The Centre of Studies for Quantity Surveying of the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, UiTM Shah Alam in collaboration with the Board of Quantity Surveying Malaysia (BQSM) organized the International Quantity Surveying Academic Forum (IQSAF2018) with the theme, “Learning Beyond Boundaries: Higher Education 4.0” on 21 October 2018 at the Sime Darby Convention Centre, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. This program targeted the involvement of various parties, including academicians, students, quantity surveyors and other stakeholders in the construction industry.
The first session in the IQSAF 2018 program was a forum on the topic “Higher Education 4.0: Learning beyond Boundaries”, which was moderated by Associate Prof. Dr. Rohana Mahbub with the participation of three panellists, Prof. Svein Bjorberg (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Prof. Roger Flanagan (Univerity of Reading) and Prof. Sr Ir. Dr. Suhaimi Abdul Talib (UiTM Private Education Sdn. Bhd. (INTEC)). The second session of forum titled, “Moving on from Millennials: Preparing for Gen-Z”, was moderated by Associate Prof. Dr. Fadzil Hassan with the participation of three panellists, Prof. Khairuddin Abdul Rashid (International Islamic University of Malaysia), Sr Nur Aziz Abu Bakar (JUBM Sdn. Bhd.) and Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid (INTI Laureate International Universities) who discussed the given topic.
A dialogue session between BQSM and local universities offering quantity surveying programs was held in the afternoon to discuss various issues in relation to quantity surveying programs, accreditation of the program, registration of professional quantity surveyors via academic route, and many others. At the end of the day, a Quantity Surveyors Accreditation Council (QSAC) Chair, Prof. Sr Dr. Wan Maimun Wan Abdullah concluded that “Universities should produce graduates equipped with the core competencies and a body of knowledge embed with ethical values who can think and communicate. Other analytical, conceptual skills and soft skills can then be developed in industry. This is in line with the concept “university teaches industry develop”. Graduates need also to have the ability to adept, adapt and adopt”. On the whole, the program appeared to have been successful in achieving its goals, which, among others, was to provide opportunities to discuss current trends, issues and challenges related to Higher Education 4.0; to provide a platform for interaction and dissemination in the field of Built Environment between academia and professionals; and to develop industrial linkages in promoting public trust in Built Environment specifically to Quantity Surveying profession for the new millennium.