VICE CHANCELLOR ANNUAL SPEECH 2019

THE EXCERPT

University Sustainability: Changing Paradigm Shif

  1. While change is constant, survival is the rate of responsiveness to change. The future is predictable but remains uncertain and therefore, sustainability becomes the key to survival.
  2. University is the conglomeration of the learned in pursuit of knowledge and excellence for the benefits of society.
  3. University growth and progress is a journey. It will be a journey towards a Sustainable University built upon institutional strength, academic prowess, financial agility, brand and location factors.
  4. The year 2019 will be a challenging year in moving the University forward. To do so successfully, it requires concerted efforts from all; students, staff (both academic and administrative), the main stakeholders and shareholders.
  5. The University is embarking on crafting a suitable model that propels itself into niche areas, strategised to draw more students to the University and more visibility nationally and regionally in the next 5 years or so.
  6. The University is also strategising on new frontiers of focused areas and income generation as well as getting more funding for students studies in the University. The current awarding of full and partial scholarships would be granted to suitable candidates who meet the aspirations of the country.
  7. Internationalisation programmes to recruit more foreign students and new partners for collaborations in academic, mobility and research are also on the roll out plans.

PUNCAK 2019

  1. The new year speech of the VC will explain the Six Thrusts of Paradigm Shifts namely; Performance, University State of the Art; Nurturing Students in a Professional and Ethical Fashion, Graduates and Alumni; Changing Culture Paradigm; Academic Paradigm Shifts and Knowledge Transfer Alliance.
  2. The University plans to roll out a New Suitable Business Model by Rationalisation of Academic Programmes, Generation of Additional Income and Providing for more Scholarships and Sponsorships in the 5 years to come.
  3. Refined Organisational Structure by the creation of clusters of Academic, Strategic, Administration, Support Services and Research Training Consultancy is explored with the setting up of DRB-HICOM Graduate Business School that focuses on generating alumnis in the upper echelon of the organisation and provides more visibility to the university. Industry Linked centre, GENIUS, Government, Industry, Academia and Society, that embodies the quadruple helix models of will focus on developing the much needed collaborative network for better society, producing graduates ready to serve the industry not only academically but also professionally and ethically in their decision making in public service. Also included, the Academic Development centre, CACTUS, Centre of Academic Collaboration & Transformation for University Sustainability that will continue to chart new waters in collaborations with other universities to accelerate growth in areas that we lack expertise. Training Research and Consultancy centre, CENTRIC, which stands for Center of Excellence in Training, Research and Industry Consultancy will concentrate its efforts as a small business unit (SBU) providing new revenue streams by looking at potentials in Contract Research, Leadership Seminars, Professional Short Courses and on-demand training and consultancy, leveraging on our relationship with the groups subsidiaries. We are also looking at a revamped marketing method known as ABRAD; stands for Admission, Branding, Recruitment and Advisory Division that will amalgamate our efforts in increasing the university’s visibility through branding strategy in making our university visible to the eyes of the public in areas we know best such as the Automotive Eco-system. The division will be a one-stop center for prospects to learn about our university under prospect advisory activities.  On top of that, a revamped Students Affairs known as SDCCA which stands for Students Development Counselling, Career and Alumni will be setup to concentrate our efforts in ensuring productions of better graduates, creating conducive environment for students to learn, discover and innovate through campus lifestyle, providing counselling and career path for students and at the same time, embracing our alumni as the ambassadors of the university.
  4. The university will remain focused in its core business by maintaining and strengthening the existing Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Faculty of Business & Management, School of Foundation and Inter-Disciplinary Studies, School of Advanced & Distance Learning and Centre of Language, Cultural & International.
  5. More than 15 Flagship Programmes are envisaged to be rolled out which include Design Competition, Southern Thailand Education Programmes, Pekan Bangsawan, Student Conference, Swiss Innovation Challenge, Great Place to Work, Academic Coaching Programme, Academia Developmental Canvass, Incubator (Students’ Start-up Companies) and many others.
  6. In addition to these, Akademi Saga too will be revamped and KL Campus is planned to be operational to indicate our presence in the public at large. Klang Valley continues to be the epicentre of growth for the nation and we believe with our existence in the Klang Valley, our service will be far more accepted as the force to be reckoned with, especially in providing quality education in Engineering, Business and Management.
  7. Currently, the University has more than 55 academic Programmes and plan to roll out 2U2i programmes in collaboration with CTRM as well as other subsisdiaries. The work based learning programmes, stretching more than 1 year in the industry, will attact more students.
  8. University is offering 2 Premier Student Support Programmes known as DRB-HICOM Apprentice Programme (DASP) and DRB-HICOM Graduate Employability Programme (DGES) to 80 students annually with more than 800 partial scholarships awarded annually. Other than these, Full Scholarships and Tution Fee Scholarships for 200 students in foundation studies are also available.
  9. In the pipeline of 2019 roll-out plan, a collaboration programme with Geely University (GU) is planned to include intakes of China Students, English Centre in GU, One Belt One Road Centre in GU and Post Graduate Programmes of GU in our University.
  10. Innovative approaches through double certification, professional certification, virtual campus, blended learning and flexible industry driven academic programmes will be rolled out.
  11. Client based training, programme certification, technology based partnerships will also be framed and explored with new alliances.

Outlook 2019

  1. 2019 is poised to be a challenging and exciting year for the University. It will seek to enhance Quality and Excellence through key parameters of PUNCAK.
  2. Improvement in teaching and learning method, academics development programmes and improvement in quality of students and graduates will be the focus too.
  3. The University seeks to deliver the planned strategies and action in an integrated team work basis with the support of the university community, its stakeholders and partners.
  4. Academia will face a disruptive phase. The Industry 4.0 (Indusrtry4wrd) has basically changed the way we do business.  Students of younger generations embrace technology far quicker than our syllabus can cope.  For that reason alone, our syllabus must be flexible to keep pace with the new generation.
  5. TVET is gaining ground again. Previously dubbed as the second class education for the academically challenged, it has now become the delivery method of the future.  Hands-on, on the job training and work-study programmes will be the in-things of the future.  But, teaching TVET requires heavy capital investments, time and efforts to increase instructors’ competencies.  New methods of teaching TVET by miniaturization of equipment, mini models and computer based training using AI (artificial intelligence), AR (augmented reality) must be explored.  Assuming we can achieve this, teaching technical related studies will take on a new dimension.  This is where we require academia to self-develop themselves and look for new frontier.

~ Prof. Dato’ Sr. Dr. Omar Osman ~

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