LANGKAWI, KEDAH, October 2015 – "We need to constantly observe the competitors and be prepared to compete in all aspects, especially in the higher education sector in developing the human resource," said the member of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Board of Governors, Tengku Tan Sri Dr. Mahaleel Tengku Arif in his presentation on the topic of ‘Higher Education for Global Challenges’ at the National Seminar on Academic Management of Higher Educational Institutions (SPeAK 2015) here recently.

Said Tengku Mahaleel further, in order to remain competitive in the education sector, we need to look into two essential factors, namely knowledge and human resource.

"For example, the demand for education in Malaysia is higher than its provisions and the number of international students exceeding the locals at various levels of study, be they undergraduates or postgraduates," added Tengku Mahaleel, a respectable corporate figure who once held top positions at Proton Holdings Berhad, Nestle Malaysia Berhad and Shell Malaysia.

"The key to facing competitors in education would be to Keep, Educating, Yourself (KEY) or in other words, to continue learning for one’s own self-development," he said.

This was also supported and further explained by the Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor's University, Professor Dato' Dr. Hassan Said, in discussing the various challenges to be faced globally in the future.

He said, there are a multitude of issues and challenges such as strictly-implemented policies, language variations, financial limitations and ensuring security of the students.

Hassan also shared the characteristics or capabilities of a strategic leader which are having a global mindset, a wide range of network and transformative management.

A presentation was also delivered on the second day of SPeAK 2015 by a Consultant for the Higher Education Blueprint, representing the Director-General of Malaysia Higher Education Department, Dato' Professor Ir. Dr. Mohd Saleh Jaafar and Senior Director of Centre for Academic Leadership, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

For the record, SPeAK 2015 saw the participation of 120 administrators and academicians from 20 higher educational institutions throughout Malaysia and it provided a platform to share knowledge, ideas and creativity in relation to the growth and development of higher education.

The theme for SPeAK 2015 is “Higher Education for the Future vs. The Future of Higher Education” and is organised by the Academic Management Division, USM Department of Registry and with the cooperation of the Joint Committee for Training, Higher Educational Institutions Malaysia (JALUMA).

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text & Photo: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain