MOHAMAD YAZID BIN ABU HASSAN NORZILAWATI BT MD KAMSOR NURAFIDAH BT AB RANI

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Official Launch
29 November 1996

Malaysia requires a pool of STI manpower to leverage on the new knowledge and technological advancement to achieve sustainable growth.

NSC was established to play the major role of popularizing, stimulating interests in and promoting STI among Malaysian public especially school children through its theme-based interactive exhibits and educational programmes.

Challenges for National Science Centre:

- to remain relevant and exciting to the visitors - to find the best approaches that will attract the visitors

- offer better attractions and services than their competitors

The competitors: Other institutions that offer similar informal learning approaches such as Petroscience, Planetarium, Pusat Sains dan Kreativiti Terengganu (PSKT), Melaka Planetarium and Science Centre, Museums and other science theme parks such as I-City

The definition, description, and characterization of CoPs are quite different with different scholars (Azali R.A., 2010). The similarities are extracted as below:
CoPs consist of a group of people (some scholars elaborate on the

characteristics of these groups as the size (small or large) and the members of the group (professionals).
Members of CoPs share the goal of learning from each other, they share

the same knowledge and/or experience, they have common concerns and interests, and they are informally engaged together.
CoPs members concerned about the same problems, they are self-

organized, they tend to help each other, they share common practice and work together, and they share common purposes and goals.

Domain A community of practice has an identity defined by a shared domain of interest Members shows commitment to the domain, and shared competence that distinguishes members from other people Eg: Organization on STI Centers in Malaysia - NSC, Petroscience, Planetarium, PSKT

Community
In pursuing their interest in their domain, members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information. They build relationships that enable them to learn and interact to each other Eg: A group of Engineers, Designers, Science Officers, Science Educators building set of blockbuster exhibition

The Practice Members of a community of practice are practitioners. They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, and ways of addressing recurring problems - in short, shared practice Eg: Conferences, brainstorming session, workshops, technical training with UTM to fabricate tsunami exhibits etc.

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are not common name in all organizations

In National Science Centre Kuala Lumpur, most of the CoPs are known as a smart partnership efforts, exhibits fabrication groups, blockbuster exhibition team, educational team and many others.

ASPAC Exhibition Group Cancer Awareness Campaign Dinosaur Alive Exhibition ASIMO Robot and Hybrid Technology

Invite the potential representative from various Science Centers - to exploit their expertise and resources to work together in developing a quality Blockbuster Exhibition Complete exhibition set, Intellectual Property Rights (I.P.R) and knowledge gained shared among the members Travelling Exhibition - marketed to other countries, profits shared

Collaboration between NSC and Estee Lauder Company Estee Lauder sponsor (budget), free venue for product display, has build trust and positive image towards their cosmetic product (free cancer agent) NSC provide local experts to talk about the issues and current finding in cancer treatments, provide technical crews and produce education programs related
Collaboration between NSC and Total Sport Sdn. Bhd. Both parties invest certain amount of money to bring a high impact Blockbuster Exhibition to the centre The profit will be shared with certain percentage that is fair for both parties and recommended by the legal advisor.

A collaboration with foreign companies (Honda & Toyota) The science centre gets the latest technology content to be displayed and the companies have a free venue for promotion and product launch

Participation in International Conference Pursue to Master or PHD

Participate in yearly International Conference of STI National Science Centre is an active member of Technology and Innovation (STI) Organization such as Asia Pacific Science & Technology Centre Association (ASPAC), Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), NAM S&T Center and Science Centre World Congress (SCWC)

Encourage the staff to pursuit studies in Master and PHD level in a required field to ensure the competencies, productivity and continuity of Human Capital Development (HCD)

Collaboration

Collaborations and sharing knowledge session on certain activities or programs that benefits both parties Eg: Petroscience and National Science Centre have a frequent joint workshop to explore the latest design in exhibition fabrication

Financial constraint

HCD not enough budget to train many talent Exhibition development Development project A group of people that competent and highly skilled should be identified to ensure the sustainability The talent should be discovered and polish Avoid brain drain The opportunity to pursue study to Master/PHD level shall be given to the right candidates with the right attitude to make sure the success of HCD To avoid waste of investment

Choose the right person for talent pool management Right candidate, right attitude

Changing in STI

The cutting edge approach in STI changing very fast To always keep updated in STI is costly and require higher knowledge for understanding and application Find the best methods to deliver the scientific concept to the societies. E.g.: Nanotechnologies, stem cells etc. Demand latest facilities and 5 star services with minimum fees Frequent changes of content with new approaches Compare with Science Centre in modern countries

Meet visitor expectation

The CoPs efforts that have been implemented in NSC is one of the major factors that contributed to the sustainability competitive advantages in the organization. The credibility and competency of the institution have been a benchmark for neighboring countries such as Brunei and Indonesia The NSC has been a consultant for Taman Pintar in Yogjakarta, Indonesia, Pusat Sains & Kreativiti Terengganu (PSKT) and Balai Cerap AlKhawarizmi, Malacca.

The expertise in planning, exhibits fabrications and thematic exhibition development among the officers have create an Intellectual Property Rights (I.P.R) investment for the organization and generate new business opportunity for the local fabricators and to the country.

1.

Azali Ralla Al, 2010. Communities of Practice, Knowledge Creation and Corporate Sustainability: A Study of Bahrain Service Industry. Degree of Doctor Philosophy. Graduate School of Business. Curtin University of Technology.
Fargas J, 2010. The Role of Science and Technology in Developing Countries. Enhancing Change Trough ScienceCentres. NAM S&T Centre. Daya Publishing House. Delhi. Loke H.S et al.,2003. National Science Centre of Malaysia, An Evaluation of Its Role. A Jpint-Project between National Science Centre and Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. Dess et al. 2005 Wenger E., 2010. Communities of practice: A brief Introduction. Department of Education and Childrens Services. Government of South Australia.

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