POSTGRADUATE
THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2022
Celebrating women’s contributions
EACH year, in March, the world recognises
and celebrates International Women’s Day.
This year, the theme is ‘gender equality
today for a sustainable tomorrow’. On most
indicators of evidence, women across the
world are more likely than men to be
vulnerable to the effects of climate change,
as they make up more of the world’s poor.
But International Women’s Day is not just
about recognising these important
inequalities. It is about celebrating the very
real contribution of women as powerful and
effective leaders and change-makers, leading
the fight for a more sustainable future.
I have the privilege of witnessing this daily
at the University of Nottingham Malaysia
(UNM) where the contribution of women to
advancing the frontiers of knowledge and
action extends beyond the boundaries of the
university.
Those who read this column regularly will
see that reaching out beyond the university
is a recurring theme I like to touch on. I
often share stories with you about how our
research has made a tangible impact on the
world outside, whether it’s through better
understanding the harm caused by
microplastics or thinking anew about how
communities can respond to flood risks.
Our courses are also designed to make an
impact, with students playing an important
part in addressing some of the most pressing
societal challenges both during their studies
with us and beyond when they have
graduated. We are also very lucky to work
with some astonishing external partners,
ensuring that their industries create the
positive change we need.
And it is often women who are leading the
way in addressing these big challenges.
Take the work of my colleagues Dr Karma
Tashi Choedron and Dr Julia Roknifard. In
February, they completed a major project
with over 175 organisations and 402
participants to improve the detection and
reporting of incidences of forced labour
Envisioning the future of open and distance learning
More than 200,000 learners and almost
91,000 graduates in 22 years at Malaysia’s
premier open and distance learning (ODL)
institution. Unsurprisingly, we at Open
University Malaysia (OUM) are proud of
these milestones. But the question that arises
now is: what’s next?
Having just taken over the reins as OUM’s
fourth president/vice-chancellor on 1 Feb, I
know that answering this question will not
be easy. Certainly, we want to go farther and
accomplish even more. As the leader of this
university, it is now my responsibility to find
ways to make that happen.
Among the first ways involves expansion.
While OUM is already well known locally as
the practical choice for flexible part-time
studies among working adults, I believe
there is opportunity to go beyond Malaysian
shores.
So, while we have already partnered with
13 higher education institutions in 10
countries, OUM’s influence internationally
can be further strengthened. In particular, I
believe we could establish a presence in
Central Asia, where according to UNESCO
there is a need to expand learning pathways
and forms of access to education.
At home, I hope to also expand OUM’s
industry linkages. Currently, several
programmes come with certifications from
Sirim, CPA Australia and Malaysia Board of
Technologists, while others are recognised
by the National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health, Nursing Board Malaysia
Dr Karma (centre) facilitating a multi-stakeholder panel discussion to mark the conclusion
of the major project on forced labour.
in Malaysia.
Responding directly to Malaysia being
downgraded to Tier 3 in the 2021 Trafficking
in Persons Report by the US State
Department, Dr Karma and Dr Julia received
funding from the UK’s Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office and
collaborated with a wide range of industry
associations and government agencies to
deliver capacity building training for those
many companies.
As one of the participants on the
programme said, “Working and debating
together in this holistic way has helped build
and Malaysian Counselling Board.
Previously, we also collaborated with the
Islamic Banking and Finance Institute
Malaysia to conduct online financial services
examinations.
Moving ahead, we will continue to
enhance the value of our programmes with
additional credentials that will allow
graduates to showcase their specific
knowledge and skills in different career
settings. At the same time, offering these
certifications will help ensure that OUM
programmes are up-to-date and aligned with
the latest industry standards.
In a world without borders, I also plan to
strengthen our bond with other open
universities around the world, such as Korea
National Open University (South Korea),
Universitas Terbuka (Indonesia), and The
Open University (United Kingdom). This
could pave the way towards the sharing of
experiences and expertise, and also the
adoption of academic best practices that can
directly benefit our programmes and
learners.
With our established expertise in
e-learning, I hope to promote OUM’s capacity
in content and learning management system
development, and other crucial aspects of
online delivery. This will be a way for us to
encourage knowledge-sharing and explore
ways to collaborate with other institutions,
both locally and abroad.
Prospective learners can look forward to
updates in programme offerings as well. We
capacity with confidence”.
The influence of our women leaders
extends beyond Malaysia and influences the
generations that follow. To give one example,
Nengaswary Maniam, our head of research
and knowledge exchange, was bestowed the
Influential Leader Award by the global
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business (AACSB) and was the first
Malaysian Indian to receive this honour. The
AACSB paid tribute to Nengaswary’s
incredible impact on the younger generation,
realised through her tireless community
service activities focused on women’s
Assoc Prof Dr Ahmad Izanee Awang.
will introduce new programmes in up-and-
coming disciplines with competitive
professional value, including some of the
most in-demand qualifications listed by
Jobstreet in 2021, such as cybersecurity, app
development, digital marketing and financial
management.
These are just some potential options that
can keep OUM relevant and ensure our
learners are on their best footing when they
graduate.
Finally, I hope to assure current learners
that they can continue to expect the best
from OUM. Because they are located
By
ASSOC PROF
DR JASON
PANDYA-
WOOD
empowerment. She has also been recognised
by the Malaysian Health Ministry for leading
an international fellowship programme.
Our students too continue to receive
recognition for their amazing contributions.
School of English student, Swetha Siva
received the Vice Chancellor’s Medal 2021 in
February. Swetha founded the UNM’s
Writer's Society, a student organisation that
provides a space for conversations about
writing.
Under her leadership, the society
promoted writing on campus and supported
new writers through its blog drafts, writing
sessions, workshops on both creative and
academic writing and other events. Swetha
also writes fiction from marginalised
perspectives.
A young adult novel she wrote won the
competitive The Word Editor-Writer
Mentorship with an editor from Macmillan
and another young adult novel is being
published by Meraki Press.
Recognising the contributions of women
like Dr Karma, Dr Julia and Nengaswary as
well as Swetha is important: and they are
just a small number of many, many
examples. Next time you hear women
belittled in public life or catch outdated
sexist ideas used to control women, reach for
these examples. We still have a long way to
go in the long march to equality. Let the
leaders of that march be women themselves.
n Assoc Prof Dr Jason Pandya-Wood is dean
of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at
the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
“We will continue to
enhance the value
of our programmes
with additional
credentials that will
allow graduates
to showcase their
specific knowledge
and skills in different
career settings.”
throughout the country and globally too, and
with the continued emphasis on fully online
learning, we will work on enhancing the
relevant support services to ensure round-
the-clock accessibility, user-friendliness and
a worry-free study experience.
At OUM, no learner needs to feel helpless
or alone: rest assured that you will have
everything you need to thrive and succeed.
– By Assoc Prof Dr Ahmad Izanee Awang,
president and vice-chancellor of Open
University Malaysia
2 Postgraduate
Inspiring women entrepreneurs RUNNING a successful business while
building a triumphant empire for themselves
are entrepreneurial alumni of Management
and Science University (MSU) and sisters
Noorizlea and Noorizraina Mohd Izham.
They founded Sugar Gold Group Sdn Bhd
together with the goal of helping women
sustain healthy, flawless skin.
The two sisters have managed to turn
dreams into reality. They are not only
creating success for themselves, but for other
women in society by introducing quality skin
products that all can enjoy.
Developing and sustaining a business
independently is no easy feat. The amount of
hard work and unceasing dedication
invested into their company was the only
way in which they could make it a success.
Their persistence did not go unnoticed as
MSU alumni and entrepreneurs, Noorizlea (second from left) and Noorizraina Mohd Izham they were recognised at the 100 Top Young
(third from left). CEO Awards 2020.
“It was such an honour receiving the
award in 2020 in Kuala Lumpur. We were
awarded under the category of ‘Top Young
CEO in the Beauty & Cosmetic Industry’. It
was the collective hard work of all our staff
and affiliates, Sugar Gold Fighters, as we like
to call them. This wouldn’t have been
possible if it weren’t for their continuous
trust and support towards us and the brand,”
they confess.
The award was presented by Datuk Seri
Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department (Special
Functions). Their recognition as one of
Malaysia’s Top Young CEOs is set to motivate
other women entrepreneurs.
One of the sisters’ subordinates, Teha
Hashim, reacts to their recognition with
much joy.
“Congratulations, my founder, my Acy. I
admire you for your humility and for being
selfless and passionate in helping others
earn a living,” says Teha.
Noorizlea was a progression student at
MSU. She completed two of the university’s
most popular courses, the Diploma in
Accountancy in 2008, and the Master in
Business Administration in 2013.
MSU offers advanced degrees at the MBA,
MSc and PhD levels covering areas such as
Management/Business, Accounting/ Finance,
Educational Management and Leadership,
Teaching English as Second Language,
Building confidence in branch campuses
THERE are many students who plan to
further their higher education in other
countries but are unable to do so due to
personal restrictions such as finances, jobs
or family responsibilities. Fortunately, it is
possible to still earn a foreign degree right
within our shores.
There are plenty of branch campuses in
Malaysia, mostly from the UK and Australia.
Branch campuses offer the perfect
opportunity for students to fulfil their
dreams.
However, there may be some reservations
regarding the quality of the education at a
branch campus. Some may wonder if the
education that branch campuses offer would
be of the same quality as the main university
overseas, while others may feel that branch
campuses do not offer the same study
experience.
While there are obvious differences, you
will be surprised by the similarities between
a home and branch campus.
A common misunderstanding is that
Obtaining a foreign degree is possible with
branch campuses.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2022
International Business, Fashion Business,
International Hospitality and Tourism
Management, Early Childhood Education,
Counselling and Guidance, International
Event Management, Computer Science,
Information and Communication
Technology, Food Service Technology,
Biomedicine, Engineering, Applied Science,
Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences,
Information Technology, Clinical Pharmacy,
Pharmacy, Applied Science, Design, Medical
Physiology, Public Health and Anatomy.
These programmes are offered under the
School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and
Graduate School of Management (GSM).
MSU currently ranks in the Top 100
among the world’s top young universities,
Top 200 among Asia’s best universities, Top
301+ for Graduate Employability Ranking
and Top 601+ for University Impact. Ranked
by both Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and
Times Higher Education (THE), MSU’s world
rankings place it in the Top 47% of the
world’s best universities in the QS WUR 2022
and Top 200 for impact on gender equality
and no poverty in THE University Impact
Rankings 2021.
MSU has also been awarded Platinum 5
Crowns by the UK’s Accreditation Service for
International Schools, Colleges and
Universities (ASIC); and QS-rated 5-Stars on
the metrics of overall as well as individually
across Teaching, Graduate Employability,
Academic Development,
Internationalization, Online Learning, Social
Responsibility, Inclusiveness, and Hospitality
and Leisure Management.
Also rated by the Higher Education
Ministry (MOHE) as SETARA Tier-5 Excellent
Status University as well as ranked The Most
Entrepreneurial Private University in
Malaysia.
In all, as an applied, enterprise, holistic
and international university, MSU offers
foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate
and flexible programmes through an entry
system that facilitates the admission of
students from all walks of life, where it aims
at transforming lives and enriching futures.
n For more information on postgraduate
programmes offered at MSU, call
03-5521 6868, email enquiry@msu.edu.my
or visit www.msu.edu.my.
branch campuses operate independently and
don’t follow the same syllabus conducted at
the main campus. On the contrary, branch
campuses follow the same syllabus and
assessment systems set by the home
university overseas.
As a result, students studying for a foreign
degree locally would get the same education
and coursework. The added benefit is that
the courses may have local influence in
terms of examples and application.
Another worry is that the level of
education taught locally may be inadequate
in comparison to the lectures taught
overseas. This sentiment has been echoed
across various countries, which has resulted
in under-enrolments and branch campuses
closing.
However, it would be wrong to claim that
a branch campus is incapable of delivering
the same results as its parent campus. The
study materials are often the same as those
used at the home university and students are
able to access the lectures and resources
online. It is also not uncommon for lecturers
from the parent campus to make periodic
visits to an international branch campuses to
teach.
Besides the quality of education, branch
campuses strongly believe in maintaining
the same ethos and values held by its main
campus. This pertains to the way the
university is run, organisational structure in
place as well as the activities and facilities
offered to students.
The concept of studying for a foreign
degree locally is growing in popularity in
Malaysia. And now that the country boasts
up to 10 foreign branch campuses, obtaining
foreign qualifications has become all the
more easier.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2022 3
4 Postgraduate
It takes a team to manage diabetes
DIABETES is a chronic and progressive
disorder that when poorly controlled, can
cause complications that damage all organs
in the body.
“What we do in our daily life affects how
quickly diabetes progresses. The daily
activities of a person living with diabetes
include healthy eating, being more active,
monitoring health goals, taking medication
and reducing risks,” says Dr Lee Ching Li,
programme director of an IMU postgraduate
programme qualifying diabetes educators.
A multidisciplinary approach – where
healthcare professionals from different
disciplines work together to manage diabetes
– can help address this disturbing problem.
This sentiment is shared by Malaysian
healthcare practitioners who are also alumni
of the IMU Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes
Management and Education.
Grace Toh Peik Khiam, a nurse and
government servant says, “The
multidisciplinary approach to diabetes care
should occur at the primary, secondary and
tertiary setting because it ultimately benefits
the patient.”
Angela Teh Li Leng, a dietitian with a
private hospital adds that collaboration and
good communication between the different
disciplines involved is key to successfully
managing diabetes.
Toh reflects, “As a nurse and diabetes
educator, there are times when my patient
needs a referral to other healthcare
disciplines. I have learnt that input from a
different discipline can help me address the
psychosocial needs of my patients who live
with diabetes.”
Toh realised this through the many patient
case discussions she had with her
coursemates and lecturers.
“My most memorable session was an
online Problem-Based Learning session on
in-patient care of diabetes. This session was
Grace Toh Peik Khiam.
facilitated by an endocrinologist with
coursemates who included fellow nurses,
dietitians, and pharmacists. With my nursing
background, I had good peri-operative
knowledge and experience, but this alone is
not enough to manage the case. Input from
the dietitian and pharmacist helped us
optimise patient blood glucose control,” says
Toh.
Teh also enjoyed the Problem-Based
Learning session saying, “It was fun
breaking down the case study together with
peers who were nurses, dietitians, and
pharmacists. When the discussion was
guided by the endocrinologist, I could see
how the different disciplines can work
together for the patient.”
Teh believes she has also improved the
way she provides diabetes education to the
patients she sees daily.
“I was able to hone my skills in patient
education by upgrading theoretical
knowledge on diabetes education and
observing how my mentors and peers from
Angela Teh Li Leng.
different disciplines provide diabetes
education to patients,” she says.
Both Toh and Teh successfully completed
their IMU postgraduate qualification as
diabetes educators amidst the Covid-19
pandemic.
Teh shares, “I chose the IMU postgraduate
programme because it has a good blend of
theory and practical work to support my
pursuit of healthcare knowledge and skills.
Balancing life, work and study is possible.”
Sharing this growth mindset, Toh adds, “I
encourage healthcare providers to train as
diabetes educators. Some healthcare
providers may already have certificate level
training in diabetes management. However,
taking a postgraduate qualification in this
area is a good top-up for the specialised care
needed in diabetes management.”
Working adults in the healthcare sector or
fresh graduates with a keen interest in
diabetes education have the opportunity to
upskill with a postgraduate degree at IMU by
either enrolling full-time for one year or on a
THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2022
“Taking a postgraduate
qualification in
this area is a good
top-up for the
specialised care
needed in diabetes
management.”
part-time basis within a three-year period.
Designed to suit working adults, this
programme incorporates a multi-
disciplinary, blended learning model that
includes both online and in-person learning.
This delivery allows the student to make
meaningful connections with the different
healthcare disciplines involved in diabetes
care.
IMU offers postgraduate programmes
including master in science programmes in
Public Health, Analytical and Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, Molecular Medicine, Acupuncture
and Pharmacy Practice; Master of
Counselling; postgraduate diplomas in
Diabetes Management and Education,
Implant Dentistry, Endodontics and
Prosthodontics; postgraduate programmes in
Health Professions Education, Health
Informatics and Analytics and Business
Administration in Healthcare Management
as well as MSc and PhD in Medical and
Health Sciences.
n For more information about this or other
postgraduate programmes, call
03-2731 7272, email postgraduate@imu.edu.
my or visit www.imu.edu.my.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2022
Five interesting buildings in KL
LOCATED in the central region of Malaysia
with an area of 243sq km, Kuala Lumpur is a
city that is rich with British colonial
buildings, magnificent skyscrapers and a
mix of modern and postmodern
architecture.
Here are five interesting facts you
probably didn’t know about Kuala Lumpur:
l Home to one of the tallest buildings in
the world.
The Merdeka 118 tower, also known as
PNB 118 is set to become the second tallest
building in the world after Burj Khalifa upon
completion in late 2022. The tower, standing
at 118 floors and 678.9m is classified as a
mega tall skyscraper by the Council on Tall
Buildings and Urban Habitat.
The cladding for the structure is made up
of 18,144 panels, 114,000sq m of glass and
1,600,000kg of window frame extrusions.
According to ARUP, the design of Merdeka
118 was inspired and modelled after Tunku
Abdul Rahman’s gesture when he chanted
“Merdeka!” as he proclaimed Malaysia’s
independence on Aug 31,1957.
l The Petronas Twin Towers are inspired
by Islamic architecture and culture.
The Petronas Twin Towers are
undoubtedly the most iconic landmark
across Malaysia. The building is 88 storeys
high and once held the record for the tallest
building in the world.
The architect, César Pelli, based his designs
off the Rub El Hizb, the eight-pointed star in
the Islamic religion. The structure of the Rub
El Hizb can also be seen from the bird’s-eye
view. The twin towers have the world’s
largest foundation with 120m of solid
foundation beneath its concrete footings to
withstand the height and weight of the
towers.
l Malaysia’s very own opera house
Istana Budaya was established in 1999 and
it is the country’s main venue for numerous
local and international performances.
The design of Istana Budaya is said to be
based on several aspects of Malay culture.
The sloping roof is a resemblance of the
‘sirih junjung’, which is a betel leaf
arrangement used at Malay weddings and
ceremonial functions to welcome guests.
Besides that, the building features the design
elements of a Malay house with three main
parts.
The ‘serambi’ or foyer inspired the design
of the lobby, ‘rumah ibu’ or main house for
the auditorium and ‘rumah dapur’ or
kitchen for the rehearsal hall.
As the first theatre in Asia to have state-of-
the-art equipment and home to talents such
as the National Symphony Orchestra, Istana
Budaya is rated as one of the most
sophisticated theatres in the world, on par
with London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Postgraduate 5
l The magnificent Sultan Abdul Samad designs and local culture. But in addition to
Building this, one also has to admire the engineering
Inspired by Moorish and Neo-Mughal and construction that went into making such
architecture, this building is one of buildings possible.
Malaysia's most iconic landmarks. According It is perhaps the expectation for new
to the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the structures to incorporate both dazzling
Royal Asiatic Society, the construction of this design and practicality. As such, there is
building used approximately 4 million always a demand for high-calibre engineers
bricks, 2,500 barrels of cement, 108,862kg of and architects, a possibility only with
lime, 2,268kg of copper and 45,359kg of steel advanced tertiary education.
and iron, and about 850 cubic metres of
lumber, making it the biggest construction at
the time. The engineer incorporated several
types of arches that helped with ventilation
throughout the building. As one of the first
government offices in Malaysia, this
structure was the city’s first to be lit by
electricity and exterior gas lights.
l The futuristically designed Saloma Link
Saloma Link (Pintasan Saloma) is a
pedestrian and cyclist bridge constructed to
connect Kampung Baru and Kuala Lumpur
City Centre. Similar to Istana Budaya, the
architecture of the bridge was inspired by
the ‘Sirih Junjung’ concept of Malay culture.
The bridge is a single span steel construction
with over 4,000 diamond facade panels that
are lighted up with LED lighting that changes
pattern from time to time.
These buildings highlight stunning Islamic architecture is incorporated in the
architecture with a nod to contemporary design of the Petronas Twin Towers.