Through its internationalisation efforts,
MSU attracts top students and faculty
members with overseas experience as well
as forms effective links with businesses.
The MSU-MBA offers students experiential
learning in cross-cultural communications
as well as the opportunity to build a global
network and create future international
career opportunities.
Students develop skills in leadership,
entrepreneurship, strategic management
and decision-making, which prepare them
to be successful leaders in their area and to
think like an entrepreneur in competitive
markets.
The MSU-MBA aims to build on the
foundations of work experience and, by
providing new skills and knowledge, enable
students to make the transition to a higher
level of responsibility.
Many MSU-MBA alumni have achieved
this, such as Toong Foo Weng, who is
currently a managing director.
The MSU-MBA provides sufficient
knowledge to students to understand the
various facets of an organisation to
formulate successful strategies. It also instils
a great deal of confidence.
The widespread popularity of the MSUMBA is because employers know the value
of the qualification and recognise the
commitment shown by MSU-MBA students
to invest in their careers.
Active learning exercises act as a basis for
verbal analysis and discussion, allowing for
a rich learning environment by integrating
real-world situations in the classroom.
This increases students understanding
of issues and invites them to think
beyond the classroom.
Strategic thinking sections that follow
opening vignettes and cases provide
thought-provoking questions and
exercises that sharpen students
problem-solving abilities.
Opening vignettes are designed to
illustrate the major issues found in
each module with compelling realworld issues.
MSU-GSM has established

The widespread
popularity of the
MSU-MBA is because
employers know the
value of the qualification
and recognise the
commitment shown by
MSU-MBA students to
invest in their careers.
collaborative educational links with a
number of top overseas universities in the
United Kingdom, the United States, Australia,
New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Germany,
Russia and China, among others.
In addition, the Global Mobility
Programme (GMP) provides international
exposure to postgraduate students. Through
this programme, students will have the
opportunity to develop an awareness of and
appreciation for other cultures, political and
economic environments as well as
approaches to doing business.
Professors of the MSU-MBA are
accomplished educationists who have also
made significant contributions to the
business world, both as academics and
working professionals.
They conduct research and have
published articles across a broad range of
business and professional areas, besides
teaching business courses abroad.
Hence, professors at MSU are rigorously
selected worldwide from among the best
consultants and professionals in their fields.

n For more information, call 03-2718 4302

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

MSU-MBA
alumnus Tong
Foo Weng got a
career boost
after obtaining
his graduate
qualification.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

postgraduate 9

Impactful learning journey

THE premier dual-award Master of
Business Administration (MBA)
programme at Sunway University
provides cutting-edge business
knowledge and the latest
management theories and tools.
It also aims to provide the
opportunity for its students
to experience personal
transformation by honing and
building a set of skills that students
can use for a lifetime.
This personal transformation
starts when students step onto
campus. Sunway Universitys stateof-the-art Graduate Centre where
MBA classes are delivered houses a
faculty of the best management
consultants, educators and
research scholars in the world.
With the partnership between
Sunway University (a leading
Malaysian private university) and
Lancaster University (ranked in the
top 1% of universities globally), a
large contingent of UK-based
educators and distinguished
lecturers are brought in to deliver
world-class learning experiences at
Sunway.
The lecturers are fantastic. They
have much experience to share
and their work ethic is highly
commendable, says Cindy Chua,
area sales manager for the South-

Chua (left) and her husband Enriquez are able to pursue their MBA while
working and caring for the family, thanks to the programmess modular
format.

East Asian region of an

international manufacturer of
photographic and digital printing
paper, who is pursuing her MBA
at Sunway.
The experience so far at
Sunway University has been a
roller coaster ride full of
excitement and joy, but also stress
and frustration, says Chua.

Despite that, she found the

programme enlightening. What
she learnt has supplemented her
performance at work.
The delivery methods of
Sunways MBA focus on learning
through action, as students are
exposed to practical business
challenges and assignments
through professional written work

and intensive classroom

discussions.
This helps develop students
cognitive and collaborative skills,
growing them into effective
communicators in writing and
speaking, skilled team players who
are adept at building and
maintaining effective work
relationships and highly effective
leaders in challenging work.
Other than personal
transformation, the learning at
Sunway University has impacted
Cindys family as well.
Her husband Brendon Enriquez,
division manager of a local
company in the healthcare
industry, is currently enrolled in
the same programme.
It has been a challenge with the
both of us pursuing the MBA at the
same time. But on the positive side,
we are able to rely on each other
and motivate one another
especially during the toughest
moments of finding balance
between family, studies and work,
says Chua.
Both Chua and her husband
found the convenient modular
format of the MBA suitable for
their work schedule.
Through the programme, they
were able to expand their network

of contacts as they met people of

diverse fields but with similar
motivations and drive.
They believe that the premier
dual-award MBA is the best degree
of choice as upon graduation, they
will be receiving two scrolls one
from Sunway University and
another from Lancaster University.
In addition, the Lancaster
University 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).
Besides, the Lancaster MBA is
ranked 50th in the world, 9th in the
UK and 18th in Europe in the
Financial Times (FT) World MBA
Ranking 2015. It is also ranked
No.1 in the world for its corporate
strategy education.
Sunway Universitys premier
dual-award MBA offers many
desirable features and benefits for
aspiring managers.

n For more information, join

the preview session on Feb 27,
12.30pm at the Graduate Centre
or call 03-7491 8701 or visit
www.sunway.edu.my/university/
MBA.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

10 postgraduate

Assoc Prof Dr Joanne

Lim says that
research-led teaching
is a key component
of Monashs Master
of Communications
and Media Studies
programme.

An enriching
education
WITH the global job market growing
increasingly specialised and competitive,
employers are constantly on the hunt for
individuals with an optimal balance of
qualifications and work experience.
The Master of Communications and
Media Studies (MCMS) offered by Monash
University Malaysia specifically caters to
those needs.
The programme is designed for
individuals who are currently working and
interested in broadening their education in
the media and communications industries.
As such, the course is strongly studentfocused, providing a holistic learning
experience.

Flexible programmes
Central to the MCMS programme are
flexibility and practical support for working
students. The degree can be completed on
either a full-time basis (three semesters, in
one and a half years) or part-time (six
semesters, in three years).
These options provide students with the
opportunity to continue pursuing their
careers while building up further
qualifications in their field.
According to 38-year-old Nurlina Hussin,
this flexibility was crucial to her decision to
enrol in MCMS.
My passion was to study media and
communications. However, as a mother of
two children, I wanted a programme with a
timetable that fit my daily schedule. As the
classes were mainly on Saturdays, I decided
to enrol in the MCMS degree with Monash
Malaysia, she says.
Another student Yap Yoong Jian, project
coordinator at Bar Council Malaysia, echoes
the same rationale.
I chose MCMS because it held its classes
on the weekends, which was important for
me as I am working full time at the
moment. I also think that the faculty
members are very interesting and are wellrespected in their own fields. This holds a
lot of value because I get to learn from the
best, she says.

Varied research opportunities

The MCMS programme is coordinated by
a team of leading academic scholars. The
School of Arts and Social Sciences, which
offers the degree, is distinctive for its
multidisciplinary research into social
transformation in South-East Asia.
This research strength is reflected in the
skills and knowledge transmitted to MCMS
students. Looking back on her newly
completed MCMS degree, 26-year-old editor
Rohini Rajadorai says that her expectations
for the programme had been realised.
I was expecting to write, research
and explore different areas of media
studies and gain a more worldly view of
communication. These expectations were
fullfilled through the various subject areas
of the programme that included research,
international communication and analysis
of issues in Asia. Meeting lecturers of the
various subjects has been interesting and I
was impressed by their depth of
knowledge.
Current course coordinator Assoc Prof Dr
Joanne Lim Bee Yin identifies this as a key
component of the MCMS experience.
The MCMS is unique partly because it
places high value in research-led teaching.

The MCMS programme

is coordinated by
a team of leading
academic scholars.
The School of Arts
and Social Sciences,
which offers the
degree, is distinctive
for its multidisciplinary
research into social
transformation in
South-East Asia.
Academics who work in various fields
relating to communication and media
studies incorporate research insights in
their teaching and structuring of the overall
curriculum. Students engage in lively
discussions on issues pertaining to
globalisation and (regional) governance, the
political economy and subaltern agencies,
among others, she says.
The course is designed to dissect global
and regional communication issues and
practices, utilising contemporary teaching
and research approaches in analysing
theory, so graduates are best prepared to
confidently transition into leadership
positions. Graduates of the programme have
moved on to lead editorial teams, marketing
divisions of large conglomerates, strategic
communication and business development
units of organisations and contribute to the
contemporary practices in public relations
and marketing.

Practical, applicable skills

It is such grounding in practical
knowledge that makes the programme
uniquely useful to working students. Both
graduates and current students report the
relevance to their professional lives.
It is the critical-thinking and research
skills that have benefited me most in my
work as I engage in research for the projects
that I embark on. If you feel that you are
ready to explore the world through a
research intensive curriculum, MCMS is a
sensible choice, says Yap.
Developing comprehensive research skills
is also built into the MCMS curriculum via
the mandatory thesis component.
On the whole, students roundly describe
MCMS as an eye-opening experience. For
Rohini, the course was a personally
enriching one.
While working, it was easy to get caught
up in the daily grind of life. My experience
at MCMS reminded me of important issues
affecting different parts of the world and
how they make an impact on our country
and personal beliefs.
It is an enriching programme that opens
your eyes to the issues and topics that easily
pass us by in our hectic life. I would
certainly recommend the programme to
working adults, she says.

n For more information on the Master of

Communication and Media Studies
programme at Monash Malaysia, visit
www.sass.monash.edu.my.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

postgraduate 11

International knowledge transfer

ASIA e University (AeU)
participated in the International
Conference on Knowledge Transfer
2015 (ICKT15) held at Marriott
Hotel, Putrajaya, from Dec 1 to 3
last year.
It was organised by the
Education Ministry and the Prime
Ministers Economic Planning Unit
as a knowledge-sharing platform in
driving the global economy.
The conference was attended by
professors, researchers, industry,
community and governmental
representatives with 170
presenters from Brazil, Hong Kong,
Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and
the United Kingdom.
ICKT15 provided a rich
environment for discussions on
knowledge transfer topics such as
innovation theory, knowledge
transfer policy, organisational
aspects of knowledge management
as well as other aspects of
knowledge transfer issues in
university-industry-government
collaborations and partnerships.
Representing AeU at ICKT15
was Captain Rber Yamashita, a
full-time international student

pursuing his PhD (Business

Administration) at AeU, Kuala
Lumpur, who presented the
research paper Defense Industrial
Base and Technology Transfer In
Brazil context within Triple Helix
Model.
Yamashita is a Brazilian army
officer designated by the Brazilian
Ministry of Defense to conduct his
PhD research at AeU on knowledge
transfer in the defence industry.
He is grateful to his supervisor,
dean of the School of Information
& Communication Technology
Assoc Prof Dr Roshayu Mohamad,
who co-authored his paper and
encouraged him to participate in
ICKT15.
Yamashitas paper explores the
triple helix model based on
university-industry-government
relationships and successful cases
of technology transfer focused on
the Brazilian Defense Industrial
Base.
Presenting at ICKT15 was a
great opportunity to share some
findings of the study, to learn with
other researchers and gain
confidence to proceed to the

Muhammad Akhimullah.

Tejo Soetjiptadi.

Laying the right

foundations
ACROSS the country, many
universities currently offer
top-quality masters in business
administration (MBA) degrees
that suit the needs of industry
professionals.
Here, Postgraduate asks an
MBA student and alumnus why
this was their qualification of
choice and how it has helped
them in their careers.

and act responsibly in

conducting business and that life
is not only about making money.

Current student

I decided to harness the

knowledge and skills I gained
from working for more than 20
years in the information
technology industry.
In taking up the MBA
programme, my plan was to
progress into business and
general management as it opens
new paths and opportunities.
I also like to network with likeminded people with whom I am
able to explore the opportunities
of teaming up for a business
venture.
The learning of social sciences
as opposed to technical subjects
balanced my view of how the
business world works.
The programme
complemented my existing
technical skills and accentuates
my teamwork and leadership
skills.

Muhammad Akhimullah
Previous qualification: Law
Current position: Corporate
social responsibility EXCO
member
After completing my law
degree, I decided an MBA would
not only be a fresh and
advantageous journey but that
combining the two degrees
would undoubtedly open doors
to a brighter future.
Combining the knowledge and
information gathered will help
me be a catalyst for change in my
organisation and ultimately
make positive impacts towards a
better working environment in
the legal ecosystem.
The lessons have taught us
how to embrace our humanity

Alumnus
Tejo Soetjiptadi
Previous qualification:
Computer science
Current position: Project
manager

topics and has a huge online

library with access to important
international journals and papers.
AeU encourages every
postgraduate student to be updated
on research methods and make
attempts to present their research
papers by participating in
conferences and seminars.
Initiatives to take part in these
events enrich students academic
journey and also promote a
research culture in the AeU
community.

About AeU
Captain Rber Yamashita, a full-time
student from Brazil pursuing his PhD
(Business Administration) at AeU.

proposal defence stage. I am very

grateful to AeU and Dr Roshayu
for all the support and guidance
throughout my PhD journey,
says Yamashita.
I appreciate the good
relationships between the AeU
students, professors, colleagues
and staff. Additionally, AeU offers
workshops on interesting research

AeU is a collaborative
multinational university
established under the auspices of
the 33 Asia Cooperation Dialogue
(ACD) countries.
All academic programmes are
internationally benchmarked,
approved by the Malaysian
Education Ministry and accredited
by the Malaysian Qualifications
Agency.
AeU has garnered several
awards such as the BrandLaureate
Awards 2010 for Best Brand in

Education e-Education and the

Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship
Awards 2010 in the Most Promising
Entrepreneur category.
In 2012, AeU was proclaimed the
best ACD project during the ACD
meeting in Kuwait.
Established in April 2007, AeU
now has an enrolment of more
than 22,000 students from 65
countries and has produced more
than 7,000 graduates thus far.
As one of the leading providers
of open distance learning in
Malaysia, AeU has a diverse and
international community of more
than 1,000 fellow doctoral students
from 46 countries.
By delivering a world-class
learning experience, AeU aspires to
be the leader and the premiere
education hub in the promotion of
affordable quality e-learning
throughout Asia.
Registrations for postgraduate
(by research) programmes are
open throughout the year.

n For more information,

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

THE STAR, TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2016

12 postgraduate

Experience counts for entry

THE Accreditation of Prior Experiential
Learning (APEL) introduced by the
Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA)
allows any individual to capitalise on their
work experience to gain admission into
tertiary education and/or acquire academic
credit transfers.
As MQAs partner university, Open
University Malaysia (OUM) initiated a similar
approach in 2006 by including work
experience in its programmes entry criteria.
As OUMs open and distance learning
system caters specifically to working adults,
the university saw an urgent need to meet
the needs of a great number of applicants of
all ages who have no paper qualifications
but have extensive work experience.
The move proved to be a success. To date,
more than 13,000 learners have gained
access into OUMs programmes through
this pathway.
One of the main roles OUM plays is in
assisting MQA to carry out aptitude tests.
As such, applicants can go to any of OUMs 37
learning centres nationwide to sit for the test
and submit their portfolios.

APEL A
APEL for Admission allows working adults
to use their relevant work experience and
prior experiential learning to gain direct
admission into OUMs programmes.
Entry criteria
Diploma:
l Above 20 years old as at Jan 1 in the

Any kind of formal or informal skill acquired over time can be leveraged using APEL.

year of application

l Relevant work experience/prior

experiential learning

l Pass the APEL assessment, which

consists of:
APEL aptitude test

One of the main

roles OUM plays is in
assisting MQA to carry
out aptitude tests. As
such, applicants can
go to any of OUMs
37 learning centres
nationwide.
Submission of portfolio
Bachelors degree:
l Above 21 years old as at Jan 1 in
the year of application
l Relevant work experience/prior
experiential learning
l Pass the APEL assessment, which
comprises:
APEL aptitude test
Submission of portfolio
Masters degree:

l Above 30 years old as at Jan 1 in

the year of application

l STPM/diploma/A-Levels/equivalent
l Relevant work experience/prior
experiential learning

l Pass the APEL assessment, which

comprises:
APEL aptitude test
Submission of portfolio
Interview

APEL assessment
The aptitude test as part of the overall
APEL assessment examines candidates on
a few components.
The components are generic
competencies/skills, languages, numerical
knowledge, general knowledge and critical
thinking.
Although all levels of study require the
aptitude test, the difficulty of the tests
increases for each level.
For instance, the test for the bachelors
degree will be harder than the test for the
diploma level.
The portfolio that candidates must submit
can consist of many types of evidence of
skills. Items such as certificates, documents,
testimonials, letters, photographs, business

cards and records can be construed as

evidences.
These evidences must reflect the relevant
learning that the candidates have acquired
through life/work experiences.
They are an important part of the portfolio
submission as candidates need to justify
the relevance of their work experience and
prior experiential learning to the intended
programme of study.

APEL C
For candidates who have knowledge or
competencies that are specific to a particular
course in their programme of study, APEL
for Credit allows for the awarding of credits
to individuals who have undergone short
courses, formal training and on-the-job
assignments or possess any relevant skills,
competencies or valuable knowledge.
Similar to the portfolio, candidates have to
prove beyond reasonable doubt that they
possess a certain skill.
APEL for Credit is currently only
applicable for programmes at the bachelors
level and will eventually be extended to
other levels as well.
Benefits of the award of credits:
Reduces the duplication of learning
Bridges the gap between formal
education and work/life experience
Shortens the duration of a programme
for the applicant
Potential reduction in the cost of
studying
Obtains academic recognition for
informal and non-formal learning from
work/life experiences
Serves as an alternative assessment
method to evaluate learners
competencies
Interested candidates can visit APELs
website for:
Guidelines on how to complete portfolio
Portfolio checklist
Test samples
Step-by-step application process
Important facts and questions
Further clarification on the APEL system
The May 2016 intake is now open for
registration.

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

my, email enquiries@oum.edu.my, call
03-2773 2121 or Whatsapp 012-303 9934/35