Course Focus - 1 March 2016

7/24/2019 Course Focus - 1 March 2016

1/12

THE STAR, TUESDAY 1 MARCH 2016

special

COURSE FOCUSPRE-UNIVERSITY

Start here,

go places


2/12

The IB programme is a highlydemanding pre-universityprogramme governed by theInternational BaccalaureateOrganization in Geneva andoffered to students who haveexceptionally high secondaryschool results.

Real-world issues andproblems are part of the broadand balanced curriculum,which requires students to studyboth humanities and sciencesubjects.

The high standards observed

as part of this programme arerecognised by hundreds ofuniversities across 140 countries.

Broken down into six groups,the subjects taught in theprogramme are related tolanguage and literature, languageacquisition, individuals andsocieties, sciences, mathematics,and the arts.

The programme grades youthrough coursework that isinternally assessed, writtenexaminations marked by externalIB examiners and schoolassessment tasks that highlightcreativity, action and service.

You must achieve a satisfactorylevel of performance in all

requirements before beingawarded the diploma.However, it is important to

note that this diploma isrecognised as a pre-universityprogramme.

Therefore, it does not allowyou to transfer credits and enterthe second year of a universitydegree programme.

course focus

THE STAR,TUESDAY 1 MARCH 2016

Pathways to a brighter futureLECTING a pre-universitygramme is not something

be taken lightly as theht programme will lay thepropriate foundations for aoother transition into university.

The programme will prepareu with the necessary skills sucheffective communication, goode management, prioritising

ur tasks, working well in groupsd being a competent leader.Crucial factors to considerlude finding a programme thatgood content focus and one

t is recognised by top tertiarytitutions that are renowned in

industry you intend to explore.Generally classified as avernment, private or foreign-university programme, each-university course brings itsn set of advantages.

Considerable research is crucialnsure you find a programmet matches your interests andlds towards your chosen career.

Here are the populargrammes offered in Malaysia

d the differences between them.

overnmente-universityasi in Institusi Pengajianggi Awam (IPTA)

f you intend to study locally andmplete your studies faster, Asasi

one- or two-year foundationogramme offered at selectedlaysian public universities.Open Asasi programmes areognised by other local publiciversities and allow students torsue any degree programme in

y of these institutions whileosed programmes are tailoredfit a particular degreeogramme.As there are various Asasieams available, you will need toeck with each institution for theogrammes offered.

The programme is notrecognised overseas and you areexpected to complete a degree in apublic university before applyingto a foreign university.

Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia(STPM)

Choosing the right pre-university programme will give students a head start in achieving career success.

Explore yourhigher educationchoices wisely.

All students who pass the SijilPelajaran Malaysia are eligible toenter Form 6 and are automaticallyassigned a place in governmentsecondary schools.

STPM is not only the cheapestpre-university course available butapproved by CambridgeAssessment a group of

international examination boardsfrom the United Kingdom andrecognised by universities acrossthe UK and the United States.

You will have the flexibility ofchoosing a maximum of five out ofthe 23 arts or science streamsubjects available and sit for threeend-of-term examinations.

Grades are based on schoolassessments (that make up 20% to40% of the final score) and acentralised examination (60% to80% of the final score).

In addition, you will sit for thecompulsory Malaysian UniversityEnglish Test, which assesses yourlistening, speaking, reading andwriting skills.

Unique to this programme is thepossibility to retake each term

examination at the end of the thirdterm should you want to improveon past results.

Government Matriculation

Government matriculation is afairly easy pre-university coursecompared with Form 6 (STPM).Offered in two streams scienceand accountancy the course is anavenue to enter local publicuniversities at fairly minimal costs.

Some technical subjects relatedto engineering are also offered tostudents from technical secondaryschools.

The only difference betweenProgram Satu Tahun (PST) andProgram Dua Tahun (PDT) is thatin PDT, subjects are stretchedacross two years to allow slightlyweaker students to complete theircourse.

Assessment for the matriculationprogramme is carried outcontinuously and based onexaminations in every semester.

In addition to classroomeducation, you will need toparticipate in at least oneco-curricular activity such as asport, club or society, or uniformedbody.

Private pre-university

A-Levels

The General Certificate ofEducation Advanced Level orA-Levels course offered in Malaysiais administered by either theCambridge InternationalExaminations or EdexcelInternational Examinationsboards.

The course is the UKs equivalentto Malaysias STPM programmeand is assessed entirely on writtenexaminations that encourageanalytical and logical thinking.

It is among the more popularoptions for students who wish tostudy abroad as the qualificationenables students to enrol in leadinguniversities in Australia and NewZealand and across North America,Europe and Asia.

Although you are only requiredto sit for three or a maximum offour subjects, there are more than40 subjects to choose from.

If you are academically inclined,looking to gain in-depth knowledgeand pursue a competitive degree

such as medicine, pharmacy,engineering, computing or law,A-Levels is the right course for youas there are subjects that covermore complex topics and provide agood foundation to gain entry intotop-tier universities.

As the subjects offered atinstitutions differ from one toanother, students are often advisedto pick a combination of subjectsthat are in line with the degreeprogramme they wish to pursue inuniversity.

College foundation programmes

Duration

1 year

Local public universities

Selected public universities

Recognition

Availability

Duration

1.5 years

Local and foreign universities

Selected secondary schools

Recognition

Availability

Duration

1 to 2 years


Private colleges and universities

Recognition

Availability

Duration

1 to 2 years


Private colleges and universities

Recognition

Availability

Duration

1 to 2 years

Local universities, limited

foreign universities

Recognition

Matriculation colleges

Availability

degree courses.Instead of general arts- or

science-based subjects, thecourses have a high focus on thechosen industry and includespecialised studies such asmedicine, dentistry, law, business,information technology andengineering.

You are required to complete amix of coursework (researchprojects, assignments,presentations, reports and tests)and final examinations that areinternally evaluated beforegraduating.

While some college foundationprogrammes are accepted byother institutions, most

programmes are usuallyrecognised only by the institutionthat is offering them or bypartnering universities.

Should you decide to switchuniversities, you may need toretake certain subjects to gainrecognised subject credits.

International Baccalaureate(IB) Diploma

> SEE PAGE 4

Duration

2 years


Officially approved international

schools and colleges

Recognition

Availability

Foundation programmes inprivate institutions are amongthe quickest programmesavailable as they are designedto prepare students for specific

IAN JEROME LEONG


3/12

THE pre-university programmes at SEGiUniversity and Colleges are perfect steppingstones for any school-leaver who wishes toprogress to tertiary education.

Open doors to your futureThe wide range of pre-university

programmes effectively prepares students topursue further studies in any field they wish,from medicine to creative arts.

The foundation studies in SEGi aredesigned to equip post-secondary schoolstudents with the knowledge, skills andpractice needed to qualify for universityentrance.

They also provide students a smoothtransition from secondary to tertiary studies.

The foundation options are:lFoundation in Arts Students study the

basics of business and informationtechnology.

There are also four electives from eitheraccountancy and business, creative design,

built environment, mass communication,computing, or tourism and hospitality.lFoundation in Science Aspiring

science majors can undertake thisprogramme for a strong foundation inphysics, biology, chemistry and mathematics.lFoundation in Commerce At the end

of the programme, students will have abetter understanding of quantitativemethods, accounting and economics that willprepare them for business studies at thetertiary level.lFoundation in Information

Technology This programme is designed toequip students with computing knowledgeas well as essential skills in mathematics.

This provides the perfect transition fromsecondary studies to a university degree in avariety of computing- and technology-related

fields.lA-Levels (SEGi College Sarawak) Thisqualification from Edexcel UK is onlyavailable at SEGis Sarawak campus.

The A-Levels programme places emphasison in-depth knowledge, strong reasoningabilities and critical thinking.

It is one of the most widely recognisedpre-university qualifications in the world,readily accepted as proof of superioracademic ability for entry into world-classuniversities globally.

Foundationoptions aplenty

SEGis foundation programmes are designed to equip post-secondary school students with the

knowledge, skills and practice needed to qualify for university entrance.


course focus 3

Myriad pathways tochoose from

Students who have completed SEGispre-university programmes may gainplacement in universities in the UnitedKingdom, New Zealand and China.

These include the University of Leicester,Cardiff University, Queens University Belfast,Swansea University, Auckland University ofTechnology and Shanghai University ofTraditional Chinese Medicine.

Students can also pursue theirundergraduate studies at SEGi and choosefrom SEGis list of twinning degreeprogrammes with global partners in the UK,United States and Australia.

SEGis consortium of global partnersincludes Abertay University, University ofGreenwich, Teesside University, University ofSunderland, University of St Mark & St John,York St John University and University of

London in the UK; Troy University in the US;and University of Southern Queensland inAustralia.

nFor more information, call 03-6145 1777 or1800 887 344 (SEGi University), 03-2070 2078or 1800 888 028 (SEGi College KualaLumpur), 03-8600 1888 or 1800 888 622 (SEGiCollege Subang Jaya), 04-263 3888 (SEGiCollege Penang) or 082-252566 (SEGi CollegeSarawak) or e-mail [email protected] orvisit www.segi.edu.my.

The foundation studiesin SEGi are designed toequip post-secondary

school students withthe knowledge, skillsand practice needed toqualify for universityentrance and providestudents a smoothtransition fromsecondary to tertiarystudies.


4/12

With the variety of pre-university courses on offer, students can chooseone that best fits their academic and extracurricular preferences.

International education choices

course focus

THE STAR,

TUESDAY 1 MARCH 2016

ROM PAGE 2

oreign pathwaysmerican Degree Program (ADP)

American Degree Transferogram (ADTP)

Duration

4 years (2+2 or 3+1)


Recognition

Private institutions

Availability

Duration

1 year


Recognition


Availability

Duration

1 year


Recognition


Availability

ADP or ADTP is a direct entryo university level and allowsdents to transfer into any

merican or Canadian university.wever, it is also recognised byny universities in the UK,stralia and New Zealand.

n the first two years, you willrn general or core subjectsually offered in Malaysiantitutions) before moving on tore advanced subjects that areused on your chosen major in aeign university.The number of years spent inlaysia depends on the

ogramme offered at eachtitution. For example, a 2+2

ogramme allows a student tody two years in Malaysia beforeving to a university abroad to

mplete the remaining two years.Assessed based on coursework,ignments and written final

examinations, the programme isflexible in the sense that you areable to switch majors within thefirst two years of the course.

It also requires you to takesubjects outside of your chosenmajor and encourages classroomparticipation so that you have awell-rounded experience and theskills to work with people fromdifferent fields.

Canadian Pre-University (CPU)and Canadian International

Matriculation Program (CIMP)

Recognised by many universitiesacross the US, Australia, NewZealand and the UK, the CPU and

CIMP programmes offer a widerange of subject options frombusiness, engineering and scienceto subjects related to the arts, tocater to the diverse interests ofstudents.

In addition to completingcoursework that encompassestests, attendance and quizzes thatmake up 70% of the overallassessment, students must sit for afinal year examination to cover theremaining 30%.

The programmes are also uniqueas you are required to perform 10hours of community involvementor outreach to graduate.

Completion of the programmeleads to an Ontario SecondarySchool Diploma, which is similarly

awarded to students who complete12th Grade of Canadian highschool.

South Australian Certificate ofEducation International (SACEInternational) and AustralianMatriculation (AUSMAT)

SACE International (previouslySouth Australian Matriculation orSAM) and AUSMAT programmesare internationally recognised andequivalent to a Year 12 Australianhigh school course.

Your overall grades are based ona mixture of school assessmentsthroughout the year as well asexternal examinations at the endof the semester.

For students studying the SACEInternational curriculum,coursework contributes to 70% ofthe overall score while it is 50% inthe AUSMAT programme.

Both programmes are suitablefor students who have either aclear career path in mind or thosewho are unsure about a degree to

study in university.For example, you can take

subjects such as mathematics andeconomics if you are certain ofbuilding a career in business, orchemistry and biology for a careerin biomedical science andnutrition.

After completing the course andbeing awarded either the South orWest Australian Certificate ofEducation that are both recognisedwithin the Australian QualificationFramework, you are eligible toapply to top universities inAustralia, New Zealand, the UK, USand across Asia.


5/12

Smart way to successBAC consultants on hand to address all queries and concerns at an education fair.

BRICKFIELDS Asia College (BAC) hasestablished itself as the fastest andsmartest way to more than 100 UKdegrees.

Having partnerships andaffiliations with more than 25 UKuniversities and professionalorganisations, BAC offers its studentsaccess to more than 100 world-classdegrees and professionalqualifications that can be completedeither locally or abroad.

Known as the nations No.1 lawschool, BACs students have obtainedexcellent results in undergraduateand postgraduate studies.

Over the past four years alone,BAC has produced more than 600world and national top students,book prize winners, and first-classand second-class-upper graduates.

Pre-university

The Cambridge InternationalExaminations (CIE) A-Levels is themost recognised pre-universityprogramme in the world.

Students can select from a widerange of A-Levels subjects that BACoffers, including biology, chemistry,

law, economics, accounting, Englishliterature and mathematics.

They can then progress to avariety of degree programmes inlaw, business, medicine, finance,engineering or communication,among others.

Students looking forward togetting a head start in their careerswill find the BAC A-Levels ExpressRoute the perfect option for them.

This unique programme, coupledwith BACs UK Transfer DegreeProgramme in law or business,allows students to graduate up totwo years ahead of their peers.

Since 2010, BACs A-Levelsstudents have been awarded the Topin the World Outstanding Cambridge

Learner Awards for Law andBusiness Studies four times, withthree consecutive wins in 2012, 2013and 2014.

In 2014, BAC students swept theTop in the World CambridgeOutstanding Learner Awards forLaw, Business Studies andEconomics.

Alternatively, students can enrolin the Foundation in Arts, which is aone-year programme designed to

provide students with the level ofacademic literacy, skills andconfidence to pursue anundergraduate degree in the arts,humanities and social sciences.

Law school

At the undergraduate level,students can opt to pursue their LLB(Hons) via the University of LondonInternational Programmes, the only

external law degree recognised bythe Legal Professional QualifyingBoard. This programme allowsstudents to complete all three yearsof study in Malaysia.

BAC also offers the UK TransferDegree Programme (Law) wherestudents can choose to completeeither the 1+2 (one year at BAC andtwo years at a partner university) or2+1 (two years at BAC and one yearat a partner university) option,depending on their preference.

Upon successful completion of theprogramme, students will beawarded an LLB (Hons) degree fromthe respective university.

Students graduating with a degreefrom a partner university will be

accorded UK Qualifying status,making them eligible for the BarProfessional Training Course.

Individuals intending to practiselaw with this degree can thusembark on either the BarProfessional Training Course inthe UK or the Certificate in LegalPractice in Malaysia.

At the undergraduate level, BAChas produced 99 first-class LLB(Hons) graduates over the past fouryears.

At the postgraduate level, BACstudents have secured 10consecutive Tun Hamid OmarFoundation Awards for Best OverallCLP Student in Malaysia, 55 out of69 book prizes and 56 out of 71

second-class uppers awarded in theCLP (Certificate in Legal Practice)examinations since 2005.

Business school

The UK Transfer DegreeProgramme (Business) offer studentsdegrees, ranging from businessmanagement, accounting andfinance to the more unconventionallogistics and supply chain

management, from more than 10prestigious UK partner universities.

At BAC, students interested inaccounting can enrol in the UKTransfer Degree Programme(Accounting & Finance), whichoffers degrees in accounting andfinance from four prestigious UKpartner universities as well asprofessional qualifications.

These professional accountingqualifications are the Chartered

Certified Accountant qualification bythe Association of CharteredCertified Accountants (ACCA) andthe Management Accountantqualification by the CharteredInstitute of ManagementAccountants (CIMA).

Comprehensive facilities

BACs Kuala Lumpur campuscomprises three premises thatare within walking distance ofone another and equipped withstate-of-the-art facilities for teachingand learning.

The BAC 2 building houses animpressive law library, lecturehalls, state-of-the-art computer

laboratories, a gym, dance studio,moot court, cafeteria and the SkyGarden rooftop caf.

Since 2013, BAC has investedmore than RM110mil in its newPetaling Jaya campus, whichincludes a comprehensive libraryand research centre, computerlaboratories, moot court, theBACteria food court, TWS Caf, RockAcademy music school and theMonster Fit health and wellnesscentre.

These facilities provide anengaging experience to studentslooking to have a balance betweenstudying and leading a fun studentlife.

To cater to outstation students,

BAC operates a luxurious butreasonably priced student residencecalled The Mansion. This high-endcondominium is equipped with agym and barbecue areas and canhouse close to 600 students.

The programmes at BAC are nowopen for registration.

nFor more information,call 03-2274 4165 or visitwww.bac.edu.my.


course focus 5


6/12

IUKLs foundation programmes are designed to broaden students choices ofstudy at the degree level.

course focus

THE STAR,


Unlocking opportunitiesFRASTRUCTURE Universityala Lumpur (IUKL) offers twondation programmes

undation in Science andundation in Arts.The Foundation in Science offerso options the engineeringion and the non-engineeringion for students who areerested in health science.The basic modules for bothions cover English,thematics, chemistry andysics.tudents who choose the

gineering option will also studytics, physics and dynamics. Forn-engineering options, focusl be given to biology andchemistry.

The engineering option leads togrees such as civil, mechanical,ctrical and electronics, andomobile engineering.

The non-engineering field offers

students degree options in thefields of pharmacy, food science,biotechnology, agriculture andmany more.

The Foundation in Arts alsoprovides two options. Thearchitecture option requiresstudents to focus on architectural

drawing (including the applicationof AutoCAD), among other basics.

The other option is for studentswho are interested in businessstudies, information technologyand language studies.

The compulsory basic modulesinclude communication, andidentification system and computerapplications.

Students can go on to degreeprogrammes in business,accounting, marketing, softwareengineering and advertising,among others.

IUKL offers various scholarshipsand tuition fee waivers of up to60%.

IUKL scholarships include those

offered to students with excellentSPM results. Those who are activein sports may apply for the IUKLSports Excellence Scholarship.

PTPTN and financial assistancefrom the State Foundation are alsoavailable.

Interested individuals can visitthe IUKL Info Day on March 12 and13 from 10am to 4pm. The Marchintake is in progress.

You can start a programme atIUKL with only RM100 and enjoyRM1,000 rebate if you registerduring the Info Day.

nFor more information, call1800 88 STUDY (78839) orvisit www.IUKL.edu.my.

Studying in South Korean universities is possible through IUKL.

Studies in Korea

ACCORDING to InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU),

South Korea was first among 152countries that were subjects ofthe survey in information andcommunications technology(ICT) development index 2015.

South Koreas ICT, engineeringand robotics are among the bestin the world, making it a greatplace for international studentsto learn and pursue theirtertiary education.

Besides that, tuition fees andthe cost of living are muchcheaper compared to otherlearning destinations such as theUnited Kingdom or Australia,and there are many scholarshipprogrammes made available toforeign students studying in

South Korea.As Malaysias leading technical

university, Universiti KualaLumpur (UniKL) has formed aneducation and researchcollaboration with universitiesin South Korea, establishing thepioneering Foundation inScience and Technology forKorean University also knownas the Pre-Korea Programme.

This programme is accreditedby the Malaysian QualificationsAgency (MQA) and approved bythe Ministry of Education (MOE).

Lectures are delivered bynative South Korean lecturersand local lecturers who havegraduated from South Korean

universities.All subjects are taught inKorean, which will betterprepare students to continuetheir study in South Korea.

UniKL students have beensuccessfully accepted intovarious South Koreanuniversities such as HanyangUniversity, SungkyunkwanUniversity, Inha University andDankook University.

The Pre-Korea Programmeprepares students to continue

their degree programmes atany Korean universities inengineering, computer scienceand animation.

UniKL also offers the one-yearKorean Language IntensiveProgramme (K-LIP) as a platformfor students who wish to pursuetertiary education in othercourses such as logistics andtransportation, and arts andculture.

K-LIP is conducted in both theclassroom and through onlinelearning.

This programme is a joint-venture programme betweenUniKL and Institute ofInternational Education (IIE)

of Kyung Hee University.Kyung Hee University is aleader in e-learning educationsystem and among the topKorean language Institutes inSouth Korea.

Students are required to takethe Test of Proficiency in Korean(TOPIK) and achieve at leastlevel 3 to pursue a degreeprogramme in South Koreanuniversities.

Students who pass level fiveor six of TOPIK will receive ascholarship to pursue abachelors degree programmein selected South Koreanuniversities.

Presently, UniKL collaborates

with 11 South Koreanuniversities, includingSungkyunkwan University,Hanyang University, EwhaWomans University and KyungHee University.

The next intakes for bothprogrammes are in June.

nFor more information, visitwww.unikl.edu.myor call03-2175 4146 (Hafize).


7/12


course focus 7

THE International MedicalUniversity (IMU) is holding itsFoundation in Science (FiS) InfoDays on March 5 at the IMU BukitJalil university campus and March19 at IMUs Clinical School in BatuPahat from 10am to 4pm.

FiS Info Days allow prospectivestudents to obtain firsthandinformation on the university,meet students and staff as well asfind out how the universitys FiScan lead to entry into IMUsundergraduate programmes.

Prospective students can alsoseek advice and information on avariety of issues such as applyingto the university, financing(including fees and financialassistance) and accommodation.

At the FiS Info Day in Bukit Jalil,visitors will be able to attend a talkby the faculty and a sharing sessionwith a sneak preview into thecurriculum by IMU students.

Step into healthcare

The International Medical University Foundation in Science programmeprepares students for undergraduate studies in the field of medicine andhealthcare.

Learning to cook your own mealsis one of the crucial steps inbecoming more independent.

Showcasing its facilities, theopen day provides visitors withthe opportunity to look aroundthe university.

Throughout the day, currentstudents will be on hand asambassadors to ensure that visitorstake advantage of the available

talks and tours.Since its launch in 2014, the FiS

programme in IMU has opened itsdoors to more than 450 studentsover six intakes.

Of these 450 students, 168 havegraduated and 132 havesuccessfully enrolled in a degreeprogramme of their choice in IMU,including medicine, dentistry,pharmacy and the health sciences.

The FiS programme aims toprepare students academically andholistically for their undergraduatestudies in IMU.

IMUs learning model isgrounded in its core values, whichenables students to becomeknowledgeable and competent

healthcare professionals who arecritical thinkers, reflective andproactive.

The aim is to create healthcaregraduates who are committedto lifelong learning and imbuedwith a sense of good citizenship,leadership and ethical behaviour.

The FiS IMU has three intakesevery year April, July andSeptember.

Interested individuals can applyfor the FiS programme during theFiS Info Day and get a waiver ofRM450.

nFor more information, visitwww.imu.edu.myor e-mail [email protected] or call 03-2731 7272.

Getting readyfor changeAFTER slogging through schoolfor 11 years and completingyour SPM examinations, you arefinally able to spread your wingsand explore the world of tertiaryeducation and its boundlessopportunities.

However, before you leave thenest and start hitting the booksfor another four to six years,

there are a few things you needto know before you start livingon your own.

Independence

Among the biggest changes isnot having your mother to pickup after you. What you mayhave previously taken forgranted such as always havingsomeone else do your laundry,iron your clothes and keep yourroom clean now becomes choresthat you will need to do on yourown.

Knowing the amount ofdetergent required for yourlaundry, the ideal temperature

with which to iron your clotheswithout burning them, how tosweep or mop your roomproperly and how to cook foryourself are some of the thingsyou will need to learn beforeyou move out.

Eat healthy

While boiling a pack of instantnoodles may be near to effortlessand a quick solution to satisfyyour hunger, continuousconsumption is not onlyunhealthy due to their highlyprocessed nature but alsobecause instant noodles lack thenecessary proteins or nutrients

your body requires.Despite the convenience offast food outlets or mamakshops, it is unwise to frequentthese establishments as thesefoods contain high amounts ofpreservatives, sugar and caloriecontent that will inadvertentlyresult in an increase in bodyweight and cholesterol levels.

Cooking your own meals is notas difficult as you may think.

There are plenty of quick andsimple recipes for the busycollege student that can be foundonline that use only a handful of

ingredients.Buying your own groceries

will also allow you to customisedishes to your preference andhave better control of consuminga more balanced diet.

Tolerance andconsideration

As you move into campuslodging, it is likely that you willbecome housemates with peopleyou have never met before.

In addition to becomingfriends with them, it isimportant that you practisesome social etiquette and respecteach others privacy.

Remember that the corridors,bathrooms, and living anddining areas are common spacesthat have to remain clean at alltimes.

Nobody wants to come hometo see dirty clothes hanging onthe dining chairs, dirty dishes inthe sink or books and notesscattered across the living roomfloor.

> SEE PAGE 10


8/12

ary Universitys Foundation Degree in Arts allows students to progress into many areas of study at the undergraduate level.

One programme,

multiple pathwaysBINARY University is rated as a five-staruniversity by the Education Ministry andenjoys one of the highest graduateemployability rates among Malaysianuniversities due to its Industry SpecialistProfessional (ISP) advantage, says vice-chancellor Prof Dr Sulochana Nair.

Many school-leavers are often confusedabout their career choice. Offered since 2005,the Binary Foundation Degree (BFD) is anexcellent pre-university programme as itprovides the opportunity for students toacquire a wide range of knowledge and skillsand opens multiple career pathways in

accounting, business, marketing, informationtechnology (IT), finance, economics andentrepreneurship. This is why the BFD isbranded as one foundation with multiplepathways, says registrar Roland Wee.

Our Foundation Degree in Arts (FDA)offers pathways in accounting, business andIT, thus opening career advancementopportunities in a wide range of areas, saysBipinchandra Mavani, FDA academicmanager and certified student counsellor.

According to him, the Binary FDA is afantastic course for school-leavers as itallows them to diagnose various careeroptions available before they move on touniversity-level degrees.

Wee says, Unlike A-Levels and STPM,which are 100% examination-based, theBinary FDA comprises 60% assignments and

40% examinations. Should students fail anysubject, they can re-sit in the same semester,thus saving them a lot of time.

Upon completing the Binary FDA,students can progress to a bachelors degreeoverseas at selected British and Australianuniversities or locally at any privateuniversity. Some FDA graduates completetwo years of the bachelors degree at BinaryUniversity and the final year at a British orAustralian university.

Individuals who wish to pursue abachelors degree at Binary University afterthe FDA may choose to do the BA (Hons)Accounting, BA (Hons) BusinessManagement, BA (Hons) Marketing, BSc(Hons) Computer Science or BA (Hons)Entrepreneurship.

All our degrees are honours degrees and

are fully accredited by the MalaysianQualifications Agency as well as recognisedby the Public Service Department, explainsProf Dr Zulkifli Senteri, dean of theundergraduate school.

The reason our graduates are highlyemployable is that we equip them withindustry-specific skills and transform themto become ISP graduates. This empowersour graduates to walk and talk the languageof the industry, says Datuk Prof JosephAdaikalam, founder chairman of

course focus

THE STAR,


Binary University.In addition, we equip our graduates with

an extensive range of entrepreneurial skills.The ISP and entrepreneurial skills helpdifferentiate our graduates, making them notonly highly employable but also empoweringthem to negotiate for higher starting salaries.

At Binary University, you will graduatewith two certificates a fully accreditedhonours degree and the ISP-certifiedqualification, says Prof Adaikalam.

Binary University is Malaysias firstentrepreneurship-focused university with afull-fledged entrepreneurship faculty theSchool of Entrepreneurial Development(SEED).

SEED has created numerous successfulyoung entrepreneurs for the small- and

medium-sized enterprise sector.Supported by more than 500

entrepreneurs and a comprehensiveentrepreneurial ecosystem, SEED offerspractical-oriented diploma, bachelors andmasters programmes in entrepreneurship.

The youth of today has tremendous talentand if this is harnessed properly, it will helpthe youth and nation grow exponentially,says Prof Adaikalam.

The Binary Entrepreneurial Ecosystemand the ISP Centre of Excellence provideyoung people with the opportunity toexplore new approaches to learning andacquiring skills that can maximise theirpotential.

Despite providing these extras, we havekept our fees affordable so that more peoplecan have access to higher education

opportunities that are life changing, he says.Assoc Prof Amjad Hanesh, senior lecturerat the School of Technology Management,says, Due to the strong emphasis onindustry relevance, many of our studentshave found employment immediately inwell-established firms such as HSBC, Shell,Petronas and HP.

The next intake is on April 27.

nFor more information, call 03-8070 6590/96or visit www.binary.edu.my.

All our degrees arehonours degrees and arefully accredited by theMalaysian QualifcationsAgency as well asrecognised by the PublicService Department.

Prof Dr Zulkifli Senteri


9/12


course focus 9

BEING one of the premier providers of theA-Levels programme in Malaysia, TunkuAbdul Rahman University College (TARUniversity College) has consistently deliveredoutstanding performance in A-Levelsexaminations since the institution offeredthe programme in 1987 via its Centre forPre-University Studies (CPUS).

As with previous years, the passpercentage for the May/June 2015 batchremained high at 88%, with 25% of the totalnumber of students who took the

examination achieving excellent results of2As 1B and above.

Four students scored 4A*s in the A-LevelsMay/June 2015 examination. Two of them,Goh Siok Wei and Wong Joyen, take theirtime to share their recipe for success.

Apart from scoring 4A*s, Goh was the bestoverall performer in A-Levels (Science) andalso won the CPUS Top Achievement Cup.

Asked about the motivation behind herachievement, Goh says, High self-expectation drives me to push myself to thelimit and have no regrets. I always try mybest to do everything that matters to me.

Goh is currently reading biologicalsciences at the Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity (NTU) in Singapore.

Wong, who was in the same stream asGoh, also strongly believes in doing her best.

Have faith, believe in yourself and workfor it, says Wong, who aspires to be adentist.

Both students paint a beautiful picture oftheir fulfilling experience studying at TARUniversity College.

The lecturers are good, friendly,approachable and knowledgeable. I canalways count on them for counselling

Excellingyet again

Top-scorer Wong sharing her thoughts on the fulfilling experience studying at TAR UniversityCollege.

purposes whenever I have any doubts orqueries even after lectures, says Wong.

Goh gives credit to the extensive learningfacilities at TAR University College forcontributing to her fulfilling experience.

The laboratories are well-equipped,hence students can familiarise themselveswith proper experimental apparatus andmaterials during practical classes, she says.

Wong says that other facilities such as thelibrary and cyber centre were really helpfulwhen she needed to source for books, studyand do research.

As for recreation, the sports complex and

gym are great places to work out a sweatand to relax, she adds.

Goh holds the same sentiment as Wongwhen it comes to the provision ofrecreational facilities at TAR UniversityCollege.

TAR University College certainly caters toevery need when it comes to students well-being and educational needs, says Goh.

During the A Level High AchieversCertificate and Trophy PresentationCeremony held in August last year, Wong,who was one of two valedictorians,dedicated her deepest gratitude to herlecturers in the A-Levels programme.

Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, president of TARUniversity College, vouches for the qualityeducation that TAR University Collegestudents receive.

CPUS is a springboard and gateway toachieving ones dreams of a bright future.Over the years, many students havereceived top placing in the world and inMalaysia for mathematics, furthermathematics, economics, accounting,business studies, Chinese language andgeneral paper, says Dr Tan.

These excellent results will provideaccess to world-renowned universitiesboth locally and abroad, such as theUniversity of Oxford, University ofCambridge, Massachusetts Instituteof Technology, London School of

Economics, Imperial CollegeLondon, Australian National

University, University of HongKong, National University of

Singapore and NTU, to

name only a few.Interested individualscan visit TAR UniversityCollege Open Day from

March 1 to 20 from 9amto 5pm at all its

campuses. Alternatively, youcan visit TAR University Colleges

booths at major education fairs.

nFor more information,visit www.tarc.edu.my.

The laboratoriesare well equipped,hence studentscan familiarisethemselves withproper experimentalapparatus and

materials duringpractical classes.

Goh says TARUniversityColleges qualitylearning facilitiescontributed toher fulfillinglearningexperience.


10/12

0 course focusTHE STAR,


In-demandgraduates

THE latest report by High FliersResearch (an independentmarket research company thatspecialises in student andgraduate research) showed thatNottingham has come second,

for the second time in a row, inthe list of universities targetedby the largest number of topemployers in 2015 to 2016.

The report is based onresearch conducted in Decemberlast year with the UnitedKingdoms leading graduateemployers, including BP, Aldi,EDF Energy, the Civil Service,IBM, Goldman Sachs, PwC,Google and HSBC.

Nalayini Thambar, director ofCareers and Employability atThe University of Nottingham,UK, says, It is tremendous newsthat Nottingham graduatescontinue to attract the UKs topemployers. This is a reflection on

the quality of our graduates andthe fact that students who studyat this university develop wellacademically and embrace a fulland varied student experience.

This gives them theopportunity to develop the skillsand attributes that will enablethem to succeed in employmentand build successful careers.

The University of Nottinghamencourages and supportsstudents to ensure they have awell-rounded experience whilestudying, which includesparticipating in workplacements.

This includes the NottinghamAdvantage Award, which

enables students to takeextracurricular modulesalongside their academic studiesthat build skills and experiencein various areas such as publicrelations, finance and careerplanning through activities withthe universitys Career andEmployability Service, WideningParticipation and the StudentsUnion.

It is one of the worlds truly

global universities withcampuses in Malaysia, the UKand China. This year marks the16th year since setting up asUKs first full-fledgedinternational campus inMalaysia and all three campusescontinue to enrich the lives ofstudents across the worldthrough global education,groundbreaking research and

community engagement.The University of

Nottingham has 43,000 studentsand is the closest thing thatBritain has to a truly globaluniversity with a distinctapproach to internationalisationthat rests on full-scale campusesin China and Malaysia (TimesGood University Guide 2016).

It is also one of the mostpopular universities in the UKamong graduate employers andis the winner of OutstandingSupport for Early CareerResearchers at the Times HigherEducation Awards 2015.

It is ranked in the worlds top75 by the QS World University

Rankings 2015/16 and 8th in theUK by research power accordingto the Research ExcellenceFramework 2014.

The university has also beenvoted the worlds greenestcampus for three years in a row,according to GreenmetricsRanking of World Universities.

nFor more information, visitwww.nottingham.edu.my.

The University of Nottingham remains one of the top choices forgraduate recruitment among UK employers.

Sticking to a budget will help you learn essential financial management skills.

The Universityof Nottinghamencourages andsupports studentsto ensure they havea well-roundedexperience whilestudying.

Take the effort to keep themmon spaces tidy or clean uper you have made a mess, washur dishes after every meal andan the bathroom every once andin.

Not only will your housematespect you for your hard work,

u will always have a clean houseunwind in after a tiring day inege.

Besides this, you need to benscious of how your actions mayend or disturb your housemates.Resting your feet on a chair,aring your shoes on carpetedas, playing loud music late atht and constantly invitingnds over to your unit are some

ions that may not rest well withur housemates.

ving on a budgetWhether you are living withur parents support or taking at-time job to fund your dailyng expenses, college life is thet opportunity to learn to live onudget.

With your limited spendingwer, you will need to be on topyour finances and ensure youve enough money to last you

throughout the month.Before you even think about

treating yourself to a fancy mealor adding new items to yourwardrobe, leave aside somemoney to cover your monthlynecessities such as rent, utilitiesand groceries.

Prioritise

Of course, any college studentwill need to relax and occasionally

seek a little entertainment to getaway from the stresses of

assignments and studies.While there is nothing wrong in

having a little fun from time totime, you must learn to allocateyour time and prioritise betweensocial activities and studies.

Setting aside time to completeyour course requirements andhaving adequate sleep are part ofthe responsibilities of your new-found freedom.

Managing college lifeROM PAGE 7


11/12


course focus 11

Foundationfor successTWENTY-YEAR-OLD Ng Shyue Jer, former

A-Levels student of Sunway College, iscurrently completing his undergraduatestudies at the London School of Economicsand Political Science.

A recipient of the Bank NegaraUndergraduate Scholarship, Ng hopes towork on building international relationswith other nations when he completes hisstudies in June next year.

Having scored 3A*s and 1A in his A-Levels,Ng credits Wong Wai Leong, an A-Levelseconomics lecturer, for bringing out theeconomist in him.

According to Ng, Wong encouraged hisstudents to read light titles before attemptingeconomics, shared interesting anecdotesand helped change Ngs perspective oneconomics.

Challenge for the mindEconomics challenged Ngs mind and led

him to explore more social science subjectssuch as political science in the LondonSchool of Economics and Political Science,which is famous for its Guest Speaker Series.

Ng had the opportunity to listen to Nobellaureate Lars Peter Hansen shortly after thelatter obtained his Nobel Memorial Prize inEconomic Sciences.

The London School of Economics andPolitical Science has produced manyprominent economists.

Co-curricular involvement

The new surroundings enticed Ng to jointhe film society, baking society and wine-

tasting society.He has found greatest satisfaction from hisparticipation in the International Council ofMalaysian Scholars and Associates (ICMS).

ICMS was initiated five years ago forstudents to discover self-developmentopportunities and is active in the UnitedKingdom, Malaysia, the United States, HongKong, Canada and Singapore.

Being the council policy and strategyexecutive director, Ng is keen to enhance hisskills outside of studies in the London School

After completing his A-Levels at Sunway College, Ng is now enjoying the academic challenge andextracurricular stimulation of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

of Economics and Political Science.

By participating with other ICMSmembers in the MACFIS (The MalaysianAccounting and Finance Society) businesschallenge, they had the opportunity toassess the business outlook of a companyand propose turnaround strategies. Histeam won the case study challenge.

London has become Ngs favourite cityafter having travelled to Bath, Manchester,Bristol and a few other cities.

With its abundance of activities, Ngenjoys attending musicals and trips to theart galleries in London.

The community here is always livelywith its many cultural and youth eventshappening across the city, says Ng.

A former chess club president duringhis A-Levels days, Ng played on the collegeteam and was part of the formidable team

that successfully defended the MAPCU(Malaysian Association of Private Colleges& Universities) competition championship.

Ng studied further mathematics,mathematics, physics and economics,ensuring he had the opportunity to meetmany interesting people.

Being a merit scholar at SunwayCollege, this former A-Levels studentadvises current students to make good useof the new facilities.

He stresses the need to strike a balancebetween studies and leisure especiallyaround examination time as well as theimportance of getting the support offriends or lecturers as they canunderstand the challenges of universitylife.

The Cambridge GCE A-Levels

Programme is one of the pre-universityprogrammes offered at Sunway College.Sunway College will be hosting its

Sunway Education Open Day on March 12,13, 19 and 20 from 10am to 4pm.

nFor more information about theCambridge GCE A-Levels Programme orother pre-university programmes atSunway College, call 03-7491 8622 ore-mail [email protected] or visitsunway.edu.my/college/pre-u.


12/12

2 course focusTHE STAR,


Choosing the right university to pursue your undergraduate studies is an

important decision to make as it will greatly impact your life.

Prof Dr Ahmad RafiMohamed Eshaq.

Choosing the best universityOF Dr Ahmad Rafi Mohamedhaq, president of Multimediaiversity (MMU), gives somendy pointers to students andrents who are deciding on thest university to study in.The university you choose torsue your undergraduatedies in will shape your attitude

wards learning, your work ethicsd even how you network. Beepared to do some research on

various indicators of quality.One such indicator is the originhe university. Excellentiversities are usually establishedfulfil the greater need of theiety or nation rather than as

mmercial enterprises driven by

esire for maximum profits.Back in 1996, the Governments looking to liberalise higherucation in Malaysia. There werey public universities then andone knew how to set upiversities that could not onlyoduce high-quality graduates,t also stand independentlyhout any assistance from thevernment.At the height of the nationalultimedia Super Corridor (MSC)ategic thrust, the Governmentproached Telekom Malaysiarhad (TM) and asked it tonvert its training centre into

a university.TM saw this as the perfect

opportunity to exercise itscorporate social responsibility andmake a unique mark in theindustry of telecommunications,ICT and multimedia.

After researching on themethods of the best universities inthe world, including MassachusettsInstitute of Technology, HarvardUniversity and Tokyo University,the curriculum of MMU wasformed and is now a premieruniversity in Malaysia.

Another indicator of qualityto consider is the trust that theuniversity receives. MMU wasentrusted by the Government toliberalise higher education andaid in transforming theMalaysian economy from beinga manufacturing-based economyto a knowledge-based one.

Since establishing MMUscampus in Cyberjaya, theuniversity has supplied hi-techfirms and multinationalcorporations with tens ofthousands of skilled knowledge

workers over the years.In 2013, the Government,

through the sovereign wealth fundKhazanah Nasional Berhad, invitedMMU to establish a campusdedicated to cinematic artsprogrammes in Educity, Iskandar,Johor.

Launched this year, the campusis meant to be Malaysias thrustinto the content creation industrythat will rival large productions.

The second set of exampleinvolves the industrys acceptanceof MMUs graduates. More than96% of MMU graduates secureemployment within six months ofcompleting their studies, whichspeaks volumes of how the

industries trust MMU to producequality graduates.

Throughout the years,MMU has receivednumerous awards fromdifferent parties inrecognition of their trustfor the universitys quality.

The most significantcomes fromQuacquarelliSymonds,the Britishorganisation thatcreates WorldUniversityRankings and

the World University Rankings bySubject.

The World University Rankingsby Subject named MMU as a Top200 University in Communicationand Media Studies in 2012, inComputer Science and InformationSystems in 2014 and in Electricaland Electronics Engineering lastyear.

Currently, the university isembarking on its MMU 3.0 journeytowards becoming an i-Universityto uphold MMUs position as theleader in ICT-related education,especially in championinginnovation and entrepreneurship.

As part of its 20th anniversarycelebrations, MMU is offering

automatic rebates for its Aprilintake.

Foundation students areassured rebates of 5%, whilebachelors degree students areoffered 10%. On top of theserebates, qualified studentsstand to enjoy scholarships

worth a total of RM2.5mil.

nFor moreinformation, call1300 800 668 or visitwww.mmu.edu.my.

Course Focus - 1 March 2016

Documents