course focus - 8 march 2016

8/19/2019 Course Focus - 8 March 2016

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THE STAR, TUESDAY 8 MARCH 2016

special

COURSE FOCUSSCHOLARSHIPS AND LOANS

Financingyourfuture


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course focus

THE STAR,

TUESDAY 8 MARCH 2016

Finding the right scholarshipHOLARSHIPS are a great way top you further your studies at

most no cost. Unlike loans andancing schemes, a scholarship isorm of financial aid that does

need to be repaid.However, certain criteria need tomet for a student to be awardedcholarship. In Malaysia, there isabundance of scholarships thatavailable, but how do you go

out choosing the right one foru?Here are some ways to look for

best scholarship for you.

nline

A good place to start looking for

olarships is the Internet. Therecountless websites that provideolarship listings, along with

mprehensive informationarding the eligibilityuirements, courses covered byscholarship and the deadlinesapplication.

You can use websites such aserschool.my, studymalaysia.com d scholardeck.com to look for aolarship.

These websites make looking forolarships easier because you find the details of everyolarship programme in onece.

Alternatively, you can visit thebsites of higher education

titutions and check out theirolarship programmes.wever, bear in mind thataining a scholarship from antitution usually means that youve to study in that institution asll.

orporate bodies

Large corporations also give outolarships. Companies that givescholarships value education

hly and believe that helpingdents with their education canbeneficial for the communityd the country.tudents who obtain scholar-ps from corporations often have

The Internet is a good place to begin your search for scholarship from private and government bodies.

Answering with confidence and positive body language will leave a good

impression on your interviewers.

limited choices of courses to study.These courses are usually relatedto the field of expertise that anemployee working for thatcompany is required to have.

You must take into account thecourses that the scholarship coversbefore applying so that you do notend up studying a course that is ofno interest to you.

Governmental andcharitable foundations

Besides the Internet, you can tryyour luck with governmental andcharitable institutions that providefinancial aid for education.

Students can apply forscholarships from the Malaysia’sPublic Service Department (JPA).These scholarships are offeredthrough the JPA BursaryProgramme or the JPA Scholarship

Programme mainly to study locally.This year, only 200 of the

students who apply to JPA willbe given scholarships to studyengineering in Japan, South Korea,Germany and France.

The scholarships for the top 20SPM scorers will enable them tostudy anywhere in the world.

The JPA Bursary Programme isonly open to students who have

completed their pre-universitystudies.

The JPA Scholarship Programmeis only offered to SPM graduates.

In Malaysia, there are manycharitable institutions that providefinancial aid for education to thosewho need it.

Foundations such as the KuokFoundation, the Sime DarbyFoundation and the Tan Sri LeeShin Cheng Foundation are someof the many that are currentlyoffering scholarships to students.

Like the scholarships given outby corporations, these scholarshipsare also for a limited list. Beforeyou apply, make sure you meetthe application criteria.

Contests

If you are already undertakingcourses at a college or university,you can keep an eye out forscholarship contests. Thesecontests usually offer monetaryprizes to winners, which you canuse to pay your tuition fees or topurchase supplies.

These contests usually requireyou to submit an essay on certaintopics and the one with the bestessay wins the prize. Somecontests, however, are targeted atgroups of students studyingspecific courses.

For example, a video contestwill typically be targeted at

broadcasting students while abusiness idea contest will besuited to business students. Pickthe right contest to join and youcould win some free funding.

Word of mouth

If you have a friend or a familymember who is a recipient of ascholarship, ask them how youcan go about getting yourself one.Since they have been through theprocess of applying for andreceiving a scholarship, they cangive you advice on how to preparefor a scholarship application.

In addition to that, you canhead over to nearby colleges and

universities and talk to theircourse counsellors.

Aside from having in-depthknowledge on courses, they mayalso have some information onthe latest scholarshipprogrammes.

These counsellors will haveinformation about the criterianeeded to apply for courses andscholarships and can provideadvice on which scholarship bestsuits you based on yourqualifications.

Keep trying and do not give up.New scholarships are createdevery year and you can tryapplying to the ones that best suityour qualifications and needs.

Acing your scholarship interviewsTERVIEWS can be daunting,pecially if you have never beenrough one before. Well, fret not,cause here are some tips on hownail your scholarship interview.

esearch

Prior to the interview, makere you are well informed of thetails of the scholarship so thatu know how well theholarship suits your needs.

These details include theuration of study, courses that arevered by the scholarship, bondquirements if any, and level of

nancial assistance that theholarship offers.You could also do some research

n the field of study that you areoosing. Interviewers will oftenk you why you are choosing thatecific field of study and youed to provide them with

credible and convincing reasons.

Be convincing

You will have to find a way toconvince your interviewers thatyou deserve the scholarship morethan other applicants.

List all your achievements andchoose the ones you are mostproud of or the ones that arerelevant to the course you arelooking to enrol in.

Be prepared to answer questionsabout your and your family’sfinancial situation if you areinterviewing for a need-basedscholarship. Interviewers wantproof that you really need thefinancial aid.

Prepare answers

Aside from questions about yourfinancial standing, interviewers

will ask you general questions. Theway you answer these questionscould make or break your chancesof getting the scholarship.

Here are some commonscholarship interview questionsthat panellists ask:l Why do you deserve this

scholarship?l What is your biggest

achievement?l Who is your role model?l What is your favourite subject

in school and why?l What are your strengths andweaknesses?

It is a good idea to give a goodamount of detail to your answersto show your intellect and thatyou are well prepared for theinterview.

Body language

Your body language can tell

your interviewers a lot aboutyourself. For example, negativebody postures such as slouchingand stiffness can indicate a lack ofconfidence and nervousness.

Here is some body language thatwill make you appear moreconfident and comfortable:l Maintain eye contactl Speak clearly when

answering questionsl Lean back in your seatl Place your hands on your lap

or on the table

With proper preparations,ensure that you go to yourinterview on time and follow thesteps above to increase yourchances of obtaining a scholarship.

Keep trying anddo not give up.New scholarships

are created everyyear and youcan try applyingto the ones thatbest suit yourqualifcations andneeds.


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INTERNATIONAL Medical University (IMU)graduate and scholarship recipient Yeo Wei Yan details her experience at the university:

I wanted to be a pharmacist since I wasyoung. My dream came true when I wasoffered a scholarship to IMU.

In June 2011, when I received a phonecall informing me that I was offered theIMU Bachelor of Pharmacy scholarship, I

was overwhelmed by the good news.As an IMU scholar, I have participated in

countless activities such as the Scholars’High Tea, the Faculty Appreciation Weekand the Inter-Professional Forum, whichcertainly helped to foster camaraderieamong the IMU scholars.

The IMU scholar committee is indeed alarge family and I realised that each andevery member of the group is special intheir own way.

I treasure the bond that was formedbetween us and will not forget all thememories that were forged throughoutthese four years of my studies at IMU.

Not only that, these activities also servedas a platform to build many valuable skillsand I have learnt many values such asteamwork and leadership. I strongly believe

that these values are of paramountimportance to be an all-rounder.

It is above par to be a person who excelsin academics, but it is certainly better topursue a holistic approach and be aversatile person who has multiple skills.

Therefore, these values that I have learntwill serve as a stepping stone for me toembark on a more challenging futureahead.

The pharmacy programme is an excitingprogramme. During lectures, the basics andtheory of pharmacology were the mostintriguing.

I was also exposed to plenty of clinicalknowledge and experience from theObjective Structured Clinical Examination(OSCE) and hospital posting.

Both the OSCE and hospital posting gave

me an insight into how to become asuccessful pharmacist in the future.What attracted me most is the clinical

side of the pharmacy programme at IMU.On top of that, IMU ensures that youngundergraduate pharmacy students obtainthe necessary exposure to pharmaceuticaland retail pharmacy settings.

I am grateful and honoured to have beenawarded this scholarship. Havinggraduated, I am now one step closer tofulfilling IMU’s aspirations as well as

Helping studentsachieve dreams

Yeo hopes to apply the wealth of knowledge and practical experience obtained at IMU in herfuture career.


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achieving my dream, which is to become adistinguished pharmacist in the near future.

Scholarship of IMU

IMU offers scholarships for its pre-university (one-year Foundation in Scienceprogramme) and most of its undergraduateprogrammes.

Awarded annually, the scholarships are inthe form of tuition fee waivers. Scholarshipsare awarded for the degree programmes as

full or partial (50%) tuition fee waivers.Tuition fee waivers from RM2,000 toRM6,000 are offered for the Foundation inScience.

Malaysian and international studentswho demonstrate academic excellence willbe invited to apply for these scholarshipsthrough their offer letter.

IMU is Malaysia’s first and mostestablished private medical and healthcareuniversity with more than 24 years ofdedicated focus in healthcare education.

Established in 1992, the university enjoysan international reputation and provides ahigh standard of education at the pre-university, undergraduate, postgraduateand continuing professional developmentlevel.

IMU’s learning model is grounded on its

core values, fostering students to becomeknowledgeable and competent healthcareprofessionals who are critical thinkers,reflective and proactive.

The aim is to create healthcare graduateswho are committed to lifelong learning andimbued with a sense of good citizenship,leadership and ethical behaviour.

n For more information, visit www.imu.edu.my or e-mail [email protected] or call03-2731 7272.

IMU’s learning modelis grounded on itscore values, fosteringstudents to becomeknowledgeable and

competent healthcareprofessionals whoare critical thinkers,refective and proactive.


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that he needed to improve on his timemanagement as well as further enhance hisbasic culinary skills.

Tan says, “I learnt to organise before Istart cooking and, importantly, to remaincalm through all circumstances, to think onmy feet and be alert and attentive at all

times. I would like to thank Chef Pang, ChefKern and Chef Goh for their endless supportand encouragement. Although they werestrict and stern, I owe much of myachievement to them.”

Tan emphasises that he learnt a lotthrough his participation in competitionsand encourages other students to joincompetitions at every opportunity as theycan help improve skills and raise confidence.

He says, “It is important to work and trainhard, be serious, pay attention to yourmentor chefs and never be complacent.”

Tan hopes to improve his culinary skillswhile on an internship programme with theprestigious Le Méridien Hotel in April.

Berjaya University College of Hospitalityis a Malaysian premier university collegespecialising in the fields of hospitality,

culinary arts, tourism and eventmanagement.

Situated in the Golden Triangle of KualaLumpur, it is located on the 11th and 14thfloors of Berjaya Times Square, conceptuallydesigned with a five-star hotel ambianceequipped with the most comprehensive andadvanced facilities that mirrors real worldsettings.

The university college also offers coursesin business and liberal arts.

Berjaya University College ofHospitality is working to makehigher education more accessible,

affordable and attainable foreveryone.

The PTPTN education financingscheme is available for Malaysian

students. The institution’s affiliation

with the Berjaya CorporationGroup of Companies alsoallows it to host severalbursary schemes andeducation scholarshipsavailable to both localand internationalstudents.

n For moreinformation, visit

www.berjaya.edu.my.

Tan prepared four delicious dishes and emerged as the first runner-up at the recent NestléCulinary Arts Award.

4 course focusTHE STAR,


Cooking upa stormTAN How Mun, a culinary arts student fromBerjaya University College of Hospitality,took home the first runner-up award in theNestlé Culinary Arts Award (CAA) held from Jan 28 to 30.

The event was organised by Nestlé withthe primary objective of raising standards of

culinary arts education in Malaysia.The competition was developed by the

Department of Skills Development andsupported by Skills Malaysia.

It is also endorsed by the MalaysianAssociation of Hotels (MAH). Thecompetition was opened to students fromcolleges all over Malaysia that offered adiploma in culinary arts programme.

Tan, who represented the School ofCulinary of Berjaya University College ofHospitality, was selected from hundreds ofstudents studying the culinary programme.

Under the tutelage of World Association ofChefs Societies (WACS) Global Master Chef Jochen Kern, Celebrity chef, Chef MalcolmGoh, and Chef Vincent Pang, Tan presentedfour dishes to the judges: a canapé platter,stuffed seafood ravioli with shellfish

sauce followed by herb crusted tenderloinand a raspberry panna cotta for dessert.

The competition heated up on the finalday with a mystery black box challenge.Each contestant was required to useingredients in the mysterious black box,which was revealed to contain Nestum oats,a rack of lamb and orange juice. The strangemix of ingredients did not faze Tan as hewas prepared to face any challenges.

Despite that being Tan’s first timecompeting in a professional culinarycompetition, he was not nervousthroughout the competition as hisintensive training with the chefs hadprepared him well. He peeled, sliced,chopped, cut and cooked in accordanceto what he had practised during themonth-long labourious training

that took a lot of sacrifice andhard work.Having gone through the

three gruelling days ofcompetition, Tan realised

Tan How Mun,culinary artsstudent at BerjayaUniversity Collegeof Hospitality.


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Recognising excellence

From left: Prof Sir David Greenaway, Tan Sri Emeritus Prof Datuk DrAugustine Ong Soon Hock and Prof Christine Ennew at the recent UNMCgraduation ceremony.

THE University of Nottinghamconferred honorary degrees onEmeritus Prof Datuk Dr HassanSaid and Tan Sri Emeritus ProfDatuk Dr Augustine Ong Soon Hockat graduation ceremonies held onFebruary 20 at The University ofNottingham Malaysia Campus(UNMC).

A total of 263 undergraduate andpostgraduate students graduatedfrom the Faculty of Arts and SocialSciences, Faculty of Engineeringand Faculty of Science at an eventhosted by Prof Sir DavidGreenaway, vice-chancellor of TheUniversity of Nottingham, and ProfChristine Ennew, chief executiveofficer and provost of UNMC.

Honorary graduates

“Prof Ong and Prof Hassan havedemonstrated lifelong commitment

to higher learning and theirrespective areas of research. Bothhave committed themselves toadvancing knowledge for thebenefit of others and in doing so,have had genuine and substantialimpact in Malaysia and beyond,”said Prof Ennew.

“I have had the pleasure ofknowing Prof Ong for a number ofyears. It is always a pleasure tomeet with him and listen to storiesfrom his distinguished career. Iwould inevitably learn somethingnew from him each time,” saidProf Graham Kendall, vice provost(research and knowledge transfer)


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during the presentation ceremony.The achievements of Prof Ong

include being awarded the nation’sMerdeka Award in 2012 for hisoutstanding contribution to theresearch and development in palmoil and for his significant role inpromoting the Malaysian palm oilindustry globally.

accounting and management,as well as Linda Teng May Yeegraduating from psychology andcognitive neuroscience studies,both receiving the NottinghamAdvantage Award.

The Nottingham AdvantageAward, which enables studentsto take extra curricular modulesalongside their academic studies,builds skills and experience inareas such as public relations,finance and career planningthorough activities with theUniversity’s Career andEmployability Service, WideningParticipation and the Student’sAssociation.

One of the world’s truly globaluniversities with campuses inMalaysia, the UK and China, thisyear marks the 16th year sinceThe University of Nottinghamset up its UK’s first full-fledgedinternational campus inMalaysia.

All three campuses continueto enrich the lives of studentsacross the world through globaleducation, ground-breakingresearch and communityengagement.

n For more information, visitwww.nottingham.edu.my.

Prof Ong holds a PhD in organicchemistry from King’s CollegeLondon and a master’s of scienceand bachelor’s degree fromUniversity of Malaya.

He established the MalaysianInvention and Design Society(Minds) in 1987 to assist scientistsand technologists in developing

their inventions and commercialisetheir innovations.

“Prof Hassan played a leadingrole within the Education Ministry,helping to steer the essentialregulatory approvals for theestablishing of UNMC. Since then,he has been a great friend of theuniversity and we have benefitedfrom his advice and guidance onmany occasions,” said Prof Ennew.

Currently the vice-chancellor ofUniversiti Teknologi Mara, ProfHassan has been conferred withthe Chevalier de l’ Ordre Nationaldu Merite Award from thegovernment of France and DPMP(Perlis), DMSM (Malacca), DSPN

(Penang) and PGBK (Sarawak)from each of the local stategovernment.

As a leading mathematicianin Malaysia, Prof Hassan’scontribution goes beyondacademia with his services as aboard member of Capital MarketDevelopment Fund (CMDF) ofSecurity Commission, Malaysia.

Nottingham AdvantageAward

The ceremony also witnessed Janet Khoo Nee Jian graduatingwith a bachelor’s degree in finance,


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Taking you furtherIUKL offers quality, recognised and affordable programmes that prepare students for their future career.



INFRASTRUCTURE University KualaLumpur (IUKL) understands thateducation is a serious investment of

your money.Therefore, it provides various

form of financial assistance for itsstudents as well as quality,recognised and affordableeducation for all.

There are six types of financialassistance available in the form ofscholarships, tuition fee waivers,loans and flexible paymentschemes to help students achievetheir ambition.

IUKL scholarships

IUKL scholarships are madeavailable to students who haveexcelled at the elementary levels,including SPM, STPM, O-Levels,

A-Levels, UEC, foundation studiesand diploma.

Students with a minimum of 5Asat SPM or O-Levels are entitled to a50% scholarship. Those with 8Asand above are entitled to a fullscholarship.

For STPM or A-Levels students, aminimum CGPA of 3.00 is requiredto enjoy the 50% scholarships and3.50 for a full scholarship.

Diploma and foundationgraduates will need to obtain aminimum CGPA of 3.50 to beeligible for the partial scholarshipand 3.75 and above for the fullscholarship.

Students with the UECqualification need to obtain 3As to

receive a 50% scholarship and 5Asfor a full scholarship.

IUKL-Media EducationFund Scholarship

In addition to the IUKLScholarship, the university alsocollaborates with two major mediaeducation funds – The StarEducation Fund and Sin ChewEducation Fund – to provide

deserving students the opportunityto pursue their higher education.

The scholarships cover multipledisciplines at the diploma anddegree level and are bond-free.

IUKL Sports ExcellenceScholarships

The IUKL Sports ExcellenceScholarship is offered to studentswith outstanding sportsachievement at the state andnational level.

This scholarship is for Malaysianstudents who have represented thestate or country in any sportscompetition, three years prior to joining IUKL.

The selected students are entitledto a 100% waiver on tuition fees.

Tuition fee waiver

It pays to study hard at IUKL. Inaddition to the scholarships, the

IUKL Tuition Fee Waiver Scheme isoffered every semester.The scheme offers up to 60% off

the semester tuition fee for studentswho manage to maintain a CGPA of3.75 and above every semester.

A 30% tuition fee waiver is giventhe coming semester for those whoattain a CGPA score of 3.50 to 3.749.

This is IUKL’s initiative toencourage students to excel in theirstudies and reduce the financial

burden of students and parents.

Study loans

Being a full-fledged university,IUKL’s programmes are fullyapproved by the Education Ministryand the Malaysian QualificationsAgency (MQA).

Most of its programmes haveattained either partial or fullaccreditation from the MQA. Withthis advantage, students are eligiblefor study loans from PTPTN andfinancial assistance from the statefoundations.

The fee structure at IUKL isdesigned to ease the burden ofstudents. The tuition fees persemester can be paid by flexibleinstalments.

Payments can be made throughout

the semester but the last paymentmust be made within two weeksbefore the semester examination.

IUKL aims to producetechnopreneurs and skilledmanpower with outstandingcommunication, technologicaland managerial skills.

For more than 18 years, IUKL hasbeen providing quality, recognisedand affordable education in variousfields of study.

These include engineering,architecture, constructionmanagement, quantity surveying,business, accounting, informationtechnology, corporatecommunications, English languagestudies and biotechnology that are

highly sought after.IUKL will be hosting its Info Dayon March 12 and 13 from 10am to4pm. The March intake is in progressand you can start a programme atIUKL with only RM100 and enjoyRM1,000 rebates for on-the-spotregistration at Info Day.

n For more information,call 1800 88 STUDY (78839) orvisit www.IUKL.edu.my.

IUKL aimsto producetechnopreneurs andskilled manpowerwith outstandingcommunication,technological andmanagerial skills.


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course focus 7

Pathway to

psychology

Determining your needs and reasonsfor getting a scholarship will help younarrow down your search.

The first batch of IUMW Faculty of Business and Law students duringtheir fifth semester at Swansea Business School, University of WalesTrinity Saint David.

Tips for securing a scholarshipWHILE scholarships are awardedon the basis of merit, this does notnecessarily mean that you mustobtain straight As to get one.

Though many scholarships areawarded for high academicachievements, there are others thatfocus on the person’s interests,special talents or qualities, orfinancial need.

So what kind of scholarshipshould you apply for? Here are afew things to think about beforeyou start applying:l Know what you want

What do you want to study andwhat are your career plans?Establishing a long-term plan foryour career and the life you wantto lead will help you figure outexactly what you want to studyand where.

This will in turn help youdetermine what kind of scholarshipyou require.l Know why you are doing this

What is the basis of yourapplication? It may be your goodgrades, special skills in sports or arts,

monetary requirements or acombination of these factors. Lookfor a scholarship that suits yourparticular circumstances.

What do you need the assistancefor? It may be just for the whole orpart of your tuition fees or includeyour accommodation and livingexpenses.l Know who you are

Why do you deserve ascholarship and what do you wantout of life? Understanding yourself,your interests, skills andrequirements, and believing inyourself is the key to success.

Be tenacious and confident inyour search and application, andyou will successfully get the rightscholarship for you.

n Source: afterschool.my.

A QUALIFICATION in psychologypresents more opportunitiesthan just a career in psychology.

Psychologists study suchphenomena as perception,cognition, emotion, personality,behaviour and interpersonalrelationships.

Knowledge gained from suchstudies is then applied to variouselements of human activity,including issues relating tomental health problems, self-help, performance enhancementand many other areas affecting

health and daily life.Psychology graduates can

choose to specialise in thescientific aspect and become aclinical psychiatrist.

Alternatively, students with abachelor’s degree in psychologycan pursue career options inconsultancy, rehabilitation,education, businessmanagement, social services,human resource, research,marketing and counselling.

Its focus on developing a deepunderstanding of the humanmind and behaviour makes itrelevant to many fields.

Therefore, having aqualification in psychology

provides one with the avenue toenter a wide variety of fields.

“Psychology is an importantsubject because functioningsuccessfully at work and insocial situations depends verymuch on our ability tounderstand others.

“The Government’s push forhuman capital development hasled to the realisation that humanpotential can only be maximisedby understanding andempowering its people,” saysProf Dr Hamzah A. Rahman,president and chief executiveofficer of InternationalUniversity of Malaya-Wales(IUMW).

Students with Sijil PelajaranMalaysia (SPM) qualificationscan enrol in the IUMW Bachelorof Science (Hons) in Psychologyafter completing a one-yearfoundation programme.

IUMW offers two types offoundation programmes –Foundation in Arts andFoundation in Science.

The Foundation in Arts is forstudents who wish to pursue

degrees in business, finance,marketing and other business-related disciplines.

The entry requirement is aminimum of five credits in SPM,O-Levels or equivalent.

The Foundation in Sciencearms SPM-holders with a strongbase in subjects required topursue studies in the areas ofaccounting, psychology, business,biotechnology, computer scienceand information technology.

Another advantage of doingthe foundation at IUMW is the

facilities available to students,including a library that boaststhink-tank rooms and electronicresource as well as a broadbandWi-Fi environment.

The programmes allow themthe privilege of conducting theirpractical studies in state-of-the-art science laboratories at theCentre for Foundation Studies inScience, University of Malaya.

The programmes areapproved by the HigherEducation Ministry and areaccredited by MalaysianQualifications Agency (MQA).

Apart from the core subjectsfor each stream, students atIUMW are taught study skills

and are required to sit for theIUMW English Placement Test.Students who have completed

the foundation programme withsuitable grades are able tofurther their studies in theBachelor of Science (Hons)Psychology or any of IUMW’sdegree programmes.

IUMW offers a wide range ofcourses at the foundation,bachelor’s, master’s and PhDlevel to Malaysian andinternational students.

Deserving students who havefinancial constraints need notfret as IUMW offers scholarshipsfor foundation programmes.IUMW also assists in applying

for study loans provided byPTPTN. You can visit IUMW Open Day

on March 19 at the IUMWcampus to find out more aboutthe programmes available.

Registration is open for theMarch intake.

n For more information,visit iumw.edu.my or call03-2617 3000.


8/12

e Genomics Facility of Monash University Malaysia is well equipped with the latest equipmentt students can use to get hands-on experience.

Kick-start careerin genomics

course focus

THE STAR,


THIS year, Monash University’s genomicsteam of Malaysian and Australianresearchers sequenced and published thefirst Malaysian fish genome – the Asianarowana genome’s full set of DNA patternssheds light on fish evolution.

However, Monash professors are not theonly ones publishing scientific discoveries.

First-year undergraduate majoring inmedical bioscience Nguyen Phuong Tranpublished a study this year based onresearch she conducted during an internshipwith Monash University’s Genomics Facility.

Her paper, accepted by the journal

Genome Announcements, published by theAmerican Society of Microbiology, examines11 bacteria that dwell on the poison ivyplant.

Her research was born from a partnershipbetween Monash University Malaysia andRochester Institute of Technology (RIT), New York.

Nguyen is one of several students whoshowed up to see Monash UniversityMalaysia’s new Genomics Facility uponthe invitation of Dr Han Ming Gan, apostdoctoral research fellow and genomicslaboratory manager who taught her biologyclass.

“I did not hesitate to ask Dr Gan for avolunteer position in the laboratory. I believethat acquiring experience in multiple fieldswill bring a competitive edge and versatility

to my skillset,” says Nguyen.She had learnt about genomics briefly

during a first-semester biotechnology unitand applied that knowledge in herinternship.

“I had learnt about the principles ofseveral techniques used in sequencingbacterial genomes such as assembling contigfiles and the chain-termination methodknown as Sanger’s sequencing. Thesesounded dry in classes and did not interestme until I had a chance to apply myknowledge and skills in research,” Nguyensays.

“It’s a nice example of how you canintegrate undergraduate teaching andresearch and have tangible outcomesfor the students and the university,”says Prof Christopher M. Austin, leader

of Genomics Cluster and professorof tropical biology.He adds that it is never too early

to introduce students to research.Their capacity to learn should not beunderestimated when they are introducedto a topic that sparks their interest.

Dr Gan got Nguyen involved in a projectstudying bacterial DNA based on samplesthat had recently arrived from RIT, providedby his former research supervisor.

“We sequenced the genomes of bacterialiving in close association with the poisonivy,” says Dr Gan.

“We then passed the data to Nguyen andshe did everything from there – assemblingthe genomes, analysing the sequences andcomparing the species with those that hadbeen published.”

“We found many new species that had notbeen sequenced before,” he says, adding thatnew bacterial genomes are an invaluableresource for future research that may leadto medicinal or biotechnology applications.

The Monash Genomics Facility is equippedto perform DNA isolation, sequencing,assembly and analysis, which is the processrequired to put a genome together.

Prof Austin explains that only about 5% ofthe process lies in DNA sequencing. Ninety-five percent of the effort is actually in data

analysis and bioinformatics, whichbasically involves the use of computers andspecialised software to analyse and organiseall the DNA from the species being studiedand make it available to the rest of theworld.

“When DNA comes out of the sequencer,we actually don’t know what it is other thanlots of fragments consisting of differentsequences of the chemical building blocks ofDNA, abbreviated as A, G, T and C. These bitsof DNA have many overlapping copies thatmust be put together like a jigsaw puzzleso that we can make sense of it, identifyproteins, and work out the structure andorder of genes. All that is done on powerful

computers,” says Prof Austin.Students such as Nguyen are being trained

in cutting-edge bioinformatics research,where they are encouraged to analyse dataindependently, write and submit an articlefor publication in international genomics journals.

When Nguyen started out, she wasunfamiliar with laboratory software and theLinux operating system.

“This challenged me to actively seekadditional information for myself using allkinds of available outlets from books to theInternet,” she recalls.

The internships began when Dr Ganstarted inviting his biology students to visitthe Genomics Facility. He was surprised athow many turned up. Once, a group of 40students visited and he had to split the class

into two sessions.Both Dr Gan and Prof Austin hope theGenomics Facility will expand toaccommodate growing student interest,which could lead to more publications forthe laboratory.

“Through hands-on independent research,students learn from their mistakes andbecome confident independent learners.They are forced to face failures and learnso much from learning how to solve them,”says Dr Gan.

Possibilities for a genomics major atMonash University Malaysia are currentlybeing discussed. A genomics course wouldattract a lot of student interest, Prof Austinbelieves.

Meanwhile, he says, if they continueinviting first-year students as Dr Gan has,

students can learn to be excellentresearchers before they graduate, developan appetite for a research degree and beready to “hit the ground running” whenthey enter PhD programmes.

Monash is hosting its Open Day onMarch 19 from 11am to 4pm for parentsand students to come and check out theuniversity’s facilities and programmes.

n For more information, visitwww.sci.monash.edu.my.

Students can learnto be excellentresearchers before theygraduate, develop anappetite for a researchdegree and be ready tohit the ground runningwhen they enter PhDprogrammes.


9/12

WHEN Sunway University,originally Sunway College, wasestablished in 1987, it was basedon Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah’s firmbelief and understanding thathigher education is vital to theprogress of the country.

This holds true to this day whereSunway University, together with 12other institutions under the SunwayEducation Group (SEG), is ownedand governed by the Jeffrey CheahFoundation (JCF).

Through the JCF, the SEG givesback to society using operating

surpluses to fund and awardscholarships to ensure thatsustainable, quality education isalways a priority.

The JCF, Malaysia’s largesteducation-focused social enterprise,is imbued with the philanthropy ofnurturing success and transforminglives through education.

The foundation made history lastyear with a disbursement ofscholarships worth RM45mil tomore than 3,000 students.

The amount surpasses theprevious year’s RM33mil, bringingthe total amount of scholarshipsawarded to date to more thanRM210mil to thousands of deservingstudents.

Each year, scholarships areawarded to students of differentethnicities, cultures andbackgrounds to pursue studies atSunway College and SunwayUniversity.

The foundation aspires to reachout to more students and providethem with a chance at qualityeducation with the hope that thecontribution makes an impact intheir lives.

Sunway College and SunwayUniversity continuously offer

Better future

through education

The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Scholarships and Awards Ceremony 2015.


course focus 9

scholarships and education funds todeserving students through the Jeffrey Cheah Entrance Scholarship, Jeffrey Cheah ContinuingScholarship, Sunway UniversityPostgraduate Degree Scholarship,Sunway University Masters Degreeby Research Scholarship, TheChancellors’ Scholarship, SunwayExcellence Scholarship, Jeffrey CheahFoundation – Sunway GroupScholarship, Jeffrey Cheah SpecialEntrance Scholarship, Sunway MusicTalent Scholarship and SunwaySports Scholarship.

Chan Zhen Hoe, who studiedA-Levels at Sunway College, is arecipient of the Jeffrey CheahFoundation – Sunway GroupScholarship.

The scholarship covers full tuitionfees for Chan’s studies in theBachelor of Civil Engineering atMonash University, Malaysia.

“I was excited as it is such anhonour to be awarded thisscholarship as the Sunway Group iswell known in Malaysia,” says Chan.

The institutions also offer need-based scholarships, which includethe Jeffrey Cheah FoundationCommunity Scholarship, JeffreyCheah Foundation Scholarship,Sunway Education Group – Elena

Cooke Education Fund, NanyangTertiary Education Fund, Sin ChewDaily Education Fund, Sun-MAPCUScholarship Scheme, Biasiswa

Sunway-Berita Harianand The StarEducation Fund.

The Jeffrey CheahFoundationCommunity

Scholarship hasalways been

synonymouswith the Jeffrey

Cheah Foundation.Considered a highly valued social

transformer, the Jeffrey CheahFoundation Community Scholarshipis awarded to budding potentialsfrom welfare homes anddisadvantaged backgrounds topursue studies at Sunway Collegeand Sunway University.

The scholarship is given out toencourage, support and motivatedisadvantaged students to reachtheir full potential and aspirations.

There are many advantages thatcome with a good education.

Individuals who pursue highereducation normally experiencegreater financial and employmentsecurity as well as moreopportunities to connect with andcontribute to their community,culminating in greater satisfactionwith life.

“I am forever thankful for thescholarship and education that I amreceiving, and I hope to be able tocontribute back to Sunway, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation andultimately, the community andsociety in every way I can,” saysRaymond Aw Wen Yong, a recipientof the Jeffrey Cheah FoundationCommunity Scholarship.

“It is always enjoyable to be part

of new things and events for I learnsomething new every time, meetnew people and hone useful skillssuch as teamwork.”

Students can take the opportunityto broaden their horizons beyondwhat they learn in the classrooms.

As education is not onlyimportant for career developmentbut plays a role in personaldevelopment as well, students canalso pick up essential skills such astime management, interpersonalskills and critical thinking. Skillssuch as these will stay with themfor a lifetime.

Through scholarships, the SEGand JCF provide students with theopportunity to reach their goal

of receiving a quality collegeeducation. You can visit the Sunway

Education Open Day at the campuson March 12, 13, 19 and 20 from10am to 4pm.

n For more information aboutscholarships offered by the SEG and JCF, visit sunway.edu.my/university/ scholarships or e-mail [email protected] or call 03-7491 8622.

Raymond Aw Wen Yong,recipient of the Jeffrey

Cheah FoundationCommunity Scholarship.


10/12



Realise your study goalsEAT Eastern Life Assurancealaysia) Berhad (Great Easterne)’s applications for the Greatstern Supremacy Scholarship

wards 2016 are open from Marcho 31 to Malaysian students.Great Eastern Life will beering 15 to 18 scholarshipsrth RM1.5mil for tertiary

ucation in local public andvate universities.

The qualified recipients, whol pursue studies in local publicprivate universities, will receive

M15,000 and RM25,000 perademic year respectively fortion and living expenses.Since its inception in 1998, 149holarships worth more than

M10.6mil have been awarded bycompany in its contribution

wards nurturing the talents ofnation’s future leaders. Great

stern Life is now looking for thext Great Eastern Supremacy

holars who have what it takes tolise their dreams with the

holarship support.Candidates will go throughessments comprisingerviews, a written assessmentd group presentation.Great Eastern Life is offering theholarship in a wide spectrum of

eer options such as actuarialence, accounting and finance,urance studies, law, biomedical,ss communication, business

ministration, marketing,onomics, mathematics, statistics,gineering, operational research,ormation technology, human

resource management, psychology,decision science and riskmanagement.

Great Eastern SupremacyScholars will benefit from theawards, which will allow them topursue a promising careerdevelopment upon graduation.

The annual Great EasternSupremacy Scholarship Awards ispart of Great Eastern Life’s effort indeveloping talent for the financial

sector, in line with the nation’sFinancial Sector Blueprint.

The blueprint’s objective isto evolve a financial ecosystemthat will best serve a high value-added, high-income Malaysianeconomy.

Great Eastern Life has beenrecognised for the seventhconsecutive year in the Malaysia’s100 Leading Graduate Employer2015 list, which is a testament to it

being one of the best workplacesin Malaysia.

Great Eastern Life began itsoperations in 1908 as a branchoffice of The Great Eastern LifeAssurance Company Limited.

The Malaysian operations weresubsequently transferred to alocally incorporated publiccompany, Great Eastern LifeAssurance (Malaysia) Berhadunder the Scheme of Transfer

Datuk Koh Yaw Hui, director and chef executive officer of Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Berhad (seated fourthfrom left) accompanied by Dennis Tan, senior vice president and head of human capital, of Great Eastern LifeAssurance (M) Berhad (seated third from left) celebrating with recipients who received a total of RM1.3mil at theGreat Eastern Supremacy Scholarship Awards ceremony last year.

of Business.The company was certified by

The Malaysia Book of Records in1998 as The Oldest and Largest LifeInsurer in Malaysia.

Great Eastern Life’s productsinclude life insurance plans,investment-linked plans, mortgageprotection, business protection,employee benefits, medicalinsurance and group health benefitschemes.

Great Eastern Life Assurance(Malaysia) Berhad is a whollyowned subsidiary of Great EasternHoldings Limited (GEH) and itsultimate holding company isOversea-Chinese BankingCorporation Limited (OCBC).

Great Eastern Holdings Ltd is theoldest and most established lifeinsurance group in Singapore andMalaysia.

It was named Life InsuranceCompany of the Year at the AsiaInsurance Industry Awards in2011 and 2013 by Asia InsuranceReview.

n For more informationon the Great EasternSupremacy Scholarship, visitwww.greateasternlife.com.Applications can be submittedby e-mailing scholarshipgreateasternlife.com by March 31.


11/12

Steering studentsto new heightsWHILE entertainment may seemcommon to many, there is no doubtthat people need it. This needshould drive the type of coursesthat universities offer.

With a growing market forMalaysian-made movies, televisionseries and Internet videos, moreand more creative people need tobe equipped with the skills andknowledge to produce high-qualitycontent.

Multimedia University (MMU)

meets this need with its newcampus at Educity @ Iskandar,Nusajaya.

Launched on Jan 25, theNusajaya campus is MMU’s thirdbuilding after establishingcampuses in Malacca andCyberjaya.

It is a purpose-built campus tospecifically offer the Bachelor ofCinematic Arts Programme (CAP),an exclusive offering of MMU’sFaculty of Cinematic Arts.

The course teaches students theentire script-to-screen process andCAP graduates can build theircareers as animators, scholars,

MMU’s Nusajaya campus exclusively delivers the Cinematic Arts programme,which provides students a solid foundation in content creation.

Prof DrAhmad RafiMohamedEshaq.

teachers, writers, directors,producers, cinematographers,editors, sound experts or evenindustry executives.

Prof Dr Ahmad Rafi MohamedEshaq, president of MMU, says,“CAP was conceptualised andimplemented from the ground upto make MMU a regional hub forcreative industries. By being in thislocation, we are positioned to haveaccess to better experts via ourcollaborative programmes, not just

with local industryplayers, but alsointernational oneswhose output helpensures the quality ofCAP.”

With the MMUcampus in Educity,


course focus 11

the Iskandar InternationalEducation Hub is poised to makean impact in the national andregional content creation industry.

Establishing the campus alsoreflects Telekom Malaysia’s pivotalrole in nation building through itsproduction of highly skilledknowledge workforce for theinformation and communicationstechnology and innovationsindustry.

The campus is fully equipped

with comprehensive facilities tooffer a good film school, includinga digital library or media resourcecentre, gallery, post-productionlaboratories, motion capturestudio, shooting stage, recordingstudio and workshops.

MMU Nusajaya students haveaccess to Pinewoods

Iskandar MalaysiaStudios located in thevicinity of the Nusajayacampus, where theycan apply their skillsin an environmentconducive to learning.

The studio is part of

the Pinewood Studios Group,providers of studio and relatedservices to the worldwide film andtelevision industries.

Pinewood Studios haveproduced some of the mostsuccessful feature films andtelevision shows ever made and is

considered to have an impressiveheritage.

Movies that it has worked oninclude Star Wars: The Force Awakens, In the Heart of the Sea,and the James Bond vehicle inSpectre.

MMU has also partnered withthe School of Cinematic Arts (SCA)of the University of SouthernCalifornia, which is one of the bestcinematic schools in the world, tooffer a more global package.

As a trainer of filmmakers, theSCA is a powerhouse. Its alumnihave worked on well-known showson the big and small screens,

including George Lucas of StarWars, Ron Howard of A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13, Cinco Paulof Despicable Me 2, and Cort Feyof CSI , Lost and House.

MMU is well known inMalaysian circles as a producer offirst-rate movie makers, animators

and special effects artists.The university’s alumni include

Ghaz Abu Bakar, who directed the2015 box-office hit Polis Evo;Nizam Razak, the creator of BoboiBoy; and Azim Hulaimi,visual effects artist who helpedbring the movie Life of Pi to life.

In conjunction with its 20thanniversary celebrations, MMUis offering special rebates andscholarships for students whoenrol for its April intake.

n For more info on MMU,visit www.mmu.edu.my orcall 1300 800 668.


12/12



From health sciences to arts, students at SEGi University and Colleges are free to pursue various fields of study andseek a satisfying career path.

Moulding promising mindsGI University and Colleges hasen educating generations oflaysians since its inception astematic College.

Today, SEGi has one of thedest ranges of top-notchogrammes that prepare studentssuccessful careers.

From pre-university tostgraduate levels, SEGi suitsery learner’s needs and providesuitable programme thatomises to bring out the besteveryone.Choices of programmes includedicine, business, the creatives and early childhooducation.The wide range of programmesSEGi makes it one of the fewvate learning institutions thater nearly every major thatccessful people would wantpursue.There are also options for

dents to graduate withrchments from SEGi University,y one of its partner universitiesm the United Kingdom, theited States or Australia, or evenh SEGi University and an

erseas partner university.With more than 27,000 students,Gi is also one of the largestvate higher educationtitutions.

SEGi has five campuses inKlang Valley, Penang and

rawak, making it one of thest accessible higher educationtitutions in the country.SEGi offers a range of

scholarships and rebates tostudents with great potential.Here is the list of financial aidschemes at SEGi:

High Achiever’s Scholarship• Waiver of RM500 for every A

scored in SPM• Up to 100% rebate on tuition

fees

Promising Minds Fund• Pay RM100 to start a

programme

Earn As You Learn Fund• Special rebates that cover

PTPTN• Only for business, information

technology, hospitality and

communications programmes• Receive up to RM6,000 in grants

and annual scholarship whenmaintaining CGPA 3.5 or above

Bumi Grant Scheme• Pay tuition fees of only

RM20,400 for any diplomaprogramme of your choice

(except allied health sciencesand early childhood education)

There is also a unique monthlyinstalment plan and special rate tobegin foundation studies rightafter SPM at RM4,320.

Terms and conditions apply.Contact your nearest SEGi campusfor more information.

Interested applicants can visitany SEGi campus during its InfoDay from March 7 to 24 todiscover how SEGi can providethe guidance and care neededfor school-leavers to pursue asuccessful career.

SEGi will also be hosting itsOpen Day from March 25 to 27

at all five campuses.This is the perfect opportunity

to check out the campus facilitiesand speak to the academiciansabout the programmes that thesecampuses offer.

n For more information, call SEGiUniversity at 03-6145 1777 or 1800887 344, SEGi College Subang Jayaat 03-86001888 or 1800 888 622,SEGi College Kuala Lumpur at03-2070 2078 or 1800 888 028,SEGi College Penang at 04-2633888, SEGi College Sarawak at 082-252 566 or e-mail [email protected] or visit www.segi.edu.my.

course focus - 8 march 2016

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