USM PENANG, 25 March 2024 - The Commonwealth Academic Forum 2024 was held online today, via Cisco Webex, to look at the issues on the growing importance of women taking leading roles in different areas, especially in higher education, where they are reshaping paradigms and propelling transformative change.

The forum was jointly organised by the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF) and Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), and the Malaysian Society for Higher Education Policy and Research Development (PenDaPat).

Focusing on the issue of "Shattering Expectations: Women Leadership in Higher Education", the forum addressed a critical juncture, encapsulating the transformative journey of women who are breaking barriers, defying stereotypes, and assuming leadership roles within the academia.

It is crucial to recognise the interrelation of the dialogue with global initiatives aimed at fostering gender equality and promoting quality education.

According to USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and International, Professor Dato’ Gs. Dr. Narimah Samat, in her opening speech, she underscored the profound significance of women's leadership in driving progress towards fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 5,on Gender Equality.

“We recognise the pivotal role of women's leadership in driving progress towards this goal, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring equal opportunities for all,” she said.

Narimah further emphasised the pivotal role of women's leadership in higher education as a catalyst for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4, relating to Quality Education.

Recognising the transformative power of education in empowering individuals and communities, she stressed the importance of nurturing talent, fostering creativity, and promoting lifelong learning through inclusive and equitable education systems.

“As we navigate this discourse, we must also confront the challenges that persist. It is incumbent upon us to address these challenges collectively, through collaborative efforts and targeted initiatives that create a conducive environment for women to thrive and succeed,” she added.

The speakers who presented relating to the overall theme of the forum were the Executive Director, Centre for Academic Partnerships and Engagement (CAPE), University of Nottingham Malaysia, Associate Professor Dr. Rozilini Mary Fernandez-Chung, PFHEA; and the Vice-Chancellor, SABS University of Art, Design and Heritages Jamshoro, Pakistan, Professor Dr. Arabella Bhutto, moderated by the Programme Director of Taylor’s University Malaysia and also Deputy Secretary of PenDaPat, Marzura Abdul Malek.

The Undersecretary, International Relations Division, MOHE, Datin Noorazah Omar then delivered the closing remarks at the end of the programme, in which she highlighted the significant role of women in Malaysia’s higher education sector.

Noorazah urged for the continuation of efforts to foster diversity, inclusion, and excellence in higher education, emphasising that women's leadership is key to achieving a brighter, more equal future.

“Let us continue this momentum and commitment towards fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, and excellence in higher education, where women's leadership not only shatters expectations but also paves the way for a brighter and more equal future for all,” she said.

The CTEF acts as a network for Commonwealth countries, facilitating the development of tertiary education by sharing knowledge and best practices.

Also present at the virtual forum were the Programme Director, Sri Jeyanthirar Subramaniam and IPPTN Director, Ts. Dr. Rohayati Mohd Isa.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi/Photo: Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility (CTEF)

SELANGOR, 14 June 2024 - Two PhD students from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) won awards at the Malaysia Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition held recently at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

The competition was organised by the Council of Malaysian Postgraduate Deans in response to the widespread interest and enthusiasm among Malaysian universities and students.

Hamidah Mohd Zain, a student from the Advanced Medical and Dentistry Institute (AMDI) USM clinched First Place in the Science, Engineering, and Technology category with her presentation "Nano-Propolis From Kelulut: Extinguishing the Flame of Inflammation”.

This victory qualifies Hamidah to represent Malaysia at the Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition at the University of Queensland, Australia, in October 2024.

On the same stage, Arathai Din Eak from the USM School of Distance Education secured Third Place in the Social Science category with her presentation titled "Screencast Video Feedback: A Revolution in Open and Distance Learning."

Among other contestants from USM who competed in the same competition were Alexander Tan Wai Teng from the USM School of Mechanical Engineering and Vanesri A/P Kasi from the USM School of Educational Studies.

These students were carefully selected from the USM 3MT competition held on 7th November 2023, and who had undergone rigorous coaching by the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) USM.

The competition was first introduced by the University of Queensland, whereas 3MT was organised by the Council of Malaysian Postgraduate Deans in response to the widespread interest and enthusiasm among Malaysian universities and students.

The inaugural Malaysia 3MT competition was held in 2015, with the aim to cultivate research presentation and communication skills among postgraduate students. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) co-organised the first competition, which featured participants from over 20 Malaysian public and private universities.

This year, the tradition continues with UKM as the main organiser and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) as the co-organiser.

The competition was held on 13 June 2024 at UKM, with participants comprising of 66 contestants from 22 universities across Malaysia, competing in two categories namely Science, Engineering, and Technology; and Social Sciences.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi

USM PENANG, 3 June 2024 – “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.”

This quote was originally said by the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg as it was mentioned by the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and International, Professor Dato’ Gs. Dr. Narimah Samat in her welcoming speech, at the Harpswell Sixth Annual ASEAN Women's Leadership Summit.

Organised by the Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA) USM with Harpswell Foundation, the 10-day women leadership programme is aimed at facilitating the exchange of ideas and reflection on women in leadership within the ASEAN region.

Narimah further emphasised that as a public institution of higher learning in an ASEAN member state, USM plays a crucial role in contributing to sustainable development through education provision and development.

“We at USM continues to support such an effort, especially since it directly and indirectly benefits substantially more than half of its student and staff constituents, who are women,” she said.

Narimah hoped that this programme will be an extremely useful platform to learn from each other, as it will also create a space for further international and regional collaborations at various levels. She wished all participants success in their training.

In the sharing session, Alixia Lee Hwei Lih from Malaysia said that she found that this programme is an eye-opening as it provided insights into diverse issues faced by women in the ASEAN countries and Nepal. The discussions offered valuable perspectives on modern life and she hopes to use this information to empower others.

Rya Celine Ducusin from Philippines thanked everyone involved for hosting them during their stay. She appreciates how stories and words have power within the Harpswell community.

“Despite our differences in experiencing jet lag or workloads, we have built trust through friendship with fellow participants. Small impactful actions towards each other are important, and I am grateful for the new friendships formed during our time at Harpswell,” said Rya.

Also present were the Chairman of the Board of Governors Wawasan Open University (WOU), Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon; Founder of Harpswell Foundation, Professor Alan Lightman; Chair of the Harpswell Board of Trustees, Shelly Kessler; Director of KANITA USM, Professor Dr. Saidatulakmal Mohamad; KANITA USM Head of Project, Profesor Dato’ Dr. Noraida Endut and Executive Director of Harpswell Foundation, Jacyl Shaw.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa

PENANG, 25 June 2024 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education (JPT), Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), hosted an exclusive Dialogue Session today, featuring the Minister of Higher Education, Dato' Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir, and Electrical and Electronic (E&E) Industry Partners.

The event aimed to facilitate discussions on the E&E sector's needs concerning talent supply and job offerings, seeking input and feedback from industry partners to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the industry.

This session is expected to be a significant milestone in fostering closer ties between MoHE and the E&E industry, contributing to Malaysia's economic growth and innovation.

Zambry Abdul Kadir in his speech highlighted the Ministry's commitment to preparing future talents with advanced knowledge and skills necessary for the rapidly evolving E&E industry, particularly in semiconductor technology.

He emphasised the alignment of the E&E sector with global trends, the current Malaysian E&E ecosystem, and MoHE's initiatives in talent development.

"MoHE has launched several initiatives to align university graduates' skills with industry standards and improve employability. These include the MOHE Research Industry Innovation Incubation (MRI3), the Structured Industry Apprenticeship Programme (SIAP) for integrated circuit design, and the MOHE Intel Elite Internship Programme," he stated.

He also mentioned other programmes like PENJANA KPT-CAP, the Teaching Factory Programme, the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Transformation Programme, and flexible micro-credential programmes aimed at increasing graduate employability through exposure to high-end facilities and current job market demands.

"This dialogue serves as an excellent platform to better understand the challenges in the E&E industry, particularly in semiconductor technology, allowing MOHE to strategize support for future talents, academic programmes, and R&D activities for postgraduate programmes," he added.

Meanwhile, USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, in his welcoming address underscored the importance of close collaboration between public universities and the industry to produce talents with relevant knowledge and skill sets.

He highlighted the efforts of the Consortium of E&E led by USM and the MoHE Research and Industry-Infused Incubator (MRI3), which play pivotal roles in training industry-ready talents.

"Currently, over 900 students from across Malaysia are registered in the MRI3 portal, with more than 500 slots available in 30 industries," he said.

He expressed gratitude to industry players for supporting academia in industry-ready talent development through enhanced educational curricula; state-of-the-art facilities and hands-on training opportunities; and R&D collaboration.

"Let us build upon our successes and continue to shape the next chapter of Malaysia's semiconductor journey,” Abdul Rahman concluded.

The event also featured a mock cheque handover ceremony from industry partners to USM, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) to commemorate a strategic partnership between industries and higher education institutions in developing future talents.

Also present were the Member of the Penang State Executive Council (Rural Department, Trade and Entrepreneurship Development), Rashidi Zinol; Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) MoHE, Dato' Dr. Haji Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian; Director-General of Higher Education JPT, Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman; USM Board of Governors Chairman, Dato’ Seri Dr. Awang Adek Hussin; vice-chancellors of the public universities and esteemed industry delegates and partners.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa