THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022 POSTGRADUATE

Achieving new heights in excellence

Expand your career options
after completing your tertiary education.
4 Postgraduate
Gain knowledge on molecular medicine
HUMAN diseases such as cancer, diabetes,
dementia, heart diseases, influenza,
tuberculosis, malaria, dengue and HIV, along
with other pathological conditions have
caused a significant reduction in human
lifespan. Current strategies have been vastly
ineffective and there is an urgent need to
develop novel techniques and therapies
that may be potent and effective against
such diseases.
Molecular medicine is a relatively new
field that may help in addressing the issues
faced by conventional remedies. Therefore,
it is important for us to have updated
knowledge in molecular medicine and to
continuously update newer developments
in the scientific field.
International Medical University (IMU)
has been delivering the Master of Science
in Molecular Medicine (MMM) programme
since 2012. Candidates can enrol through a
part-time or a full-time mode.
“One of the advantages of the programme
is that students can perform their research
activities at the convenience of their
workplace. As a working adult, I find this
very convenient and thoughtful. It is very
challenging for a working adult to travel,
which can be very time-consuming and
costly. Being able to conduct the research
project modules at work is like killing two
birds with one stone; we get to complete our
day-to-day job while keeping track of the
progression of the project,” says Ashraf
Hakim Dzulkarnain Azman, an alumnus of
the programme.
This programme is designed to help
students develop their skills in molecular
research (either lab-based or non-lab-based
such as computational analysis for the larger
dataset). These skills are required to gain
knowledge and confidence if a student
intends to pursue a doctoral programme. In
addition, the MMM has always equipped
students with in-depth knowledge of
A key feature of the MMM programme is the possibility of credit transfer and enrolling in a
double-degree option offered by the Queen Mary University of London.
medical-related diseases and mechanisms at
a molecular level.
A key feature of this programme is the
possibility of credit transfer and enrolling in
a double-degree option offered by the Queen
Mary University of London (QMUL). Through
this option, students obtain two MSc degrees,
one from the UK university and another
from IMU. The MMM programme trains
students to have critical thinking abilities,
problem-solving skills as well as a scientific
foresight in anticipating potential problems.
In March 2020, IMU had a double-degree
student who carried out a joint research
project with QMUL in studying the roles of
genes responsible for cardiac arrhythmia
and cardiac excitability. These were studied
using exome analysis at a UK biobank. The
student successfully completed this
preliminary research study this year.
Besides that, there were several research
projects conducted within the MMM
programme that were conducted in
collaboration with universities from
Australia such as the University of
Technology Sydney as well as some local
universities including Monash University
Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra
Malaysia and so on. Such opportunities
enabled students to work with diverse
Importance of social
media in today’s landscape
SOCIAL media refers to websites and
applications that are designed to allow
people to share content quickly in an
effective and efficient manner. It also refers
to any Internet communication tool that
allows users to engage with the public
and is easily accessible through various
smartphone apps and computers. The
most successful social media platforms
have found their own niche in the market
and have proven vital, be it in a social or
professional context.
There is a huge demand for social media
executives, managers and strategists in the
marketing and business sector. Viewed from
a digital marketing aspect, social media
provides incredible benefits that help
companies reach millions of audiences
worldwide.
Companies are beginning to realise that a
strong social media presence is key to
staying relevant and ensuring sustainability.
Among the reasons to engage in social
media include:
l To improve brand awareness
l To engage with audiences
l Cost-effective when it comes to reach
l To improve brand loyalty
l Marketplace awareness
l To increase traffic to brand website
l To enhance SEO rankings
Listed below are various reasons social
media is relevant in marketing activities:
l Companies are able to share their
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022
experts and promote broad levels of
expertise through teamwork within those
research teams.
This has led to students having the
advantage of interprofessional
collaboration, which in turn has led to
quality research being published. For
example, a study related to pancreatic
cancer was recently published in Nature
Research through collaborations with
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Universiti
Putra Malaysia and Tohoku University
Graduate School of Medicine.
In May this year, another MMM student
published her comprehensive review on the
therapeutic potential of agarwood in the
management of chronic inflammatory
diseases with input from different expertise
from the University of Sydney and
University of Technology Sydney from
Australia, as well as Sharda University,
Shoolini University, Lovely Professional
University and Saveetha University from
India. Such collaborations play a major role
in widening students’ perspectives and
outlook on the world of research.
The MMM programme also features
several forums and discussion activities,
enabling students to meet and interact
with course mates from diverse academic
backgrounds such as working experience in
medicine, pharmacy and diagnostic labs.
Notably, some of them have been promoted
to higher positions such as manager,
principal medical lab scientist, and more,
upon completion of the MMM programme.
The commencement of this programme is
in March and September of each year. If you
are interested to join this programme, make
an online application today.
n For more information about this or other
IMU postgraduate programmes, email
postgraduate@imu.edu.my, call 03-2731
7272 or visit www.imu.edu.my.
stories: Social media provides an opportunity
for brands to share longer and in-depth
information. This may be in the shape of
brand profiles, product information, lifestyle
tips or personal testimonies and stories. The
goal of the numerous styles of content is to
provide something relatable and meaningful
to the audience.
l Companies are able to grow an audience
with a small budget: Social media
advertising is one of the least expensive
ways of marketing businesses digitally.
Companies and businesses can grow as a
page on social media platforms by being
consistent and posting relatable content for
audiences.
l Learn and understand competitors:
With all business profiles on social media
networks being accessible to the public, this
is a chance for entrepreneurs to know their
competitors better and understand the sort
of strategies implemented by them to attract
audiences.
Trends on social media change almost
every second and social media platforms are
constantly tweaking their algorithms.
Looking at how most organisations
nowadays stress the importance of social
media, it’s important for you to take the
opportunity to upskill. Upskilling in digital
marketing may just be what your employer
needs – which may result in a well-deserved
promotion or reward for your contributions
to the company’s success.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022 5
6 Postgraduate
Long-awaited
day for graduands
ASIA e University (AeU) held its 11th
convocation ceremony on Saturday (Oct 15)
at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. A total
of 1218 AeU graduates attended and received
their scrolls at this meaningful ceremony.
AeU has, to date, seen over 25,000 students
graduate since its inception in 2007. The
ceremony also included graduates of 2021
who were affected by the postponement of
the previous physical convocation ceremony
due to the Covid-19 pandemic that hit
globally. The event celebrated the
achievements of both local and international
graduates with some international students
attending the ceremony in person.
The 11th AeU convocation ceremony
began with the proclamation of Tan Sri
Datuk Dr Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar,
former Foreign Minister of Malaysia, as the
first Chancellor of AeU who also presented
the awards during the first session of the
event.
Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, Minister
of Higher Education, was present for the
ceremony not just as a guest of honour, but
also as one of the graduates of the Doctor of
Business Administration (DBA) programme
through the APEL Q pathway. Also present
was Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal, Board
of Governors chairman of AeU.
AeU vice chancellor, Emeritus Professor
Tan Sri Datuk Dr Nik Mustapha Raja
World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur witnessed AeU graduates across various disciplines
receiving their scrolls.
Abdullah, in his speech said, “The graduating
class of 2021 and 2022 is unique as students
had to endure and overcome exceptional
uncertainty and challenges brought on by
the pandemic. As education is about growth
and not just grades, all graduands have
adapted and grown in this difficult time.”
He added the experience thus undoubtedly
enriched their success.
Dr Nik Mustapha went on to say, “The
qualifications received tell the world
that all AeU graduands are passionate,
ambitious and tenacious. These are the
qualities that equip you to make a difference
in changing lives and shaping society for the
better. This traditional physical in-person
graduation ceremony is the first to be held
since 2019 making the 11th convocation
very memorable.”
As a joint celebration, this year marks
AeU’s 15th year of its establishment. In
addition, AeU is among one of the five
institutions of higher learning invited by the
Malaysian Qualifications Agency to
participate in the APEL Q pilot project and in
Opportunities for
industry-relevant research
ONE of the most important factors of a
good master’s degree by research is if the
research project is industry-relevant. Other
important factors that contribute to a
quality master’s degree through research
are knowledgeable and experienced
research supervisors and the availability
of industry-standard facilities to conduct
research activities.
Pang Yik Siang is currently pursuing his
Master of Computer Science at Tunku Abdul
Rahman University College (TAR UC) and
working on a research project about multi-
view video coding in Industry 4.0. The aim
is to develop high-efficiency video coding
with real-time video streaming on multiple-
view cameras for industry usage and to
establish advanced video processing with
Industry 4.0 implementation. In addition,
the research project also has the potential
to work well with 5G technology, resolving
the issue of high-definition video
transmission delay.
Prior to this, Pang had completed his
degree in Mechanical Engineering at TAR
UC, before joining a software company.
“During my employment, I worked closely
with many manufacturing companies and
realised how valuable programming is as a
skill and why computer vision technology
is gaining importance in the industry.
Although my job exposed me to all these
developments, I did not have the
fundamentals in programming.
“I am very grateful to my supervisor
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022
the initiation of APEL Q activities towards
obtaining approval for offering APEL Q
programmes. This is a testament to AeU’s
reputation as an eminent e-learning
education provider.”
About AeU
Asia e University (AeU) is a collaborative
multinational and multi-mode university
established in 2007 under the auspices of 35
Asia Cooperation Dialogue countries. AeU is
ranked as a “Very Good” university by the
2020 Setara Ranking and emerged as the top
among the Open and Distance Learning
Universities in Malaysia.
In 15 years, AeU’s cumulative student
population has exceeded 25,000 students,
from more than 86 countries. The students
of AeU enjoy an immersive personalised
education experience with goals of flexibility,
quality and relevance regardless of the
geographical locations.
n For more information, visit aeu.edu.my
Assoc Prof Dr Tew Yiqi for suggesting the
topic of computer vision technology and
for his dedication. I appreciate Dr Tew for
trusting me to explore and do tasks my
own way. This helps me to be creative and
if I reach a dead end, I can always discuss
it with Dr Tew to solve the problem,” Pang
explains.
Through this research project, Pang also
had the opportunity to work with students
with different specialisations, in particular
engineering students.
Explaining his role as supervisor, Dr Tew
says, “I was once like Pang, where I did a
number of research work for my PhD, hence
I know the important support needed to
help a student in his research work. As his
supervisor, my fundamental role is to open
his mindset to explore all the possibilities
and guide him in his journey of growth.
At TAR UC, students learn by doing and
experiencing themselves, which is aligned
with the Beyond Education philosophy. In
addition, TAR UC provides the support in
terms of facilities and environment to
enable students like Pang to research and
discover new advanced technology and its
applications.”
n For more information about TAR UC’s
postgraduate programmes, intakes or other
general enquiries, visit www.tarc.edu.my.
Attractive scholarships are available at TAR
UC on the basis of academic merit and
sibling discount for qualified students.
Dr Tew (right) in
a discussion with
Pang on real-time
video encoding
and decoding
processes using
High Efficiency
Video Coding
standard.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022
Welcome to a lifelong relationship
THE University of Nottingham
Malaysia (UNM) campus has come
to life once again as our new intake
and returning groups of students
join us for the new academic year.
This is a particularly poignant
moment. For many, it is the first
time we are teaching and meeting
students face-to-face since the start
of the pandemic. Although some
face-to-face teaching began to
happen at the end of last year, it
was still very much a tentative
experience as we prepared, at
any stage, to return to online
operations again.
As we welcome those new
students onto campus, we do
everything to ensure that they
feel like they are members of the
UNM community from day one.
Whether they are taking their first
steps in the higher education
journey through our foundation
and undergraduate degrees,
or returning to study at the
postgraduate level, those first few
weeks are formative in shaping
how students feel about being at
university. Our induction and
orientation programmes are led by
staff and students, providing fun
and lively introductions to campus
life, and focused on building a
community of learners.
Many of our students have
travelled far to be with us. We
have international students from
approximately 85 countries. Some
join us for a semester exchange
programme, others are here for
the entirety of their studies. Other
students have travelled from nearby
towns and from other states in
Malaysia. Each one brings their own
By
ASSOC PROF
DR JASON
PANDYA-
WOOD
individual story, their own cultural
and religious identity, and their
own life experiences that shape
them into the people they are today.
These personal biographies
provide one of the richest and
most rewarding experiences for
academics. I would like to take
this opportunity to disabuse
readers of the notion that
university academics are the sole
experts in the classroom. The very
best learning experiences are not
characterised by a sage professor
delivering wisdom from the front
of a lecture theatre. They are
characterised by the contributions,
questions and debates from
students, the interactions between
learners and teachers, and the
sharing of perspectives. Learning
comes to life when everyone is an
active participant in the experience,
and speaking personally, I learn
and grow as much as my students
when this happens. An added
benefit is that this approach
contributes to making our students
feel included and welcome:
members of and contributors to
the UNM community.
Beyond the classroom, our
beautiful campus environment is
designed to be ‘home from home’.
Students can enjoy lush and vast
From left, UNM interim provost and chief executive officer Prof Sarah
Metcalfe, CTOS Data Systems Sdn Bhd head of key account
management Diana Afandi, Omesti Bhd chief executive officer Izad
Sallehuddin and the writer at the recent Nottingham in the City 2022
MBA alumni reception.
green spaces, our library and study
facilities, sports facilities,
entertainment, and places to gather
socially. When I arrive early in the
morning, I see students jogging
around our lake, and when I leave
at the end of the day, I watch
groups gathered around benches,
sharing stories with one another.
How we teach and our learning
environment are both important.
But our best asset in welcoming
students is the students themselves.
Here, I must pay tribute to our
fantastic Students Association (SA)
and the elected officers who will be
serving the community this year.
The SA is a vital resource for
students. It does so much more
than organise societies and provide
entertainment and enrichment
activities, as important as these are.
The SA officers are at the frontline
of ensuring our students feel
welcome, safe, knowledgeable
about campus life, and able to voice
concerns if anything goes wrong.
They are also an important conduit
between us – the management
board of the university – and the
views of students. They have
already proved to be excellent
ambassadors for the student voice,
meeting with senior leaders of the
university to outline their plans for
the coming year.
If students feel that their
experience has been worthwhile
and memorable, they will forever
treasure their affiliation with the
University of Nottingham. When
they leave us, they become an
important lifelong member of
our alumni
network,
which
presently
stands at
around
Postgraduate 7
300,000 former students
worldwide. This network keeps
them in touch with us but also
with their peers, their very own
professional and social network.
In September, I got to meet a
large group of our MBA alumni at
an event we hosted at our Kuala
Lumpur teaching centre. I met
graduates from the very first
cohort in 2001, through to those
who had completed their studies
this year. In every conversation I
had with these industry leaders, I
heard fond recollections of their
time with us and a strong
commitment to continue being
great ambassadors for Nottingham.
They reflected on the learning
moments that had shaped them,
but most of all, valued the
relationships they had formed
during their studies. And this is
something to be proud of. From
day one at UNM to years after you
have graduated from us, you will
always be an important member
of our community.
n Assoc Prof Dr Jason Pandya-
Wood is dean of the Faculty of Arts
and Social Sciences at the
University of Nottingham Malaysia.
8 Postgraduate
Thriving with the Internet of Things
INFORMATION technology and the Internet
have brought humans tremendous power.
Together, they have become an important
infrastructure for life in the modern world
and provided many with the only way to
complete school, work and communicate
safely with family and friends during the
Covid-19 pandemic.
The Internet is a user interface with a set
of protocols connecting local networks.
January 1983 is considered the beginning of
the Internet, though the term had been used
even earlier than that. ARPANET (Advanced
Research Projects Agency Network) had
not been connecting networks as much as
it had been connecting computers, and it
prohibited commercial traffic.
The need for commercial connectivity
spurred the development of the commercial
Net and the growth of Internet service
providers. In 1971, ARPANET only had 20
computers. Today, roughly 900 million
computers are connected to the Internet.
Communication between computers used
to be geek territory, with emails assuming
the form of character streams that had to be
typed in with formatting knowledge.
Protocols and software for the World Wide
Web were rolled out only in the early 1990s,
alongside a graphical user interface (GUI) so
geeks were no longer a pre-requisite.
As computers became smaller and more
portable, they started being embedded into
everyday things – hence the birth of the
Internet of Things (IoT). Increasingly
equipped with sensors and Internet
connection, new computers receive, store
and send data – whose operational analysis
holds the promise of performance
optimisation.
Empowerment brought on by the Internet
has been nothing but transformative. In
teaching and learning, massive open online
courses (MOOC) open the door to
knowledge-hungry learners. No less
Mohd Khairul professes
to gaining success
in his career through
hard work and higher
education at MSU.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2022
impressive are the innovations made
possible on mobile platforms – apps, for
example.
MNRB Group head of development
“Empowerment
operations for group strategy and brought on by
the Internet has
innovations Mohd Khairul Hairi Mazlan
talks about the app he is developing.
“It’ll be the first API-driven hi-tech mobile
web for insurance companies in Malaysia.” been nothing but
Recipient of the Industry Award for Best
Project at MSU’s 12th convocation ceremony transformative. In
during his Bachelor in Computer Science
(Hons) years at Management and Science teaching and learning,
University (MSU), Mohd Khairul also
graduated with a Master in Business
massive open online
Administration at MSU’s Graduate School of
Management (GSM).
courses (MOOC) open
He reminisces about having his life
transformed by the digital revolution. He
the door to knowledge-
professes to having underperformed in his
studies pre-MSU, but gaining success in his
hungry learners. No
career through hard work and higher less impressive is
the innovation made
education is a lesson he wishes to pass on to
future generations.
“Anybody can be whoever they want to
be if they are willing to work for it and get possible on mobile
an education. Seek help and trust your
institution. Learn as much as you can. My platforms – apps, for
final-year project at MSU’s Faculty of
Information Sciences and Engineering example.”
involved programming and my supervisor
was extremely generous with help. I not
only received his full supervision but also Hence, as an applied, enterprise, holistic
kindness and care in ensuring my success.” and international university, MSU offers
A known name in higher education, MSU foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate
promotes excellence and advances quality and flexible programmes through an entry
education, with a culture of industry and system that facilitates admission of students
entrepreneurship embedded in its from all walks of life, focused on
ecosystems, research, innovation and transforming lives and enriching futures.
technology.
MSU offers various ways for working n For the full range and information on
adults to further their studies. A wide range postgraduate programmes at MSU through
of programmes is offered with students’ the Graduate School of Management (GSM),
convenience as well as their educational call 03-5521 6868, email gsm@msu.edu.my
and professional backgrounds in mind. or visit www.msu.edu.my.