UKM Pioneers New Frontiers for Greater ASEAN Economic Integration

As part of Malaysia’s contribution to deepening ASEAN integration, the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS) forged a new tripartite collaboration between UKM, Oxford University and the World Trade Institute (WTI, Bern) on 9th November 2015. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr. Noor Azlan Ghazali, led the UKM delegation comprising the Director of IKMAS, Professor Dr. Rashila Ramli, and Senior Fellow, Associate Professor Dr. Sufian Jusoh, to Oxford. Aligned to the lofty aspirations of the ASEAN Economic Community – one of the three elements of the ASEAN Community that was formally launched on the 22nd November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur – this partnership aspires to contribute to the stock of knowledge and growing research on ASEAN economic integration. The alliance aims to bring together the best brains in the three partnering institutions to power research and disseminate new research findings on deepening economic integration in the region.

Professor Datuk Dr. Noor Azlan Ghazali gave an arousing keynote address at the two-day Forum on ASEAN Economic Integration (9-10 November 2015).  In his speech he highlighted succinctly the status and challenges confronting economic integration in the region. The forum also provided a platform for other notable speakers who came from far and near, (even as far as Australia).  These speakers, representing a variety of disciplines such as law, economics and political science, shared their research findings on three key dimensions of ASEAN economic integration: institutional architecture, the promises and limits of multi-speed integration and a critical evaluation of ASEAN’s achievements against its lofty yet worthy goals.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” so said Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher.  Resonating much with this thinking, the Forum agreed that ASEAN economic integration is very much a work-in-progress and that the 2015 declaration should be viewed as a key milestone in the integration process. And with this single step, ASEAN’s integration will continue to inch forward post 2015, comforted in the assurance that the much criticised ‘ASEAN way’ provides a cushion against disintegration within ASEAN.  

Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin, in his lunchtime talk, provided a different perspective from that of the researchers and academics when he highlighted the role of civil society in regional integration.  The last session on diplomatic and business perspectives offered the audience refreshing views on advancing the ASEAN agenda.

In the closing speech, the co-organizers of the event – Pierre Sauve, Director of External Programs and Academic Partnerships from WTI, Dr. Matthew J. Walton, Aung San Suu Kyi Senior Research Fellow in modern Burmese Studies, St. Anthony’s College, University of Oxford, and Associate Professor Dr. Sufian Jusoh, Senior Fellow, Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, UKM – affirmed the tripartite collaboration. After the 2015 inaugural ASEAN Economic Integration Forum in Oxford, the three institutional partners will rotate the subsequent hosting of the forum.  IKMAS, UKM will host it in 2016 while WTI will do so in 2017.

As Francis Drake once said: “There must be a beginning of every matter, but the continuing unto the end yields the true glory.”  So keep a look out for more updates on this tripartite collaboration in 2016!

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 Partnering with Samsung to Enhance Surgical Expertise

A Malay saying declares that a house is sturdy on account of its beams.  So too, the strength of UKM flows from its continued relevance to society.  It is in pursuit of this relevance that UKM collaborates with other institutions for the advancement of the health of the populace.  The latest initiative is the partnership that the UKM Medical Centre (UKMMC) has forged with the South Korean-based Samsung Sono School.

At the Opening Ceremony of the UKMMC-Samsung Sono School and Exchange of Memorandum of Agreement on November 17, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Noor Azlan Ghazali, proclaimed that the School was the product of the strategic alliance between UKKMC and Samsung.  The partnership will also involve Samsung donating five sets of ultrasound equipment to the UKMMC. These equipment represent the most advanced ultrasound technology in the region. Additionally, Samsung will develop the necessary training infrastructure to produce world-class clinical expertise in sonography and medical imaging.

The Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, who is UKM Chancellor and Tunku Ampuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Aishah Rohani Almarhum Tengku Besar Mahmud graced the ceremony.

In his speech, Prof Noor Azlan added that the UKMMC-Samsung Sono School will produce expertise in sonography to fulfil the needs of medical institutions and society in Malaysia.  The school is housed at the Advanced Surgical Skills Centre (ASSC) of UKMMC which was set up to meet the demand for high-tech sub-specialty expertise.

“So, this cooperation is very welcomed as it will provide a teaching centre that uses the latest ultrasound technology in the region,” Prof. Noor Azlan said.  “With this Sono School, the ASSC will now be equipped to conduct workshops in sonography and develop skills using ultrasound equipment of high specification.”

Prof. Noor Azlan expressed the hope that this cooperation will spur the ASSC to forge further collaboration with other parties so that it can assume a leading role in advancing surgical skills the Asian region. The ASSC is well positioned to do so given that it is held in high esteem locally and abroad, including by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. As a further testament to ASSC’s potential to be a world-beater in advanced surgical skills, Prof. Noor Azlan proudly declared, “The [Royal] College has bestowed the International Medal Award to Associate Prof. Dr. Hanafiah Harunarashid, the head of ASSC. Assoc. Prof. Hanafiah is the first Malaysian to receive the award and is the youngest recipient in the 500-year history of the Royal College of Surgeons.”

In his opening remarks, the Corporate Affairs Director of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, Dato’ Roh Jae Yeol praised the establishment of the UKMMC-Samsung Sono School as it will meet the ever-increasing demand for skills in sonography.  The location of this School at the ASSC is ideal as the latter is a hub for surgical-skills training. He also expressed Samsung’s gratitude at being able to partner with UKM as it allowed Samsung to realise its purpose of enriching people’s lives through the development of advanced medical technology. The UKMMC-Samsung Sono School is a testament to Samsung’s corporate responsibility.

The collaboration forged between UKM and Samsung attests to Charles Darwin’s assertion that, “It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” UKM salutes Samsung for this noble partnership and assures Samsung in the words of Napoleon Hill that, “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”

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Unique School Holiday Opportunities for School Pupils at UKM

Schools@UKM is unique rebranding of UKM’s collaboration with various schools in collaboration with
district and state education departments  to share and realise opportunities for school pupils. A brain child of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Datuk Noor Azlan Ghazali, Schools@UKM engages over 500 school pupils, teachers, principals and parents, bringing them to the UKM campus during the year end school holidays. This year more than 10 different programmes was offered under the Schools@UKM programme, involving almost all the faculties in UKM. Among the program are the Computer Camp, Junior Science Camp, Senior Science Camp, Video Production Workshop, Pupils Mental Wellbeing Workshop and also the Excellence in Science Programme (Bitara Sains). These programmes incorporate hands-on and experiential learning activities as well as lectures conducted by the professor and students of UKM.  Schools@UKM provides pupils with essential skills and information to help them in their school life and to raise their aspirations to progress to a leading research intensive university.  Successful completion of the Schools@UKM gives students the status of UKM Junior Alumni. As Junior Alumni, their participation in the Schools@UKM programmes can be considered as credits earned if they decide to enrol at UKM.

What is School@UKM?

The School@UKM  program is an outreach program for students, teachers, parents and local communities to experience on campus activities that aims to attract and expose the target groups of life and activities in UKM. This end of year school holidays program also encourages students to consider UKM as their tertiary options. The program also promotes UKM experts to share their work to the community and thus together enhance the quality of life and living.

Why School@ UKM?

UKM aims to support students’ engagement in learning and encourage their career aspirations. Visiting target groups such as students, teachers, principals and local communities explore and enhance their own interests, goals and professional enhancement through exposure to the range of available hands on and minds on activities. By attending these experiential activities, students have the chance to be exempted for certain credit if they join UKM as future potential students.

Menu of Activities

Each School@UKM activity focuses on a range of activities to get students, teachers and parents engaged in learning and familiar with the university environment. In addition, the activities among others aimed at developing researching and higher order thinking skills. More importantly, students, teachers and parents are aware of the exciting ventures happening in UKM and hence could inspire students to pursue their goals and career aspirations in UKM. List of Project

iG-HOME

The iG-HOME programme is a STEM sustainable education programme through green innovation technology. This multidisciplinary based programme aims to improve young children concerns’ of environment through invention based on green technology.  This programme is jointly organized by the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (JKAS), Research Center for Engineering Education (PEKA) and Industry & Community Partnerships (HEJIM), Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Jawhar FPI4school

Post-secondary students are exposed to the nature and scope of History and Usuludin course in the Faculty of Islamic Studies. Students are guided by 20 facilitators encompassing of undergraduates of the faculty also experts from the faculty. Through problem based learning method, students and facilitators explore the content and activities of History and Usuludin. Faculty programmes and opportunities to study in UKM are also included.

Mental Health Talk

Student Emotional Disorders talk exposed various target groups mainly students, teachers, counsellors and parents to emotional disorders; depression and anxiety among children and adolescents. This program is organised by Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK) that feature experts from School of Psychology and Human Development that related to mental health such as clinical psychologist, counsellors and criminologist.

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University Community Transformation Centre (UCTC UKM)