THE STAR Tuesday 17 February 2015

StarSpecial

Choices

The time is ripe for

academic advancement.

Language mastery an employable attribute > 4

The value of an MBA > 5

2 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 February 2015

BY TINA CARMILLIA

ASTING success comes not

from battling competitors but
from creating blue oceans
untapped new market spaces
ripe for growth; at least that is the
argument put forth by the authors
of the global best-seller Blue Ocean
Strategy.
The authors of the book that
has sold 3.5 million copies studied
150 strategic business moves that
spanned more than a century
across 30 industries argue that
cutthroat competition results in
nothing but a bloody red ocean
of rivals fighting over a shrinking
profit pool.
Business students are applying
this blue ocean strategy even
before entering the work force,
especially since the youth
employment rate is severely
affected by the global economic
crisis. For this reason, most fresh
and recent graduates pursue an
advanced degree either because
they are between jobs or to
have a better chance in securing
dwindling job opportunities.
When it comes to choice
of programmes, it usually
comes down to two factors:
clear ambition and current
qualifications.

Opting for an advanced

degree in business
education
The MBA has seen much
news coverage over recent
years. The degree is highly
regarded as one of the essential
certifications required to enter
the business world, especially for
a young professionals and recent
college graduates eyeing higher
management roles.
But the MBA is not the only
option for those who are looking
to advance their business
education. Those who are in
finance, accounting, taxation and
human resource management
can opt for alternative masters
programmes in business.
There is a wide range of
advanced degrees offered by
universities across the country,
including (but not limited to)
masters of accounting, masters
of taxation, masters of finance,
masters of organisational
behaviour and masters of risk
management and insurance.
If you are clear on the type
of career and specialisation you
hope to achieve in your future, the
masters degree usually outweighs
the more generic and businessfocused approach of most MBA
curricula.
Employers will certainly
consider MBA and non-MBA
degree holders as both types of
degree holders have the edge
over candidates who do not hold
an advanced degree. If the role
the employers are looking to fill
is specific to human resources,
for example, then the person
with a masters degree in human
resource management (HRM)

Obtaining professional
certification

Advanced degrees vs professional papers

Broader application of
business practice.

In-depth knowledge in
highly specialised field.
Professional papers
are exam-oriented.

University-based
courses are
harder to fail
because they are
usually mixed
mode (coursework, classroom
participation and
examinations).

Flexibility in
the number of
papers to take
per semester.

Limited flexibility
on the number of
courses to take in a
semester due to the
course duration.
Need to take a professional paper to
gain a licence (for
example, in chartered accountancy).

Professional accreditation
is widely recognised.

Most advanced degrees

require a prerequisite
undergraduate degree.

Applicants can be
admitted without a
bachelors degree.

Plan B options
usually gets the upper hand,
says Chan Shu Shean, a human
resources business partner in an
IT firm.
Chan adds that she chose
to do her masters degree in
management psychology.
I wanted to learn about

organisational development
(OD) that focuses on people
management and human
resources (HR). The MBA
programme in my university does
not offer that. I would also need
to study finance and accounting
under that MBA programme,

which are not my areas of

interest, says Chan.
She adds that although the
MBA programme also includes
OD and strategic HR topics, it is
still heavily focused on running
a business, which is not her
professional intention.

On the other hand, certain

business job functions require
certified professionals to qualify
for the role such as in accounting
and auditing.
A certified professional is a
person who has been awarded a
formal credential by a professional
body and qualifies as a member of
the body.
Professional accounting papers
by the Association of Chartered
Certified Accountants, Certified
Public Accountant and Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales are some of the highly
recognised and popular choices
for Malaysian accountants.

If you are clear

on the type
of career and
specialisation
you hope to
achieve in
your future,
the masters
degree usually
outweighs the
more generic and
business-focused
approach of most
MBA curricula.
While a professional degree
is more valuable than a degree,
the undergraduate route is safer
because it is harder to fail. The
route also provides the option for
the student to decide to advance
with a professional paper, a
masters degree or an MBA after
entering the workforce, says
Jolene Sew, an accountant with
one of the Big Four.
An aspiring accountant can sit
for the professional paper without
a degree although it is more
common for accounting students
in Malaysia to take a relevant
bachelors degree first.
Most people will complete
the professional qualifications
before they think about an MBA,
if ever, Sew continues. However,
if an accounting graduate does
not plan to remain strictly in the
field and wants to, for example,
venture into the banking industry,
then the MBA would potentially
be more useful than a professional
paper.
So while there is the MBA that
caters to the generalist managers,
chief excecutive officers and
presidents, those who enjoy
being subject matter experts
such as tax accountants, risk
management consultants and
heads of the human resources
division are more suited to an
advanced degree or a professional
certification.

Tuesday 17 February 2015

StarSpecial 3

4 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 February 2015

VC COLUMN

Language mastery an employable attribute

O

NE may wonder why language

courses are still offered at the
university level for students who are
not language majors. Although language
classes are already taught at primary and
secondary levels, universities play a critical
role in improving the competitiveness of
the nation by providing an education that
is high-quality, effective, relevant and
committed towards lifelong learning. In
this process, continual language education
cannot be neglected.
This calls for language education that
prepares graduates who are capable and
can contribute to the development of
the nation both locally and globally. It is
necessary to view language programmes as
a whole and in variety to identify the roles
that they can strategically play in upgrading
the countrys social and economic standing
in the eyes of the world.
In general, language education in
the country can be divided into three
main categories: language programmes,
programmes for teaching languages and
language proficiency courses.
Language programmes refer to degree
programmes dealing with language and
linguistics or literature. On the other
hand, Teaching English Language as a
Second Language (TESL) is an example of a
programme for teaching language, where
graduates of the programme are qualified to
teach the language.
Proficiency courses are offered to equip
students with the necessary language
skills for social, academic and occupational
purposes. In most cases, Malaysian
universities, including University Utara
Malaysia (UUM), provide language courses

mainly for Bahasa Malaysia and English,

alongside a variety of foreign languages.
In upholding the national language
policy, the need to teach Bahasa Malaysia
cannot be disputed. Hence in some
universities, the language is taught
to expatriate staff members and to
international students. As of July 2010, all
international students at UUM are required
to take the Malay Language Course to create
awareness of the national language.
Additionally, English proficiency courses
are offered to undergraduates in response to
calls from all governmental and industrial
sectors for graduates with an acceptable
level of communicative competence in the
language to better prepare them for the job
market.
English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
courses (for English language) are relevant
to the programmes of study at the
university. We also offer language courses
for students to improve their vocabulary
to be able to use the language confidently
when they start working.
Currently, as a management university,
UUM emphasises English and Mandarin
languages. This is because both languages
are widely used around the world in
education and business.
Students who can converse well in these
languages have more opportunities to be
employed by multinational companies not
only in Malaysia but also around the world.
Since the September intake last year,
all College of Business undergraduate
students are required to take three levels
of the Mandarin language subject and are
encouraged to take the HSK Mandarin test.
The College of Business is now making

By
PROF DATUK WIRA
DR MOHAMED
MUSTAFA ISHAK
it compulsory for non-Mandarin speaking
students to take Mandarin language courses
in three semesters while the Mandarinspeaking students can opt for foreign
languages in their programmes of study.
Besides Mandarin, UUM offers seven
foreign Asian and European languages:
Arabic, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Spanish,
French and German.
All these languages are offered to make
UUM graduates more employable and
marketable.
The direction of language education for
institutions of higher learning depends on
the requirements sought by stakeholders,
especially the industries.
As it becomes increasingly important
for firms to compete on a global scale,
employers all over the world are placing
more value on potential employees who
know an additional language.
Thus, university courses or programmes,
including the ones offered in UUM, need
to implement the teaching and learning
process in English to develop these skills
that have been identified as employability
attributes:
l The ability to encourage and motivate
others
l The ability to manage others
l The ability to search for and manage
relevant information from various
resources

l The ability to write effectively in

English
l The ability to speak fluently in English
l The ability to present a project
effectively
l The ability to express ideas
clearly, effectively and with confidence
l The ability to recognise and analyse
problems
l The ability to explain, analyse and
evaluate data or information
l The ability to generate creative ideas
l The ability to think critically
l The ability to think out-of-the-box, and
l The ability to make logical conclusions
by analysing relevant data.
I believe that the working knowledge of a
third language will stand in good stead in the
job market both locally and internationally.
Students who complete foreign language
courses as optional or elective courses will
obtain basic proficiency in the language
and be able to use the language at the lowintermediate to intermediate level, which
widens their career options.
As a highly globalised nation, one is bound
to benefit from the communication skills and
mastery of multiple languages, regardless of
the industry one is in be it business, politics
or academia.
The ability to speak the same language
literally and metaphorically will establish
Malaysian graduates as important players in
the worlds economy thus effectively putting
the nation on the map.
n Prof Datuk Wira Dr Mohamed Mustafa
Ishak is the vice-chancellor of Universiti
Utara Malaysia.

Realise your full potential

WORKING adults or students who
have already completed a degree at the
undergraduate level can enhance their
knowledge and career prospects through
postgraduate study and research.
Curtin Sarawak offers a number of
distinctive and internationally recognised
postgraduate courses by research and
coursework at its Faculty of Business and
Humanities.
These include the popular graduate
certificate, graduate diploma and masters
degree courses in project management
and policy sciences, all of which are by
coursework.
The Master of Science in Project
Management course adopts a generic
approach to project management, making
it applicable to a variety of industries,
including construction, engineering,
education, health, commerce, information
technology and research and development.
The Master of Policy Science course
offers students the opportunity to acquire
a foundation in the core areas of policy
analysis and management in the public
sector, as well as develop a framework
with emphasis on policy formulation,
implementation and evaluation within
the public sector.
In addition, the faculty offers higher
degree by research (HDR) programmes that
lead to theMaster of Philosophy (MPhil) and
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes.
Research can be undertaken in
areas such as tourism and hospitality,
entrepreneurship and human resources,
brand, communications and customer
relationships, business performance,
economics, finance and banking, and
learning pedagogy.
Acting dean of the Faculty of Business
and Humanities, Assoc Prof Pauline
Ho Poh Ling, says that since most of its
postgraduate students are mainly working
adults, the courses are designed to provide
them the flexibility to accommodate both

their study and work commitments.

Students can opt to pursue full-time
or part-time postgraduate study. Working
adults who face difficulties in juggling work
and family life can choose to enrol in a parttime course without having to take a career
break, says Assoc Prof Ho.
Applications for the May intake
(trimester) and July intake (semester) are
now open. Classes will commence on
May 11 and Aug 3 respectively.
Curtin Sarawak is currently offering a
Corporate Group Discount for postgraduate
student candidates (not applicable for higher
degree research student) where applicants
from the same group of companies in the
same intake are eligible for a 5% (for three to
four people) or 10% (for five people or more)
discount on their total course fees.
n For more information on its postgraduate
programmes, contact 08-544 3939 or e-mail
enquiries@curtin.edu.my or visit
www.curtin.edu.my

Assoc Prof Pauline Ho Poh Ling, acting dean of

the Faculty of Business and Humanities.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 February 2015

VC COLUMN

FIRST started teaching an MBA

programme about 25 years ago.
Since then, the popularity and
diversity of MBA programmes
have increased dramatically.
It continues to be one of
the most expensive academic
qualifications available but
an MBA qualification offers
great returns in terms of
career progression and salary
improvement.
Most well-known ranking
systems for MBAs pay particular
attention to the starting salaries
of graduates as an indicator of the
quality of a particular programme.
But the MBA has also had
its fair share of critics. When
the MBAs were first offered
(somewhere between the 80s
and 90s), people had negative
perceptions on the general nature
of the broad-based programme.
Many claimed that it lacked depth
and rigour and that the emphasis
was wrongly placed on practice
ahead of theory.
For many, the concern about
the MBA was that it was not truly
an academic programme. Such
criticisms now feel dated and
short-sighted. The main benefit
of the MBA programme in using
theory and critical analysis to
inform and enhance practice
is now widely recognised and
valued.
But MBAs continue to attract
critics. Some now argue that the
sheer number of programmes
on offer is eroding the value of
an MBA. Others suggest that the
changing nature of management
roles and responsibilities means
that generalist qualifications are of
lesser relevance.

The value of an MBA

By

PROF
CHRISTINE
ENNEW

MBAs can deliver real value for career enhancement.

Some critics mention the huge
variability in duration, format and
delivery, which makes it difficult
for employers to have confidence
in the merits of different types of
MBAs.

I am optimistic about the

future of the MBA. There are more
choices and diversity available to
prospective students.
Delivery of an MBA can be
offline, online or a combination of

msu
management &
science university

INTAKE IN
PROGRESS :

Toughen up Because you

want to change the world
We match your drive to succeed with a
professional skill set that lets you stand out from
the competition.
Our unique approach has trained business
leaders for decades. Let us turn your potential
into reality with an MSU - MBA.

Specialization in :
. Finance
. Islamic Banking and Finance
. Global Marketing
. Project Management

A TIER

POSTGRADUATE 5

POST GRADUATE STUDIES :

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF
MANAGEMENT (GSM) :

. Master in
Business
Administration
(MBA)
KPT/ JPS (N/345/7/0542) 11/19

EXCELLENT
STATUS
UNIVERSITY

(sms Bachelor : BPB) (sms Diploma : DPB)

sms code <space> name <space> email send to 019-341 9152 / 016-356 8251 / 012-249 6551

Graduate School of Management (GSM),

Management & Science University,
Level 4, Stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
or please contact :

Like us on :

Follow us on :

Tel : 03 - 2273 6410 . Email : gsm@msu.edu.my

Web : www.msu.edu.my
collegiate institution of msu
. shah alam . ampang . KL sentral . seremban . penang . sg petani . kota bharu . kuala terengganu . sabah . sarawak.

both methods, delivered weekly

or on a block basis while the
subject matter may be general or
specialised.
We also have regular and
executive versions of the MBA.

The type of programme is

certainly more diverse, but the
amount of information available
to aid future decision-making is so
much greater.
Despite the increase in the
number of programmes, there is
still continual evidence of how
investing in an MBA can deliver
real value in terms of salary and
career enhancement.
The scale of the impact depends
on both the quality of the MBA
programme and the extent
to which an individual takes
advantage of the opportunities
offered.
Ensure that you have good
managerial experience to build
on before starting an MBA
programme is essential. The
essence of an MBA is using theory
to understand and inform practice
by learning from your own
experiences and those of others.
If you do not have managerial
experience, your learning will
be less effective and that in turn
will reduce the return on your
investment.
n Prof Christine Ennew is the chief
executive officer and provost of
The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus.

6 POSTGRADUATE StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 February 2015

Standing out globally

A

S movement of people, products,

money and ideas transcend national
borders, a new breed of capable and
culturally adaptable business graduates are
needed.
The Master of International Business
(MIB) at Monash University Malaysia
provides a special focus on global aspects
of business such as cross-cultural
competencies and leadership, which are
crucial in meeting the evolving needs of
todays multinational companies.
Graduates will be able to effectively
analyse, interpret and form judgements
about current political, social, economic
and industry-related events that are
likely to influence their business, says Dr
Ravichandran K. Subramaniam, head of
the MIB programme at Monash University
Malaysia.
Through independent research,
presentation and case study, students
will acquire the skills needed to gather

The MIB programme at Monash University

Malaysia provides special focus on global
aspects.

relevant data for analysis as well as the

competencies necessary to effectively
communicate their decisions.
MIBs focus on global issues trains
students to recognise signs of change, offer
foresights and exercise scenario planning,
all of which are important elements in
international business, says MIB graduate
Charles Tan, who currently works in
Petronas devising international growth
strategies. The MIB also has a study tour
component that gives students a realworld experience of processes within
multinationals and global markets.
The opportunity to go on a study trip
to Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai
organised by the MIB programme last year
was priceless as it allowed me to see the
worlds second biggest economy for myself,
says Tan. Visits to local companies also
broadened my view across industries and
captured valuable insights.
The Monash MIB has an edge as it offers
students an alternative pathway in pursuing
a research career. The course syllabus is
embedded with a research component
every semester. Successful completion of
this programme will qualify students to
apply for admission into a PhD programme.
Ive been very impressed with the
teaching staff in Monash as all lecturers
that Ive encountered possess not only
extensive qualifications but also a breadth
of experience. Delivery and execution
of lectures, handling of assignments
and exams were as expected from a top
Australian university, says Tan.
The Monash University MIB February
2015 intake is open for registration.
n For more information, visit
www.monash.edu.my

Towards a
brighter future
THE Management & Science University
(MSU) focuses strongly on critical areas
of studies that encompass medicine,
pharmacy, health and life sciences, nursing,
business, management, accounting,
hospitality, information sciences and
engineering.
MSU was rated twice as an excellentstatus university by the Ministry of Higher
Education of Malaysia through a rating
system on all universities in Malaysia.
MSU, through its Graduate School of
Management (GSM), offers an MBA where
students can gain an experiential learning
while participating in cross-cultural
communications.
This provides the opportunity to
build a global network and create future
international career opportunities.
The MSU-MBA aims to build on the
foundations of work experience and provide
new skills and knowledge that will enable
its students to take on more responsibility.
The popularity of the MSU-MBA with
employers is reflected in how much
they value the qualification and their
expectations of those who have an MBA.
They also recognise the commitment
shown by MSU-MBA students in investing
heavily in their careers. Such candidates are
likely to be dynamic pioneers who will be
an asset to any organisation.
Many students consider the MSU-MBA
to be an integral step in their career paths
as it can open up a path to obtain a higherpaying job and attain higher positions.
MSU-GSM has established educational
links with a number of top overseas
universities, including those in the United
Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New

The MSU-MBA is an integral step in moving up

the corporate ladder.
Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Germany,
Russia and China.
The Global Mobility Programme
(GMP) provides postgraduate students
international exposure. Through this
programme, students will have the
opportunity to develop an awareness and
appreciation of other cultures, political
and economic environments as well as the
various approaches of doing business.
Professors of the MSU-MBA are
accomplished teachers who have made
significant contributions to the business
world both as academics and working
professionals.
They conduct research and publish
articles within a broad range of business
and professional areas. They have also
taught university-level business courses
abroad and bring their rich multi-cultural
heritage to our country.
The professors at MSU are rigorously
selected worldwide from among the best
consultants and professionals in their fields.
n For more information, call 03-2273 6410,
e-mail gsm@msu.edu.my or
visit www.msu.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 17 February 2015

Collaboration
for success

Senior members of OUM (seated left) with senior members and graduates
of HUTECH.

HE Fourth Special
Convocation held by
Open University Malaysia
(OUM) in collaboration with
Ho Chi Minh City University
of Technology (HUTECH) in
Vietnam saw a total of 123
graduating MBA students
receiving their scrolls from
OUM president and vicechancellor Prof Emeritus Tan Sri
Anuwar Ali.
The collaboration began
in 2011 and more than 1,200
students have since enrolled
the majority of whom took
up OUMs Master of Business
Administration (MBA)
programme. To date, HUTECH
has produced 580 graduates
under the MBA programme
with OUM.
OUM offers bachelors
and masters programmes in
business administration as
well as doctorates in education,
engineering and information
technology through the
partnership.
HUTECH is known as a
reputable education provider in
Vietnam, particularly in offering
internationally recognised MBA
programmes. An attractive
feature of OUMs MBA is that
the programme is designed
using the United Kingdom and
the United States education
framework.
It is for this reason that the
MBA programme consistently
attracts working professionals,
particularly managers and
senior management personnel,
who want to improve their
academic qualifications while
keeping abreast with the latest
developments in international
economic and business trends.
In his speech at the
convocation, Tan Sri Anuwar
said the OUM Business School
(OUMBS) has more than 10,000
learners in Malaysia and 4,000
learners in other countries.
Learners are enrolled in
our programmes through our
partner institutions in the
respective countries, he said.
At present, OUMBS offers
both undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes
in Vietnam, Maldives, Ghana,
Yemen, Zambia, Bahrain,
Hungary, Somalia and

Sri Lanka.
Tan Sri Anuwar added
that the distinctive feature of
OUMBS is its focus on working
adults.
Through a flexible
learning mode, we help in the
professional development of
individuals who already have
jobs but want to improve
their careers and occupational
mobility.
We are educating industry
players and employees, giving
them the edge they need to get
ahead at their workplace, he
said.
Present at the convocation
were HUTECH chairman of the
Board of Trustees Dr Kieu Tuan
and top management of the
university. The OUM delegates
comprised vice president
(business development)
Repin Ibrahim, vice president
(corporate planning and finance
services) Prof Ramli Bahroom,
dean of OUMBS Prof Dr
Wardah Mohamed and OUMBS
professor Prof Dr Shaari A.
Hamid, among others.
The ceremony was a
significantly memorable event
for the students and added
another feather to HUTECHs
cap.
OUM started its collaboration
with partners accross the
seas in 2005. To date, it has
international ties with 10
different countries, including
Maldives, Sri Lanka, Hungary
and Ghana. Cumulatively,
it has had almost 50,000
students enrolled in all its
respective international partner
institutitions since the start of
its collabaration.
n For more information,
call 03-2773 2121,
e-mail enquiries@oum.edu.my
or visitwww.oum.edu.my

The ceremony was a memorable event

for the graduates.

POSTGRADUATE 7

How to focus on work

BY ELLEN WHYTE
OVERWHELMED with things to do
and not getting anything done on
time? Check out ways that will help
you focus and get things going.
Your phone, tablet, or PC will
all have an organiser. Pick one you
like best and use it exclusively. This
means all your stuff is in one place,
so you wont miss messages or tasks
that have to be done. If you dont
like the ones you have, take a look
at the Yahoo Calendar at calendar.
yahoo.com.
Set a time of day when you feel
energised and make that your work
time. For me, thats late afternoon
but for you that may be just after
dawn. Whatever it is, pick the
hours and tell everyone youre
not available. Not even for double
chocolate cake with fudge.
Look back honestly over
yesterday and ask yourself, How
often was I playing about on
Facebook or WhatsApp when I

Stay on the right

track with work by
taking effective and
strategic steps.

should have been working? Bet you

wasted at least an hour. To avoid
temptation and get things done,
check your list of things to do at the
start of each day and then switch
off your phone, your Facebook
notifications and everything else
that might distract you. The world
will not fall apart because youve
disconnected for a few hours.
One of the problems of being

connected all the time is that

youre tempted to work when you
should be having fun. If youre
concentrating on your work for a
certain number of hours a day, you
deserve some fun after you have
fulfilled that. Resist the temptation
to give up your swimming or your
lunch. If you dont let your brain
have some time off and recharge,
it wont work right.

8 StarSpecial

Tuesday 17 February 2015