Beruflich Dokumente
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COURSE FOCUS
A key contributor in
Miri and Sarawak
CURTIN University Malaysia (Curtin partnerships with the media and is poised to
Malaysia) has contributed immensely to Miri produce more future journalists.
and Sarawak since its establishment 20 years Prof Beena shared that Curtin Malaysia
ago, and the media has played a huge role in has enjoyed considerable editorial mentions
publicising its achievements and raising its in various media, both locally and
profile. internationally, reaching millions of print
That was the message conveyed by Curtin and online readers over the last 20 years
Malaysia pro-chancellor Tan Sri Datuk thanks to the support of the media.
Patinggi Dr George Chan Hong Nam, board “Nevertheless, we remain perplexed that
of directors chair Datu Ose Murang and many Malaysians have no, or very little,
deputy pro-vice-chancellor Prof Beena awareness of Curtin Malaysia. Perhaps our
Giridharan at the university’s 2019 Media geographical location or lack of prominence
Appreciation Night. Held in conjunction with compared to larger urban centres nationally
Curtin Malaysia’s 20th anniversary this year, is a factor,” she opined.
the event was attended by more than 70 Prof Beena was nonetheless glad that the
members of the media in Miri. media, particularly in Sarawak, has
Present at the dinner were Piasau continued to support Curtin Malaysia
assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting, Curtin through the years, stressing that the Media
Malaysia management board chair and Appreciation Night was one of the ways to
Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and thank them personally.
Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Curtin Malaysia Ose said Curtin Malaysia was pivotal in
chief operating officer Pieter Willem Pottas, Miri achieving city status in 2005, and the
and Northern Sarawak Journalists university has contributed more than
Association president Andy Jong and deputy RM2.2bil to Miri’s local economy to date.
president Chai Chon Chin. During the event, Dr Chan launched the
Dr Chan thanked the local community in university’s 20th anniversary website
Miri and the media for its contributions and (20years.curtin.edu.my).
commitment in making Curtin Malaysia
what it is today. He said Curtin Malaysia n For more information on Curtin Malaysia,
looks forward to building meaningful visit www.curtin.edu.my
International
experience
right at home
UNIVERSITY of Reading Malaysia (UoRM) is vital for personal development.
an international branch campus of Furthermore, the university has forged
University of Reading in the United strong links with industry and professional
Kingdom, which is one of the world’s top 200 bodies to ensure its graduates have an edge
universities in the QS World University in the job market. For example, University of
Rankings 2019. UoRM is fully owned by Reading is the first in the world to launch a
University of Reading. partnership with the Institute of Chartered
A key benefit of studying at UoRM is that Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
students study the same programme and with its Henley-ICAEW Programme. It is not
curriculum as they would if they were on surprising that many UoRM students secure
the UK campus. Academic standards and job offers through industry placements even
quality remain the same. However, students before they graduate.
pay significantly lower fees than if they were A key advantage of studying at UoRM is
to go to the UK, not to mention the the environment. Educity is the ideal
substantial savings in living costs. Students, location for students to balance serious
therefore, get the best of both worlds – a academic study with the kind of social life
prestigious UK degree at about half the cost young adults are expected to lead, but
of studying in the UK. without the hassle, distraction and costs of
A further benefit of studying at UoRM is big-city living.
that, should they wish, students have the UoRM students enjoy Educity’s world-class
opportunity to spend a portion of their sports facilities, including an Olympic-sized
course at the UK campus. The mobility swimming pool, diving pool, running track,
programme allows for undergraduates to indoor stadium and fitness centre. Students
spend year two of their course at the UK also have myriad affordable accommodation
campus, which is the most advisable time for options such as the International Student
them to go to the UK. UoRM students can opt Village in Educity or nearby service
to attend their graduation ceremony in apartments.
either the UK or Malaysia. For shopping and leisure, there’s plenty to
Students who are keen on spending all do in Johor and its surrounding areas. In
three years of their undergraduate degree in addition, Singapore is less than 25 minutes
the UK should consider enrolling in UoRM’s away, and there is a regular bus service from
International Foundation Programme (IFP). Johor Baru to the island every day.
Students who complete the IFP can progress UoRM provides students with the benefit
to the UK campus and receive a 20% of a prestigious UK degree with strong
discount on international student fees for all employment prospects, lower costs
three years of study – a substantial amount compared with studying and living in the UK
saved. for three years, and the opportunity to gain
Regardless of whether they study at the exposure in an international environment.
Malaysia or UK campus, students are Its next intake is for September this year
exposed to an international, English- for foundation and undergraduate
speaking environment. They are put through programmes.
the rigours of a UK academic experience,
where they develop into independent n To speak to a University of Reading
learners who are capable of finding Malaysia counsellor or arrange a campus
information and examining issues and are tour, call 07-268 6205, WhatsApp 016-772
less dependent on being spoon-fed. In 5400, email my.enquiry@reading.edu.my or
addition to academic skills, students develop visit www.reading.edu.my. It is open from
soft skills such as problem-solving, working 9am to 5pm on Mondays through Fridays
in teams and communication, which are and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays.
UoRM students receive the best of a UK education right here in Malaysia, and can opt to
transfer to the UK campus in the middle of their degree programme.
4 Foreign Degrees & Branch Campuses THE STAR, TUESDAY 23 APRIL 2019
Stepping stone to
a bright future
MALAYSIA is working towards The first week here went by in a Indonesians, one Japanese, one
becoming an education hub, blur of red tape of obtaining my Filipina and one Uzbekistani
leading to a boom in the number student visa, getting settled into my thrown into the mix, as well as a
of tertiary education institutions it accommodation, and going fellow Mauritian!
hosts. This is prompting students through the enrolment process The orientation went smoothly Assoc Prof Lim believes that the strong research culture cultivated at
from all over the world to flock to amid other formalities, at the end and the class was quite outspoken, TAR UC is supported by its facilities, which are more than capable of
the country; me included. of which a gathering had been as expected of communication simulating realistic scientific research conditions.
I remember my first time organised for all foreign students students. The nature of our course
Building research
landing in Malaysia as a fresh by the university’s international compels us to have a good grasp of
school-leaver ready to take on student club. We were taught the the English language and actively
university life, nervous about what dos and don’ts of the country, with interact with one another, so we
this unknown land had in store. special emphasis on its zero- didn’t feel like there was a
capability
Excitedly, I stepped out of the tolerance policy towards drugs. It language barrier. That day, I had
airport and immediately felt the was also an avenue in which to lunch with a few of them. It is said
stifling air. My first impression of make friends and join the club. that the best way to bond with
Malaysia was how excruciatingly Before the start of the semester, others is over food. Throughout my
hot it was. I had been warned of an orientation was held, during time in Malaysia, I would realise
the extreme temperature before I which I met my course mates for just how true that statement is. AT Tunku Abdul Rahman
left Mauritius, but nothing could the first time. They were mostly University College (TAR UC), the
have prepared me for it. Malaysians with a few > TURN TO PAGE 7 need for quality education and
industry-relevant practices is of Many scientific
utmost priority. TAR UC’s
programmes under the Faculty research projects
of Applied Sciences (FOAS) are interdisciplinary,
echoes the same philosophies.
Assoc Prof Dr Lim Teck Hock involving applications
from FOAS’ Department of of knowledge
Physical Science is a proponent
of strong research culture, even
garnered from the
among undergraduate applied fields of analytical
sciences students, and he is
confident in TAR UC’s state-of-
chemistry, biology
the-art facilities, which he and physics. This
believes are more than capable
of simulating realistic scientific
work will lead to
research conditions. satisfying and
Assoc Prof Lim is the principal
investigator in a research project
interesting careers
funded by Fundamental in which researchers
Research Grant Scheme
provided by the Education
can help solve real-
Ministry and an elected Fellow world problems.
Council Member of the Institute
of Materials, Malaysia for the
2018-2019 term. His ongoing interesting careers in which
research effort, an investigation researchers can help solve real-
on the potential of core-shell world problems.”
nanoparticles in photothermal Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia
treatment of melanoma in graduates can opt for the
collaboration with Universiti 18-month A-Levels route or one-
Putra Malaysia, University of year TAR UC Foundation in
Malaya and University of Tokyo, Science programme. Both
has the potential to revolutionise options will lead to the three-
future cancer treatment year Bachelor of Science (Hons)
procedures. in Analytical Chemistry, Bachelor
“The state-of-the-art chemical of Science (Hons) in Bioscience
synthesis lab at TAR UC is with Chemistry or Bachelor of
extremely helpful for Science (Hons) in Applied
synthesising, purifying and Physics.
characterising nanoparticles Those who opt for the two-
using the latest equipment, year diploma route instead will
including an Anton Paar be eligible for credit transfer up
monowave synthesiser and to year two into relevant
particle sizer,” says Assoc Prof bachelor’s programmes upon
Lim. completion of their diploma.
“I allocate mini projects to our Second-year bachelor’s
final-year bachelor’s students so students can choose the dual-
they can experience what it award programme, which is
means to conduct actual offered in collaboration with
research through application of Campbell University in the
their skills and knowledge. I am United States. Under this
also adopting a research team arrangement, dual-award
culture where students can learn programme students will
to work as a team within a undergo additional assessments.
collaborative research setting Upon successful completion,
managed with industry-standard they will receive two degrees –
project management tools.” one from TAR UC and one from
Assoc Prof Lim’s commitment Campbell University.
to providing industry-relevant Eligible students are entitled
exposure has also extended to to attractive academic merit
the postgraduate level, where he scholarships and sibling
has recruited two full-time discounts from TAR UC. To find
research master’s students to out more about the various
work on his nanoparticle applied sciences programmes
projects. offered by FOAS, visit the Open
“Many scientific research Day at all TAR UC campuses
projects are interdisciplinary, nationwide, which is being held
involving applications of from 9am to 5pm every day until
knowledge garnered from the this Sunday.
fields of analytical chemistry,
biology and physics. This work n For details, visit www.tarc.edu.
will lead to satisfying and my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 23 APRIL 2019 Foreign Degrees & Branch Campuses 5
Persevering in adversity
I WILL never forget the very first day, noise of the expectations of others drown out
standing in the hallways of the hospital, your own. Stand for what you believe in and
overwhelmed, maybe even terrified at the make yours count. As you go around saving
magnitude and gravity of being a student lives, take care and ownership of your own.
doctor. As medical students, we have Where we are today is the consequence of
collected stories by talking to patients. As our choices, and what happens tomorrow
doctors, I hope that we will never forget to will be the amplification of our decisions. I
see the human within. hope for all of us that we will choose to lean
I remember this one gentleman, who, after in the direction of kindness and persevere,
having his double prosthetic heart valve but not without faith or hope. – Excerpt of a
examined by us medical students, shared graduation speech by Dr Esther Hor Shan
quietly, “I don’t have much to give for the Lin, one of RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus’
education of young doctors. But I have my (RUMC) top students
heart condition; this is all I can give.”
I hope that on hard, tough days, our hearts Dr Hor was awarded Best All Round
will beat for patients like him; that in the face Student in 2018 and won the Penang Medical
of void and doubt you will choose joy and Practitioner’s Society’s Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu
meaning; that when people are mean to you, book prize.
you will choose not to recycle and rehearse With the transnational delivery of its
the insults but look beyond the brokenness. renowned medical degree programme,
When you are called to guide those after you, RUMC has graduated high-performing
like our teachers have, you will choose to doctors for more than 20 years and continues
share your stories, not with reckless to provide quality pre-clinical and clinical
arrogance, but with humble confidence. training for its students. The university is
We have moved about in wards, amid life, listed as an Irish medical school in the World
death and states in between. I think we know Directory of Medical Schools.
now more than ever that life does not last
forever. It’s short, precious, and ends. Let’s n For more information, call 04-217 1999
not waste this life living others’. Let not the or email enquiry@rcsiucd.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 23 APRIL 2019 Foreign Degrees & Branch Campuses 7
Breaking
island, I had not fully comprehended who had been struggling for a long But as just the sky always clears up,
just how far “far” could be. time to teach me when the suffix so do negative feelings. I did not
As it turns out, with its should be used. Full disclosure: I still know it when I first met them, but my
geographical diversity, Malaysia had cannot explain when it should be friends here had become my second
quite a varied cuisine. Over lunch, I used. I just rely on gut feeling. family. They gave me a sense of
asked a seemingly innocent There were moments in class I was belonging that helped me fit in, in
new ground
question, “Should keropok lekor be blur when lecturers inadvertently Malaysia. Now, as my journey comes
crispy or chewy?”, which almost switched to BM to explain certain to an end, I realise that it is with
sparked a war and gave me my first terms or gave Malaysian examples to fondness that I will remember
taste of how seriously Malaysians illustrate certain situations. Luckily, university life in Malaysia – minus the
take their food. the lecturers took the time to explain hot weather. – By Lamia Abdollah
in quantum
physics
A FINAL-YEAR project has led the motion after the agreement
two Monash University Malaysia between the two theories breaks
engineering students, Mehdi down.
Pourzand and Chu Rui Jian, to a “This paradigm shift opens a
groundbreaking discovery in new avenue of research in a
quantum physics. wide range of fields, from
To study the dynamics of atomic to molecular, chemical
quantum systems in the non- and condensed-matter physics,
relativistic regime, the standard which could lead to new
practice is to use non-relativistic understandings and
quantum theory instead of the discoveries,” says Assoc Prof
more complicated relativistic Lan, who is the Electrical and
version. This is because the Computer Systems Engineering
former is conventionally thought discipline head at Monash
to yield similar results to the University Malaysia.
latter. “Our findings also suggest that
In their findings published some studies in the past, which
recently in Results in Physics, the were based on non-relativistic
duo, along with their supervisor quantum theory, are not entirely
Assoc Prof Lan Boon Leong, correct. For example, the
proved that the conventional puzzling discrepancies between
expectation is not true in the non-relativistic quantum
general. predictions and experimental
The surprising conclusion in measurements for the simplest
the paper was based on a key chemical reaction, such as the
mathematical insight. The collision between a hydrogen
corresponding terms in non- atom and deuterium molecule,
relativistic and relativistic might be resolved using
equations for the time- relativistic quantum theory,” he
dependent wave function (a adds.
fundamental quantity in For both Pourzand and Chu,
quantum theory) differ by a who have graduated, even
phase factor, in which the phase though the project took them out
depends on the small difference of their comfort zone, they
between the non-relativistic and enjoyed it tremendously. It also
relativistic energies. However, ignited their passion for
because the phases grow with research.
time, the two predictions will “It is rare to have the
eventually disagree and opportunity to engage in serious
breakdown of agreement could scientific research at the
happen quickly. undergraduate level. I’m very
Results also showed that the happy our group effort led to an
different predictions could be important discovery,” says
tested experimentally for the Pourzand.
simplest atom (hydrogen) thus “I learnt a lot about how to
proving that the more conduct research, but the most
encompassing relativistic theory valuable thing I learnt is that we
should be empirically correct. should always question
“To study the motion of a conventional wisdom,” says Chu.
microscopic system at low speed, Pourzand is currently
the standard scientific practice is applying to a master’s degree in
to use non-relativistic quantum physics in Canada while Chu is
theory, which is mathematically pursuing a doctorate in signal
and computationally less and image processing in France.
complicated than the relativistic
version. Our finding implies that n To read the full paper,
the relativistic theory must be visit doi.org/10.1016/j.
used instead to correctly predict rinp.2018.11.050
8 Foreign Degrees & Branch Campuses THE STAR, TUESDAY 23 APRIL 2019