Tag: Universiti Teknologi MARA

Faculty of Business and Management (FBM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has been accepted as an affiliate member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).

EFMD is a global, non-profit, membership-driven organisation that act as an accreditation body for business schools, business school programmes, and corporate universities based in Brussels, Belgium, with offices in Geneva, Hong Kong, Miami and Prague. With the support of more than 900 members across 90 countries, EFMD act as a catalyst to promote and enhance excellence in management
development globally.

As a member of EFMD, FBM has become part of the largest community of management development professionals worldwide, from both the academic and corporate worlds.  This will drive the faculty towards international recognition and be part of the most diverse business education network and stay ahead of the curve in management development.

The drive of getting this recognition from EFMD for FBM was initiated by the former dean of FBM and continued by the current leadership of Professor Dr. Noryati Ahmad. It was supported by the other top management members of the faculty headed by Dr. Nor Lelawati Jamaludin together with a team of dedicated committee members; Dr. Noor Ain Mohd Yunus, Dr. Azimah Daud, Dr. Aida Azlina Mansor, Pn. Norina Ahmad Jamil and Pn. Nurul Salizawatee Mahpar.  Together they made FBM-UiTM more visible globally and credible.

This initiative is aligned with the aspirations of UiTM towards achieving globally renowned university status. The former Vice-Chancellor of UiTM, Emeritus Professor Datuk Ir Dr. Mohd Azraai Kassim once stressed on the importance of visibility in a very crisp way and reminded that: “In this world, you not only need to be good, but people need to know that you are good”.

Thus, the spotlighted membership is a good measure to move UiTM and the Faculty of
Business and Management forward with international recognition and accreditation as well as making it more visible.

In the month of Ramadan, UiTM Terengganu Branch lecturers of Kuala Terengganu Campus have taken the initiative to organize the Qaseh Ramadhan Program on the last day of school, 6th May of 2021 at two primary schools around Chendering, namely SK Kubang Ikan and SK Chendering. This initiative was taken to alleviate the burden of the needy from these two schools as well as to cheer up their Aidilfitri celebrations. This Qaseh Ramadhan 2021 program is the fifth program held to celebrate the less fortunate around the UiTM Kuala Terengganu campus.

A total of 45 families from SK Kubang Ikan and SK Chendering have received donations in the form of cash and various kitchen items such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, cookies, healthy drinks, juices, wheat flour and others in preparation for the upcoming Aidilfitri through the fund. Contribution of the Qaseh Ramadhan Program was launched at the three campuses
of UiTM Terengganu Branch, namely Kuala Terengganu Campus, Dungun Campus and
Bukit Besi Campus.

An internal contribution fund was launched for two weeks from 18-29 April 2021 to fund this program. A total of RM11,590.00 of donations from academic and non-academic staff was successfully collected. A total of RM6190.00 has been allocated for the purchase of kitchen items while RM5400.00 was distributed in cash to 45 families to enable them to buy raw materials to be cooked on Eid.

It is hoped that this assistance will lessen the burden of recipients who are orphans, single mothers, the disabled and families severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which has not yet fully recovered as well as bring UiTM closer to the hearts of the local community.

This good deed was a collaboration effort from UiTM Terengganu campus with guidance from Puan Nor Jawanees Ahmad Hanafiahas the Chairman of the Qaseh Ramadhan 2021 Program with her 20 committee members, and support from the UiTM Terengganu Rector, Prof Ts Dr Mazidah Puteh and UiTM Kuala Terengganu Deputy Rector, Assoc Prof Wan Dorishah Wan Abdul Manan.

The Covid-19 pandemic posed significant impacts on mobility and international activities on higher-educational institutions. Nonetheless, despite the growing concerns about the crisis that has left institutions worldwide to shut “physically”, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Pahang Branch, Malaysia capitalized on the opportunity to strengthen the internationalization agenda with university partners from abroad through the virtual platform.

In this “new normal”, UiTM Pahang Branch hosted their first Global Lecture Series 2021 in collaboration with Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) and Halu Oleo University (UHO), Indonesia. The event held on 22nd and 23rd June is one of the strategic activities planned under the MoU signed with both institutions.

This Global Lecture Series was one of the international programs that served as a platform to engage academics and students from the three universities to share their expertise, ideas and experiences on current issues and education. The lecture sessions were made accessible to all UiTM staff and students and other universities in Malaysia and the public. Around 400 participants took the opportunity to attend the two-day
lectures.

The series featured four speakers from UiTM Pahang Branch, two speakers from UNHAS, and two speakers from UHO. Associate Professor Ts. Dr Megat Ahmad Kamal Megat Hanafiah, Associate Professor ChM. Dr Nor Yuziah Mohd Yunus, Dr Nur Fakhzan Marwan, and Dr Nor Hidayatun Abdul Razak represented UiTM Pahang Branch campus while Dr Rina Masadah and Dr Muhammad Junaid represented UNHAS. UHO was represented by Dr Ramadhan Tosepu and Dr Muhammad Arba. The event covered multidisciplinary topics such as building academic careers, industry expectations on graduates, graduate entrepreneurship, cervical cancer, plant-microbe interaction, accelerating drug discovery process targeting Covid-19 and the impact of Covid-19 on climate change, economic
growth and its influence on future job demands.

The Acting Rector of UiTM Pahang Branch, Professor Ts. Dr Mohd Ilham Adenan, emphasized that “The main purpose of this program is to provide opportunities and experiences for lecturers and students to interact, share expertise and knowledge. The program also encourages all students to be rational and open to receiving opinions from university partners. This mindset is the foundation to creating a conducive platform for strategic and comprehensive partnership between students of both countries.”

Echoing the statement, the Deputy Rector of Research and Industrial Linkages, Associate Professor Dr Wan Mohd Nazri Wan Abdul Rahman also hoped that the program could be an ongoing project to promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise between Malaysia and Indonesia. This effort will also further enhance the quality of students and academics of the institutions involved.

The program is also aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 4, which is to implement comprehensive and quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities to all levels of society. Emphasis is also given to SDG No. 8, 13 and 17, which is to promote sustainable and comprehensive economic development by providing employment opportunities for all, developing mechanisms for devising efficient climate change-related efforts, and intensifying international cooperation and networking for holistic development.

The Faculty of Law, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia (UiTMLaw)  is always committed to prepare future-proof and quality graduates. In line with this, UiTMLaw Career Path Webinar Series 2.0 “What’s Out There ?” has been organised to gear up the students for the new
job market.

This 3-day webinar series commenced on 3rd March 2021. Eminent figures in the legal fraternity shared their immense experiences and practical knowledge in various aspects relevant with students soon to embark on their legal career.

The webinar series set off with an enthralling topic, “Money Laundering: What Should You Know?.” Three distinguished speakers were invited to discuss this topic, namely; Mr Mohamad Faizal bin Sadri, Deputy Director II, Anti-Money Laundering Division, Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr Amir Zharif Abdullah and Mr Nizamuddin Hamid, the Managing Partner and Partner of Messrs Zharif Nizamuddin, respectively.

The webinar series continued with inspirational sharing by UiTMLaw Adjunct Professor Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum on the topic “Strategic Approach on Civil Litigation and Writing Impactful Submissions-Sharing Experiences.”

Sound financial management, including debt management, is essential to inculcate positive financial behaviour and prevent individuals from falling into the debt trap.

Mrs Nirmala Subramaniam, Manager, Financial Education Department, Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) and Ms Elena Cho, Legal Executive, Modalku Ventures Sdn Bhd, spoke on the important topic of “Managing Financial after Graduation: How to Avoid Debt Trap”.

Next, to find out the reality behind “Life as a Deputy Public Prosecutor”, Dato’ Masri bin Mohd Daud, Head of Special Litigation Unit, Prosecution Division, Attorney General’s Chambers, who is also UiTMLaw Adjunct Professor, was specially invited to share the ups and downs of being part of the prosecution team.

The final day of the webinar series featured Mr Justice Dean Wayne Daly, High Court Judge of Miri, Sarawak, who clarified the distinction between pupillage in East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia in a talk entitled “Pupillage and Legal Practice in Sabah and Sarawak”. Datuk Dr Prasad Sandosham Abraham, UiTMLaw Adjunct Professor who is now the Deputy Director, Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), offered invaluable insights on the question, “How to Begin your Legal Career as an Arbitration Counsel?”.

The programme was well-received since the scope covered were not restricted to conventional civil and criminal litigation but extended to other critical areas, including money laundering, financial management and alternative dispute resolutions. Engagement with prominent legal personnel and industry players has
offered distinct outlooks to the students. Overall, this program will help them shape their careers, explore their niche and better prepared to handle the future.

A virtual academic roundtable discussion focusing on teaching International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in an online learning environment was held on 29 March 2021, involving a think
tank across the Asian region, including Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Timor Leste and Morocco. This event was jointly organized by the Faculty of Law, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia (UiTMLaw) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

This roundtable discussion offered an opportunity for academicians in the region to learn from
each other and share ideas on teaching IHL in a flexible learning environment. The initiative was in response to a significant shift in the teaching approach that was forced upon universities and learning institutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The roundtable discussion reveals that teaching IHL during a pandemic is challenging as some students may not have access to the Internet and the gadgets to facilitate online learning. In addition, there is a lack of engagement and motivation among students in the learning process. Apart from the difficulties faced by students, the lecturers equally struggle to set up and design the appropriate content for online learning. 

To overcome this challenge, the participants agreed that lecturers must adapt to new technology and become tech-savvy. They may use pop culture references, Kahoot and Wooclap to make the lesson more exciting and pleasant. Additionally, the participants also propose establishing a regional platform among academicians to facilitate the exchange of ideas and good practices. Simultaneously, this platform can assist lecturers in developing IHL teaching materials based on the Asian or the Southeast Asian experience. 

Acting as a key person in charge of this program on behalf of UiTMLaw, Dr Ummi Hani’ binti Maso’od hopes a similar collaboration can be held in future to allow the sharing of ideas for the mutual benefit of students and academicians at the regional level.

Issues concerning environmental law have long been discussed on an international scale, as the problems faced by nations are interconnected. The Faculty of Law of Universiti
Teknologi MARA (UiTMLaw) environmental law expert, Dr Irini Ibrahim, shared her knowledge at the International Share Lecturer and University Collaboration lecture series.

The event was part of a series of lectures, a collaboration between Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, Universitas as-Zahra and Universitas Tulungagung, both from Indonesia. This platform encourages multidisciplinary knowledge-sharing among lecturers from various ASEAN universities.  The sharing session was attended by academicians and students, who posed questions on, among others, the role of wetlands as the “Kidneys of the Earth”, wildlife and migratory birds.

Dr Irini said, “Despite the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on public health, economy and social movements, the pandemic can be seen to be a blessing to the environment. When the global community went into isolated lockdown within the confines of their homes, the environment sighed a relieved breath. Nature blossomed. Global
pollution rates plummeted drastically.”

She continued, “The Ganga and Yamuna rivers of India became extremely clean. Closer to home, the pH levels of the Malacca River have improved. Faunas of the world enjoyed momentary freedom as animals roam the Earth more freely.”

She concluded that these are solid evidence of the negative impact that the human race has on the environment.

Dr Irini added that issues of the wetlands are not new issues. Under the RAMSAR Convention, several wetlands in Malaysia are registered for possessing international importance. However, more needs to be done to spread awareness of the importance of wetlands as the “Kidneys of the Earth”.

UiTMLaw takes pride in Dr Irini for shedding light on issues of the wetlands during these troubled times. The session illustrates the serious need to tackle issues concerning the environment. It is hoped that the audience benefitted from this sharing session.