THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
POSTGRADUATE
Is there a future
for cryptocurrency?
By ROSEMARIE JEREMIAH
BITCOIN emerged as the first
cryptocurrency 11 years ago.
However, the concept of
cryptocurrency was first
introduced in 1998 by computer
engineer Wei Dai who published a
paper in which he discussed
“B-money”. In this paper, he
explored the idea of a
cryptocurrency that could be sent
along a group of untraceable
digital pseudonyms.
The cryptocurrency world grew
and expanded. Values reached
record highs in the beginning of
2018 and many new crypto-assets
have since emerged. The
cryptocurrency market currently
hosts over 2,000 cryptocurrencies
and is still growing.
Despite cryptocurrency being a
decade old, it is still pretty much in
its infancy and there are many
uncertainties in the market.
Foundation Wealth partner Mark
Ting contributed an article to CBC
News titled The epic rise and fall of
crypto currencies, in which he
outlined a few guidelines he
favours when making
unpredictable investments.
He writes, “There is an
investment adage which suggests
that when people you least expect
start to talk about a particular
investment, it’s time to sell.”
Looking back, this is exactly what
happened as Bitcoin was the
Educating the educators
THERE is great variability in how
universities plan and implement
educational experiences for health
professions students. Reasons for
this variability include regional
and institutional education
policies, accreditation, healthcare
needs, internationalisation, global
migration, commodification and
commercialisation.
Education trends in health
professions are evolving in line
with global changes in science and
technology and societal needs.
Thus, health professions educators
are required to ensure the training
provided to health professions
students is sufficient and will
benefit future health professionals,
health services and society.
However, these educators face
increasing challenges as they have
to cope with future changes in
professions, healthcare, curriculum
development and assessments.
Most health professions
educators have little, if any, formal
teaching training. There are many
factors that influence health
professions educators to seek
training for either professional
development or formal
qualification. These include
increasing time pressures (faced by
many teaching physicians) and
investment hype, trending on
social platforms in 2018. Its value
peaked at US$20,000 (RM82,770)
before dropping to US$3,000
(RM12,416) in late 2018.
In December 2018, Bank Negara
Malaysia (BNM) implemented a
step to ensure better control over
cryptocurrencies in the country.
Through Sector 6 of the Anti-
Money Laundering and Counter
Financing of Terrorism Policy for
cryptocurrency, BNM issued a
policy document based on the
feedback it received from
members of the public in late 2017.
With this policy in place, more
effective measures are now
possible to ensure that money-
laundering and terrorism-
financing risks associated with the
use of cryptocurrency can be
better controlled, which would
also increase transparency.
Cryptocurrency still promises to
be an interesting investment.
However, in Malaysia, BNM issued
a statement on Jan 6, 2014 that
Bitcoin is not recognised as a legal
tender in Malaysia because it does
not follow the market conduct
standards and arrangements that
BNM regulates.
The value of Bitcoin is on the
rise once more and some
businesses across Malaysia, both
online and offline, have started
accepting Bitcoin for purchase and
payment. On the international
stage, Bitcoin usage is steadily
lack of stable funding for health
professions education that takes
place outside the teaching hospital
or institution.
International Medical
University’s (IMU) Postgraduate
Programmes in Health Professions
Education (HPE) aims to equip
health professionals with an
in-depth knowledge of educational
principles, values related to
contemporary learning
environments and practising
internationally benchmarked
assessment processes to produce
leaders and scholars in health
professions education.
The educational objectives of this
programme are to ensure
graduates have opportunities to
design and solve educational
challenges at their respective
institutions and achieve
recognition of their initiatives at
the national and regional levels.
This programme is not only for
healthcare professionals and
educators, but can also be of value
to education managers or
administrators who are involved in
the many processes of providing
better educational programmes at
their institutions.
This programme is offered in
both part- and full-time modes
rising around the world as
companies such as Microsoft and
Dell now accept payments via
Bitcoin from their United States
customers.
Despite this, is it safe for people
to get excited again? Only time
will tell if these companies can
make a sustainable business
model based on Bitcoin. For it is
only then that we can expect a
global replication and
widespread acceptance.
Educating for the future
Blockchains serve as the basis
for this new technology, of
which cryptocurrencies are
merely a part of the ecosystem.
Recognising the growth of
cryptocurrency, several
universities have opted to include
blockchain and cryptocurrency in
their academic offerings. may benefit from this specialised BNM has stated that although it has
The Human Resources course are information security invoked reporting obligation for
Development Fund (HRDF) offers analysts, software developers and those involved, it does not mean
various blockchain courses for data analysts. BNM is endorsing this industry as
adults wanting to learn about For example, information of yet.
cryptocurrency. Topics range security analysts are tasked with Nonetheless, it remains an
from the basics of blockchain and researching trends in data security, exciting prospect for the future.
Bitcoin to more specific topics anticipate problems and install Countries such as Dubai, Sweden
such as systems security, systems to prevent issues before and Japan have plans to roll out
algorithms, protocols and they occur. With this specialised their own cryptocurrencies in the
protection mechanisms. knowledge, they will be better near future, so a new financial
The rationale to start offering equipped to investigate breaches, trend may cross international
these courses are sound as determine the causes, and modify borders in the coming years. Only
knowledge in such a field can or repair security systems that are time will tell if there will be a
potentially give you an edge related to blockchains and global acceptance towards
above others. Among those who cryptocurrency. At the moment, cryptocurrencies.
with three exit points: Postgraduate
Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma
and Master. A carefully designed
blend between on-site learning
during weekends and online
learning provides adults working
full-time with options to plan and
fit their studies around their jobs,
families and other commitments.
Recent graduates of IMU
Postgraduates Programmes in HPE
have stated that by joining this
programme, they now have better
perspectives and understanding of
educational processes. Therefore,
they will ensure the current
educational processes in their
programmes conform to best IMU believes that before focusing on producing quality health professions
practices. graduates, it is important to round out educators in the sector with the
“The Postgraduate Programmes skills they need to achieve this end.
in HPE has helped me become a
better teacher. Completing the from the lecturer as well as other Agency. In line with its 6 Star:
Postgraduate Diploma in HPE has students. The programme has Outstanding score in the Rating for
enabled me to comprehend the provided me with insight into Higher Education Institutions in
theories behind teaching and instructional and curriculum Malaysia (Setara) 2017, IMU’s
learning and other aspects of design and helped me improve my programmes are periodically
education. In addition, it has also teaching. I feel I am able to reviewed and restructured
given me confidence to conduct contribute more to my department according to global standards and
education-related research,” says and the university. I am glad to need of the hour.
Postgraduate Diploma in HPE have taken up this programme and
graduate Dr Kok Yih Yih. look forward to applying what I n For more information about this
Master in HPE student Dr have learnt.” or other postgraduate programmes,
Katarzyna Pazcek says, “I find The Postgraduate Programmes call 03-2731 7272, email
discussions highly thought- in HPE is accredited at Level 7 by postgraduate@imu.edu.my or
provoking and am able to learn the Malaysian Qualifications apply online at www.imu.edu.my
2 Postgraduate
WHEN you see something you want, such as
a new job opportunity or an exclusive item,
do you find yourself asking these questions:
Is it the right fit? Can I afford it? Do I
qualify? Is this in line with my aspirations?
Those wondering if they have what it takes
to sign up for higher education often have
similar doubts. If you have been working for
a while and do not have the standard paper
qualifications, you may think that you can
never enter a university. But what you may
not know is that there is a solution to your
predicament. That solution is the
Your experience counts
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning
(APEL).
What is APEL and what can it do
for you?
APEL is a process that allows an individual
with formal or non-formal experience to be
assessed for two purposes: as an alternative
entrance qualification known as APEL for
Admission or APEL (A), or for award of
credits known as APEL for Credits or APEL
(C).
With APEL, you can enrol in a diploma,
bachelor or master’s degree programme
even without an SPM certificate. How is this
possible? The answer is APEL (A). Through
APEL (A), you can enrol in the programme of
your choice, as long as you pass the APEL
assessment that determines your level of
competency and capability. The
assessment instruments adopted by
Open University Malaysia (OUM) have
been approved by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA).
When you apply for APEL (A), you will
have to sit for an aptitude test that
assesses your understanding of basic
knowledge. You must also prepare a
strong portfolio to show all your
formal, non-formal and informal
experiences. Additionally, you
must provide information
about where you have
previously studied and
worked as well as
declare your language
skills. You must also
state why you want to
study and provide
supporting references
and evidence.
On the other hand,
APEL (C) enables
your experiences to
be measured against
learning outcomes
in a particular
course and, if
eligible, you will
be awarded
credits for a
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
By PROF
DATUK DR
MANSOR
FADZIL
particular programme.
OUM is one of only a few institutions
appointed by the MQA that can implement
both APEL (A) and APEL (C). In fact, OUM is
the first institution to have been granted
approval to implement this system in 2006.
At OUM, all courses can be assessed for APEL
(C), and candidates can gain a maximum of
30% credits in a particular programme. This
means that in a 120-credit hour bachelor’s
degree programme, eligible learners can skip
up to 36 credits of their studies. Imagine how
fantastic it would be if you could complete
your studies faster, saving you money and
time, and thus make your educational
investment even more worthwhile.
If you are one of many working adults in
Malaysia dreaming of obtaining a degree
while you work, enrolling in OUM via APEL
might be the answer for you. Part-time study,
weekend classes, an online learning
management system and conveniently
located learning centres throughout the
country are just a few of the advantages
OUM offers our learners.
So, give us a call, write us an email or drop
by for a visit to find out more about APEL at
OUM. Remember that your experience
counts. Together, we can make your higher
education dreams a reality.
n Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil is president
and vice-chancellor of OUM.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020 Postgraduate 3

Building
solid corporate
governance
values
DRAWING strength from more than 50
years of academic excellence, Tunku Abdul
Rahman University College’s (TAR UC)
Faculty of Accountancy, Finance and
Business (FAFB) cements its reputation as a
leading provider of professional business
education with its Master of Corporate
Governance (MCG) programme.
“The MCG not only instils the necessary
skills and knowledge in our graduates, it
also provides them with opportunities for
continuing professional development and
enhancing lifelong self-development to
lead changes and transformation for the
nation, while tackling the challenges of the
digital age,” says FAFB dean Wong Hwa
Kiong.
Graduating with a Bachelor in Corporate
Administration (Hons) from TAR UC,
Rashwin Loke Yew Han shares that the
reason he chose to enrol in the MCG
programme was because it would set him
apart from other jobseekers in the highly
competitive global marketplace.
“What makes MCG stand out is its focus
on the pillars of corporate governance – Low shares that his experience at TAR UC has
transparency, accountability, integrity and widened his perspective and helped him
sustainability which are significant with further develop his soft skills, which he feels is
regards to current issues and the state of essential when he enters the corporate world.
global affairs,” shares Rashwin, who
recently completed the MCG programme. Both Loke and Low are graduating from
Gaining the right knowledge and skills is a the MCG programme this month.
wise investment as it will help me dive What makes the MCG programme truly
straight into building my desired career.” compelling is that graduates of the
His classmate, Jeffton Low Boon programme will receive not only a master’s
Tiong, also a Bachelor of Corporate degree from TAR UC, but also full exemption
Administration (Hons) graduate from by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
TAR UC, shares his reasons for furthering Administrators (ICSA). In addition, MCG
his studies. graduates will be awarded the Malaysian
“I decided to pursue my postgraduate Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
degree in corporate governance to broaden Administrators (MAICSA) Grad ICSA Status,
my views and knowledge of current issues. which is an internationally recognised
The experience has widened my professional qualification.
perspective and helped me further The ICSA is the leading recognised
develop my soft skills such as critical professional body for Chartered
thinking and analysis, problem- Secretaries and Administrators in
solving and teamwork, which I the United Kingdom and
feel is essential when I enter the throughout the world. The
corporate world upon graduating MAICSA was founded in 1959 and
from the MCG programme,” is an affiliate body of ICSA, UK,
he says. limited only to members of the
institute residing in Malaysia.

n For more information, visit

TAR UC’s Open Day from
Mar 5 to 29 at all TAR UC
campuses in Kuala Lumpur,
Penang, Perak, Johor, Pahang
and Sabah, or drop by the
institution’s booth at major
education fairs. Attractive
academic merit scholarships
and sibling discounts
are available
for eligible applicants.
Alternatively, visit
www.tarc.edu.my

Loke opines that his

time at TAR UC is an
investment in gaining
the right knowledge and
skills so he can dive
straight into building
his desired career.
4 THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
APEL entry for
lifelong learners
ACCREDITATION of Prior
Experiential Learning (APEL)
returns opportunities lost to
education put on hold.
Knowledge is the currency of the
21st century economy, and APEL
is meeting the ever-increasing
need for qualified, higher-skilled
workers.
The flexible learning initiative
pursued by Management and
Science University (MSU) allows
entry via APEL. Introduced and
approved by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA),
APEL widens access to higher
education for adult learners who
are rich in experience but lack
academic qualifications. The
APEL (C) pathway provides
credit transfers for entry into
diploma programmes right up to
PhD.
APEL via Credit Transfer, or
APEL (C), allows the assessment
of credits against matching
modules in a programme of
study. Once an APEL (C)
applicant’s competency level is
determined, those credits can
shorten her entire study
duration considerably, saving
her time and money. An
applicant presenting only SPM
results for a university entrance
application, for example, would
usually only qualify for diploma
studies. With APEL (C), it’s
possible to directly pursue a
bachelor’s degree.
MSU offers breakthrough
avenues for working adults
wishing to further their studies.
A wide range of programmes is
offered with students’
convenience as well as their
educational and professional
backgrounds in mind. Lifelong
Courses for career
progression
GRADUATES with first degrees
and ambitious working adults
seeking to further empower
themselves can choose from a
number of postgraduate degrees
by coursework or research at
Curtin University Malaysia
(Curtin Malaysia). These courses
will give you additional
knowledge to advance in your
profession, specialise in a
particular area, or take your
careers in promising new
directions.
As Curtin University’s largest
international campus and global
campus in Asia, Curtin Malaysia
offers different levels of
postgraduate study and industry-
aligned Curtin programmes
under its Faculty of Engineering
and Science, Faculty of Business
and Faculty of Humanities in
collaboration with Curtin
Malaysia Graduate School and
relevant faculties at Curtin’s
main campus in Perth, Australia.
For those seeking to advance
their careers, studying a Curtin
postgraduate degree will not
only help them refine their
discipline-specific knowledge
and skills, but also greatly
improve their transferable
skills, which are highly
Postgraduate 5
learners from all walks of life meet the stringent standards of local
may access MSU’s range of and international bodies, including
undergraduate and postgraduate MQA, the United Kingdom’s With a proven track record and award-winning initiatives, MSU is a
programmes and choose from a Accreditation Service for International proponent of APEL and encourages learners from all walks of life to
variety of study modes to fit Schools, Colleges & Universities (ASIC), pursue further education.
their situation best, whether Japan’s Alliance on Business
weekday, weekend or evening Education and Scholarship for the QS World University Ranking ASIC and five stars each in the
classes, or video conference Tomorrow (ABEST21) and 2020 and top 200 for impact on teaching, graduate employability,
virtual classes supported by Accreditation Council for global health and well-being, facilities, social responsibility and
online discussions. Entrepreneurial & Engaged gender equality and reduced inclusiveness categories in the QS
Applied, enterprising and Universities (ACEEU). inequalities (THE University Stars Rating System. Its
technology-driven MSU is MSU currently ranks in the top 100 Impact Rankings 2019). achievements reflect MSU’s
steeped in the cultures of of the world’s top young universities, MSU was recently shortlisted as continued commitment towards
research, innovation and social top 200 among Asia’s best universities, a finalist for Entrepreneur internationalisation.
entrepreneurship. MSU and top 301+ for university impact. University of the Year and Student-
comprises the Faculty of Health Ranked by both Quacquarelli Driven Sustainability Project of the n For more information and the
and Life Sciences, Faculty of Symonds (QS) and Times Higher Year at the Asia-Pacific Triple E full range of MSU’s flexible
Business Management and Education (THE), MSU’s world Awards 2020 by ACEEU. programmes, call 03-5521 6868,
Professional Studies, Faculty of rankings place it in the top 51% of the The university has also been email enquiry@msu.edu.my or
Information Sciences and world’s best universities according to awarded Platinum 5 Crowns by visit www.msu.edu.my
Engineering, International
Medical School, School of
Pharmacy, School of Education
and Social Sciences, School of
Hospitality and Creative Arts,
School of Graduate Studies and
Graduate School of Management.
Lifelong learning is vital for
everybody and not just for the
insatiably curious. Make lifelong
learning a part of yourself,
advance in your professional life
and gain immense personal
fulfilment.
MSU is one of Malaysia’s top
universities and focuses on
developing and delivering
quality human capital in
national and global critical-need
areas, including medicine, health
sciences, pharmacy, information
sciences, engineering, business
management and professional
studies, education and social
sciences, hospitality and culinary
arts, music, and fashion.
The university’s award-
winning academic programmes
regarded by employers.
The coursework degrees
include the Master of
Engineering Management,
Master of Petroleum
Engineering, Master of
International Business, Master of
Commerce in Marketing (which
is ranked second in Australia in
the 2017 Eduniversal Best
Masters Ranking), Master of
Policy Sciences and Master of
Project Management.
> TURN TO PAGE 6
6 Postgraduate
Financial support provided
for research students
> FROM PAGE 5
In addition to the coursework degrees,
Curtin Malaysia offers higher degree by
research programmes that provide an
exciting learning environment for
tomorrow’s leading researchers. The
research degrees are offered at both Master
of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD) levels. Support for research
students is provided through full or partial
fee waivers or Curtin Malaysia Postgraduate
Research Studentship grants.
Research students can join any of the
research clusters within the faculties or the
Curtin Malaysia Research Institute (CMRI).
Alongside the research clusters in the
faculties, the CMRI, which was established to
promote research excellence, also encourages
multidisciplinary and collaborative research
in big data analytics, water management,
indigenous futures and community
engagement, sustainable food, health
informatics and genomics and bioprocess
technologies.
The newly completed, state government-
funded Sarawak Biovalley Pilot Plant Facility
for biotechnological research, as well as the
completion of a new Engineering Research
Laboratory this year and expected
completion of a Digital Centre of Excellence
in the next two years, will also significantly
boost research and knowledge accumulation
at the campus.
n For more information on the postgraduate
programmes at Curtin Malaysia, visit courses.
curtin.edu.my/courses-and-study/postgrad
As Malaysia’s best private university for two years in a row, UCSI University offers a
revolutionary academic pathway for students across the globe.
Facilitating
academic success
YOU have passed your bachelor’s
programme, scored exceptionally well, and
are probably strategising your next step
towards a postgraduate degree. Do you want
to do something that matters? Create
solutions for a smarter planet in science,
business or the arts? If these appeal to you,
then UCSI University is the place for you.
At UCSI, academics devote themselves to
addressing society’s biggest challenges and
prepare postgraduate students for leadership
in today’s world of end-to-end responsibility.
UCSI also provides financial assistance to
deserving students to unleash their full
potential.
The nation’s best private university for
two years in row, according to the QS World
University Rankings 2019 and 2020, offers
scholarships to students who wish to pursue
their master’s or other postgraduate degrees
from nine faculties.
UCSI University Trust Bursary, UCSI
University Trust Graduate Scholarship, and
UCSI University Trust Graduate Assistantship
are some of the forms of financial assistance
provided to eligible applicants. Essentially,
the scholarships are offered as full or partial
fee waivers for the postgraduate study.
With financial assistance, students will be
free from any conundrum that could
hamper their chances of pursuing a next-
level academic journey. That is exactly what
UCSI strives for – to provide a revolutionary
academic pathway to students across the
globe.
The quality of UCSI’s staff is one thing that
distinguishes the UCSI postgraduate
experience from any other. It starts from the
top. Nine Fellows of the Academy of Sciences
Malaysia are based at UCSI. Together, they
use their wealth of expertise and experience
to steer the university’s direction in the areas
of research and postgraduate endeavour.
UCSI’s long list of staff members who are
at the forefront of research and knowledge is
UCSI’s Office of Postgraduate Studies offers a lounge for postgraduate students to converge,
discuss with peers, and seek academic advice from their supervisors.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
testament to the outstanding contributions
they have made in their fields. Some have
been officially recognised by Unesco while
others are sought by the industry to make
the telling difference in significant projects.
The institution’s commitment to
maintaining the highest standards is
reinforced by rigorous internal assessments
such as its annual TEACH awards, which
recognises the outstanding contributions of
UCSI staff members in the fields of teaching,
research and societal impact. Staff members
and students of UCSI have benefited from
grants from bodies and initiatives such as
the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme,
Newton Fund, ScienceFund and more.
Assoc Prof Dr Lionel In from the Faculty of
Applied Sciences and Asst Prof Dr Oh Siew
Pei from the Faculty of Social Sciences and
Liberal Arts were two of the university’s
recent recipients of Malaysia Research
University Network grant through the Young
Researchers Grant Scheme. The two
professors, in collaboration with researchers
from Universiti Putra Malaysia, received the
grant worth RM250,000 with their project
titled A dual-pronged approach to increase
production of farmed tilapia using
lactococcal-based vaccination and enzybiotic.
The focus on the practical application of
research underpins UCSI’s approach to
research. UCSI’s ethos of promoting
interdisciplinary endeavours also fosters the
convergence of ideas from staff and peers in
its postgraduate community. This underpins
the immersive environment that makes UCSI
an exciting place, where new ground is
broken on a regular basis.
n For details on UCSI University
postgraduate programmes, visit www.
ucsiuniversity.edu.my/postgraduate for the
Office of Postgraduate Studies or email the
Student Enrolment Centre at sec_pg@
ucsiuniversity.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
Creating a supportive
community of psychology majors
IF you are looking for a challenging
master’s degree programme and the
opportunity to register as an associate of
the American Psychological Association
(APA), the Master of Psychology (MPSY)
offered by Open University Malaysia
(OUM) is the programme for you. An APA
membership offers a wide array of
personal and professional benefits in terms
of expert career support, information on
trends across psychology and more.
“The membership will certainly add
value to any psychology major. You can
start your journey as a certified
psychologist upon completion of the
programme,” says programme director Dr
Wirawani Kamarulzaman. However, the
certification is only applicable to those with
psychology qualifications at both the
bachelor’s and master’s levels.
OUM offers two specialisations in the
MPSY programme: industrial and
organisational psychology and educational
psychology. Educational psychology is a
new specialisation introduced in the
programme, replacing community
psychology. “Educational psychology is
normally offered under the education
faculties in other universities. At OUM, we
make it available to anyone interested in
the scientific study of human learning,”
says Dr Wirawani, adding that learners
will be exposed to the pedagogical aspects
of education that are relevant to human
development and learning.
The two-year programme is designed to
provide in-depth knowledge about
OUM has made part-time
studying convenient for me. I
can access learning materials
and library resources with
ease and from anywhere.
Lecturers are well versed in
the subject matter and very
helpful, too.
Prakash Rao Subramaniam
psychology in a variety of settings based on
students’ chosen specialisations. One
student, Prakash Rao Subramaniam, says, “I
am currently completing my research paper.
I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and
this has been my passion for a long time. I
love studying psychology-related subjects.”
The 54-year-old, who specialises in
industrial and organisational psychology,
says, “As I deal with a lot of people on a daily
basis, the programme equips me with
relevant knowledge about human
behaviour. This has made me a better
communicator and enhanced my
understanding in the art of conflict
resolution.”
As the university of choice for part-time
studies, OUM offers 49 undergraduate and
Postgraduate 7
postgraduate programmes that are perfect master’s projects and practicum.”
for learners who want to study at their own
pace. As a busy business owner who n Discover an exciting future in
considers education one of his top psychology by signing up for MPSY at
priorities, Prakash feels that OUM is the OUM. For more information on this and
right university for him. “OUM has made other programmes, call the OUM speedline
part-time studying convenient for me. I can at 03-7801 2000, email enquiries@oum.
access learning materials and library edu.my or visit www.oum.edu.my
resources with ease and from anywhere.
Lecturers are well versed in the subject
matter and very helpful, too,” says Prakash, Dr Wirawani says
adding that the programme has given him a OUM’s MPSY
better understanding of the top programme’s
management’s role in handling
employees’ emotions and challenges.
American
Psychological
Though the assignments have been
Association ties
challenging, Prakash has discovered
many new ideas and perspectives in the
will add value to
process of completing each one. With any psychology
the knowledge he has gained, he feels major’s journey.
more confident about venturing into a
new career. He is currently lecturing
part-time at a private university and is
hoping to be a full-time psychology
lecturer upon graduation. “This
master’s degree is a must for me
so I can update my knowledge
on current psychology issues
and concerns.”
Dr Wirawani agrees,
adding, “At OUM, we
strive to build a
community of
psychology learners
who support one
another, especially
when it comes to
8 Postgraduate
MALAYSIA generates about 42 million metric
tonnes of municipal solid waste a year,
compared with about 30 million produced in
the United Kingdom. Sixty per cent of this
waste is food and plastic. The Star (Oct 15,
2018) reported that during Ramadan in 2018
Malaysia produced 215,000 metric tonnes of
food waste. It was also reported that
research undertaken by the Malaysian
Agricultural Research and Development
Institute found that 20% to 50% of fruits and
vegetables are discarded.
According to the Malaysian Housing and
Local Government Ministry, 76% of waste
goes to landfill, costing the Malaysian
government about RM2.4bil per annum to
manage, which also causes severe impacts
on health as well as environmental
degradation. In addition to the waste
management challenges, there is limited
recycling in Malaysia, which also needs to be
addressed.
It is against this background that a recent
Newton Ungku Omar Grand Challenge
announced an initiative called Waste to
Wealth, which is a joint research funding
initiative between the UK and Malaysia. It
encourages collaboration between the two
countries in coming up with innovative
solutions to some of the world’s most
challenging problems.
The University of Nottingham Malaysia
has been awarded two grants funded under
this initiative. Both grants are supported by
UK and Malaysian companies and it is
pleasing to see that researchers at
Nottingham are working closely with
industrial partners to address such
challenging problems. The research that is
From waste to wealth
Prof Yousif Abdalla Abakr.
undertaken has direct applicability to the
commercial sector, which ensures more
rapid deployment to those that are able to
benefit from it. More importantly, it enables
UK expertise and knowledge to be
transferred to Malaysia.
The first project involves Ricardo UK PLC
from the UK and Tex Cycle (P2) Sdn Bhd
from Malaysia as collaborators, with Prof
Yousif Abdalla Abakr as principal
investigator from the University of
Nottingham Malaysia.
The research will investigate how waste
can be used to generate fuel in a way that
can be done on a small scale, enabling it to
be used in both rural and urban populations.
These communities will benefit from the use
or sale of the resulting fuel. It also removes
the need to transport waste or send it to
landfill. Individuals will be incentivised to
ensure that personal waste is correctly
separated, so that the benefits of the system
are maximised.
The second project also has UK and
Malaysian companies as collaborators – CPL
Industries and Eureka Synergy Sdn Bhd –
with Dr Ajit Singh as the Nottingham
principal investigator.
The research will utilise hydrothermal
carbonisation (HTC), which has only recently
reached a point where it is able to process
thousands of tonnes of waste a year. HTC is
ideal for wet waste, as the carbonisation is
carried out in the liquid phase, which is
important as no pre-drying, energy-intensive
stage is required.
The UK commercial partner already
operates a commercial-size HTC plant, which
was funded by Innovate UK
and University of Nottingham, UK.
The University of Nottingham Malaysia,
along with its industrial collaborators, is
very grateful for the opportunity to be
involved in this research, which has the
potential to transform the lives of many
people living and working in Malaysia.
A new era of finance
WHAT happens when finance and
technology merge? Financial technology or
“fintech” is the use of technology to
enhance or automate financial services
and processes. When resource-consuming
financial tasks are made more efficient by
the use of technology, it is considered
fintech.
With advancements in technology and
the increased applications of artificial
intelligence (AI), it comes as no surprise
that fintech, as a fast-moving field, would
see new developments and trends in the
coming year.
Talking to bots?
Consumers and organisations consider
messenger bots crucial for customer
engagement and experience. Messenger
bots are available 24/7 and facilitate the
follow-up rate on sales leads. In a 2011
Harvard Business Review research paper,
63% of human operators took more than
an hour to follow up on leads, causing
potential loss of profit and decline in
customer satisfaction.
For example, Sephora uses its Color
Match messenger bot on Facebook to pick
and match colours. Users upload a picture
of themselves or celebrities and the bot
helps them to recreate the look or
recommends complementary products.
More than just crypto
For the past decade, blockchain has been
synonymous with cryptocurrency and
bitcoin. It offers a more efficient and cost-
effective method for data management.
Instead of relying on one server,
ablockchain stores data across a network
of computers, ensuring that only members
of the network can access and edit the
data, and any changes made are updated
instantly across all computers.
Several corporations and nations have
adopted blockchain technology. Walmart
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2020
Dr Ajit Singh.
We owe a debt of thanks to many
stakeholders, including our industrial
partners and the funding agencies in the UK
and Malaysia. Malaysian Industry-
Government Group for High Technology
(MIGHT) deserves a special mention – it
does a great job in managing the Newton
Ungku Omar fund in Malaysia, as does the
Newton fund in the UK, which works with
several partners in delivering
this world-changing research.
Most importantly, though, we are excited
about being able to work on these two
projects with the potential to make a real
impact on Malaysia, which will not only
bring about financial benefits, but also have
significant environmental and sustainability
impacts.
n Prof Graham Kendall is chief executive
officer, provost and pro-vice-chancellor of
the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
Twitter: @Graham_Kendall
With advancements in
technology and the increased
applications of artificial
intelligence (AI), it comes
as no surprise that fintech,
as a fast-moving field,
would see new developments
and trends in the coming
year.
and De Beers use blockchain to track goods
in their respective supply chains. The South
Korean, Dubai and Estonian governments
have been incorporating blockchain into
their services to store government records,
business registrations and health
information.
Paying with QR codes
The Malaysian government introduced the
e-Tunai Rakyat initiative as an impetus for
public adoption of e-wallets. Juniper
Research, a technology market research
specialist, found that the number of people
using digital wallets will increase to nearly
four billion or 50% of the world’s population
by 2024.
To capitalise on this trend, most e-wallet
companies in Malaysia offer freebies to
attract new customers. Merchants and
retailers are also starting to offer digital
wallets as a payment option in their stores.
However, this has given rise to the e-wallet
bubble in Malaysia. With so many e-wallet
platforms available, there arises another
issue that potentially averts people from
adopting this new trend: having to download
multiple apps, because every merchant
supports a different e-wallet platform.