COVERSTORY' MALAYSIA'S TOP UNIVERSITIES BYOS TheTVET …psasir.upm.edu.my/52136/1/After SPM Deciding...
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61 NEW STRAITS TIMES HIGHE;RED NEW STRAITS TIMES HIGHER ED 17 COVER STORY' . WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15,2017 Ii • Deciding the future ROZANA SANI rsani@n~t.com.my OMORROW,the wait will be over for 434,535candidates who sat the 2016Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia ISPMl examination. With the announcement of the exam' results tomorrow, SPM.school-leavers now have to face the daunting task of taking the next step in terms of furthering their education. After a structured school system where students generally pursued either the science or arts stream' how best can they decide on the field of study and programme? The decision is not a light one as it is the first step towards determining the path their fu- ture will take. KEVCONSIDERATION!:» Professional career coach Nik Faiz Iskandar Nik Zahari said students in the country tend to view higher educationas a mere paper chase. "Most students here regard institutions of high- er learning as a means to !¥lin a diploma or degree qualification that they can boast about. This mindset has to change. School-leavers and aspiring under- graduates have to plan their future careers before deciding on the course that they want to pursue," he said. . Professional trainer and motivator Jackson Ng said SPM school-leavers should not be pressured by their peers to apply for a particular course or succumb to their parents' demands. Instead, they should look to themselves for indicators of their in- terest, talents and inclination. "Identify your passion. Look at your innate abili- ties - the talent you are born with. Pay attention to the compliments others give you with regards to what you are good at. - "And listen to the voice inside of you, what you are keen on. These are indicators of the field of study you should pursue. Of course, these have to be mapped against the current and future job mar- ket," he said. Ng cautioned that oftentimes when students base their decision on friends or are pushed bytheir parents, they end up switching courses halfway, re- sulting in loss of money and time. Or if the student does graduate and earn a diploma or degree, he finds himself unable to find employment as he has no passion for the field. Deciding on studies after 'Form Five can be stressful if one does not have knowledge of the ca- reer decision-making process, said HELP Univer- sity lecturer and counsellor Justin yap. "Ideally, one should have knowledge about both oneself and the world of ~ork. Self-knowledge in the areas of interests, aptitudes and skills, person- ality, as well as values is essential. "Secondly, it is vital to have some knowledge about the workplace such as a basic job descrip- tion, office environment and requirements such as skills and education. "When we have both these sets of information, we are then able to match who we are and what the job requires, providing a person-environment fit which results in a high performing and satisfied worker. Even though a student may only be con- cerned about a field of study or a major, it's always best to take a long-term view as one only spends three to eight years at university but close to 30 years in the workplace," he said. Career Cube head and consultant Mastura Man- sor recommends SPM school-leavers take a per- sonality test to find out their interest. "A common test for students is the Holland Code IRIASECI.RIASECis the Holland Occupational Themes which refer to a theory of pe~sonality that focuses on career and vocational choice. It groups people on the basis of their suitability for six catego- SPM school-leaners face the daunting task o(taking the next step in terms offurthering their education. There is a tendency for a person to do something else every five years. Life is all about progress. Lifelong learning is key. JACKSON NG Professional trainer and motivator Nik Faiz Iskandar Nik Zahari at a career seminar for Form Five students. ries of occupations. In RIASEC,students differen- tiate themselves with six different categories and interests," she said, , The characters are summarised as either re- alistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising or conventional. . The RIASECCode guides' students on the en- vironment and career that will suit their person- ality: "Once they know their personality and their favourite subject, they can find out more about careers that suit them and choose an institution for pursuing their studies." . said Mastura. Both arts and science stream Students need to free themselves from the "box" they were put in at school, Ng added. ~'. "Conventional wisdom has it that those in the sciencestream are destined to be professionals while those in the arts stream go into business. This is not true - science students can do well in fields such as psychology, for example. "Although an arts background may seem like a lesser choice and an unfair starting point, the reality is that many 'professionals with science background work for businesses or corporations, or for entrepreneurs from the arts stream," said Ng, adding that every industry is a business and there is equal opportunity to succeed. "Anyway, wtiat we study is not a worry as there is a tendency for a person to do something else every five years. Life is all about progress. Life- long learning is key." Yap commented that at the Form Five level, the arts student is only held back by effort. "Even though the arts student may be at a slight disadvantage in terms of scientific knowl- edge, he or she can overcome it by spending extra time reading to make up for it. To rule out SCn!NCE VERSUS ARTS Both science and arts secondary school-leavers have a variety of fields to choose from at higher . learning institutions." _. It is a misconception that arts students have second class options as they can have their pick of programmes such as social science, hu- manities, education Ispecial, sports, language, music, early child, etc], business, communica- tions, art Igraphic media, animation, etc], hos- pitality and human resources. "Students just need to choose the course that matches their personality and interests," MALAYSIA'S TOP UNIVERSITIES BY OS SUBJECT··RANKINGS . SUBJECT INSTITUTION RANK 'Accounting & Finance University of Malaya 101-150 / Agriculture & Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia 51-100 Anthropology University of Malaya 51-100 Architecture /Built Environment Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-100 Art & Design Universiti Sains Malaysia 101-150 ~ Biological Sciences University of Malaya 151-200 Business & Management Studies University of Malaya 51-100 Chemistry University of Malaya 101-150 Communication & Media Studies University of Malaya' 51-100 Computer Science& Information , University of Malaya 51-1.00 Development Studies University of Malaya 26 Economics &. Econometrics University of Malaya 151-200 Education University of Malaya 41 Engineering - Chemical. University of Malaya 38 Engineering - Civil & Structural University of Malaya 51-100 Engineering ~ Electrical & Electronic University of Malaya 23 Enginee;:in~- Mechanical, Aeronautical University of Malaya 33 Manufacturing . Engineering - Mineral & Mining University of Malaya 35 English Language & Literature Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-1.00 Environmental Sciences Universiti Sains Malaysia 49 Geography University of Malaya 151-200 Hospitality & Leisure Management Taylor's University 29 Law University of Malaya 151-200 Linguistics Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-100 Materials Science University of Malaya 101-150 Mathematics University of Malaya 151-200 Medicine' University of Malaya 101-150 Modern Languages University of Malaya 51-100 Pharmacy & Pharmacology University of Malaya 51-100 Physics & Astronomy University of Malaya 201-250 Psychology University of Malaya 251-300 Social Policy & Administration Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-100 Sociology University of Malaya 151-200 Sports-related Subjects University of Malaya 51-100 Statistics & Operational Research University of Ma[aya 101-150 Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies -International lslarnic University 46 . Malaysia Arts & Humanities University of Malaya 85 Engineering & Technoloqy University of Malaya. . 35 Life Sciences & Medicine University of Malaya 164 , Natural Sciences University of Malaya 188. '" Social Sciences 8. Management - University of Malaya 71 ;:. Source: as World University Rankings by Subject 2017 the scientific field because one didn't spend two . years IForms Four and Five] studying it would be premature as one's interest and skills are still developing . "Instead, let your curiosity drive your explora- tion and use the energy generated from that rno- tivation to overcome any shortcomings you may have," he said. boards. Those who intend to enrol in local univer- sities may consider the Matriculation programme managed by the ministry," he added. Students who are eligible to enter the Ma- triculation programme can opt for either sci- ence or accounting electives. Students are given an allowance throughout their year-long 'studies 'which are conducted in an atmosphere similar to university. Upon completing the programme, they can then apply for a place in programmes at pub- lic universities. Meanwhile, there are home-grown founda- tion programmes with qualifications awarded by various universities that SPM school-leavers may want to consider. The advantaqe of a founda- tion programme is that students study subjects .specific to the course they plan to take at degree level. The assessment style is usually a combi- nation of coursework, continual evaluation and a final exam, but the weighting of each assessment MAltUCULATION. 'OUNDATtON OR DIPL.OMA COUk ~ . Nik Faiz said the Education Ministry provides a lot of opportunities for students to further their stud- ies, be it overseas or locally. Those who excel in their SPM exam, of course, have a wider range of choices to further their studies. "Students who have an interest to study at a university abroad may consider Foundation courses, International Baccalaureate or A Level programmes offered' by external examination TheTVET OptiOR ~';j .. ..;. SIJIl=- Pelajaran Malaysia ISPMl school-leavers have another av- enue when furthering their edu- cation - Technical Vocational Education and Traininq ITVETlpro- grammes. The Ministry of Higher Educa- tion, 'as outlined in the Malaysia Education Blueprint IHigher Edu- cationl 2015-2025, envisions that polytechnics and community col- leges will be the premier higher education TVE'I' providers that Amir Md Noor develop skilled talent to meet the growing and changing demands of industry. The higher education landscape is now in - the midst of changing from a primary focus on university education as the sole pathway to success to one where academic and TVET pathways are equally valued and cultivated. Datuk Amir Md Noor, director-general of the Department of Community CoLLege Education and acting director-general of Department of Polytechnic Education at the ministry, envisages that enroLment in TVET programmes will increase significantly, through extensive partnerships with industry, to ensure supply matches demand. Polytechnics education, which began in - Malaysia with the establishment of the Ungku Omar Polytechnic, Ipoh in 1969, was entrust- ed to provide technical manpower to cater for the demand for semi-professionals in the engineering, commerce and services sectors. Community college education, on the oth- er hand, was established in 2001 and aimed at providing vocational-based training pro- grammes to secondary school-leavers and the local community through a Lifelong learn- ing approach. Almost all of the programmes of study in polytechnics are designed to meet the re- gional and national demand for semi-pro- . fessionals in the said sectors. while the majority of the pro- grammes offered in commu- nity colleges are tailored to suit the socio-econorny needs of the community. The distinct difference be- tween programmes run by polytechnics and community colleges is the level of quaLifi- .cation - polytechnics mostly 'offer diploma courses while' community colleges. provide certificate programmes. 'As of June this year, Malaysian polytech- nics will. be offering two pre-diploma pro- grammes, five special skills certificate pro- grammes, 63 diploma programmes and eight degree programmes. "In other words, the target groups for community colleges are quite diverse rang- ing from school-leavers/drop-outs, displaced workers, communities or any members of the public who need training for work. SPM hold- ers can apply for full-time programmes at the certificate level in community colleges and local community members can enrol in short courses of their interests either dur.ing the weekends or weekdays at a nominal fee." Amir said as a rule 'of thumb, school-leav- ers should be mindful of the following when "applylnq for a programme in either poty-. technics or community colleges - interests, unique talents, work attitudes, nature of edu- cation and training; career advancement, ex- pected salary and availability of jobs. "Depending on their SPM results, there are many programmes at both polytechnics. and community colleges that they can consid- er. They should also consider consulting ca- reer guidance counsellors at their respective schools on a particular programme in these institutions." '. depends on the colleqe. The disadvantage of university- specific foundation programmes is that it may be difficult to switch courses. Nik Faiz said SPM school-leavers can also enter Form Six and sit the Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia exam as it gives them ample time to study - close to two years - and think about their future career. "Students who may have personal obligations such as family finance prefer pursuing diploma courses where they havethe chance to secure a job first and will consider a degree programme later when they want to move upthe career ladder," headded. A diploma programme gener- ally takes three years and there are courses in a myriad of fields: Diploma holders, are generally skilled and readily employed. If a diploma holder decides to continue studies at the degree level, they will generally get credit exemption for the programme. Mastura Mansor cilities and bigger research grants - that is all. "From the employer's' perspec- tive, it doesn't really matter from which public or local university the students graduate from. Good re- sults at university are just a ticket to a job interview. It is the student's . responsibility. to enhance himself with positive personality, skill com- petency and leadership experience to build up their charisma in the eyes . of the future employer." - Yap commented the dilemma here is very similar to the passion versus pragmatism conundrum ~ "Should I pursue my passion or should I take a safe job that guaran- tees a stable salary?" "There are merits on both sides of the coin. On one hand, graduating for a higher ranking university looks better on your resume and the stu- dent may probably receive a higher quality education, not to mention connections and networks. "On the other hand, history is full" of individuals who have succeeded iri life despite coming from Lessglamorous institu- tions of higher learning," he said. "In fact, both the late Steve Jobs and his rival Bill Gates didn't even complete their university education-It doesn't matter whether one ends up at a top ranked university or chooses to pursue a suitable course ata lower ranked one because success seems to be determined more by the will of the individual rather than the quality of educa-. tion. Once the student realises that he is in charge of his destiny instead of the university ne attends, then this decision becomes an easy one." _ . .e .. .;. .... Justin Yap RANKING I Does the rankings of a university matter when looking at courses to pursue or should future un- , dergraduates just pursue the field of study of their choice at any university? Mastura said the university rankings are just an insight into its capacity to serve students in their studies. 'Themost reliable ranking survey is as rank- ing and in Malaysia we have APEX (Accelerated Programme for Excellence! and Research Uni- versity (RUl status. Only a few public universities have this recognition of more capacity, better fa-
Transcript of COVERSTORY' MALAYSIA'S TOP UNIVERSITIES BYOS TheTVET …psasir.upm.edu.my/52136/1/After SPM Deciding...
61 NEW STRAITS TIMESHIGHE;RED
NEW STRAITS TIMESHIGHER ED 17
COVER STORY'
. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15,2017
Ii
•Deciding the futureROZANA SANIrsani@n~t.com.my
OMORROW,the wait will be over for434,535candidates who sat the 2016SijilPelajaran Malaysia ISPMl examination.
With the announcement of the exam'results tomorrow, SPM. school-leavers now haveto face the daunting task of taking the next step interms of furthering their education.
After a structured school system where studentsgenerally pursued either the science or arts stream'how best can they decide on the field of study andprogramme? The decision is not a light one as it isthe first step towards determining the path their fu-ture will take.
KEVCONSIDERATION!:»Professional career coach Nik Faiz Iskandar NikZahari said students in the country tend to viewhigher educationas a mere paper chase.
"Most students here regard institutions of high-er learning as a means to !¥lin a diploma or degreequalification that they can boast about. This mindsethas to change. School-leavers and aspiring under-graduates have to plan their future careers beforedeciding on the course that they want to pursue,"he said.. Professional trainer and motivator Jackson Ng
said SPM school-leavers should not be pressuredby their peers to apply for a particular course orsuccumb to their parents' demands. Instead, theyshould look to themselves for indicators of their in-terest, talents and inclination.
"Identify your passion. Look at your innate abili-ties - the talent you are born with. Pay attentionto the compliments others give you with regards towhat you are good at. -
"And listen to the voice inside of you, what youare keen on. These are indicators of the field ofstudy you should pursue. Of course, these have tobe mapped against the current and future job mar-ket," he said.
Ng cautioned that oftentimes when studentsbase their decision on friends or are pushed by theirparents, they end up switching courses halfway, re-sulting in loss of money and time. Or if the studentdoes graduate and earn a diploma or degree, hefinds himself unable to find employment as he hasno passion for the field.
Deciding on studies after 'Form Five can bestressful if one does not have knowledge of the ca-reer decision-making process, said HELP Univer-sity lecturer and counsellor Justin yap.
"Ideally, one should have knowledge about bothoneself and the world of ~ork. Self-knowledge inthe areas of interests, aptitudes and skills, person-ality, as well as values is essential.
"Secondly, it is vital to have some knowledgeabout the workplace such as a basic job descrip-tion, office environment and requirements such asskills and education.
"When we have both these sets of information,we are then able to match who we are and whatthe job requires, providing a person-environmentfit which results in a high performing and satisfiedworker. Even though a student may only be con-cerned about a field of study or a major, it's alwaysbest to take a long-term view as one only spendsthree to eight years at university but close to 30years in the workplace," he said.
Career Cube head and consultant Mastura Man-sor recommends SPM school-leavers take a per-sonality test to find out their interest.
"A common test for students is the HollandCode IRIASECI.RIASECis the Holland OccupationalThemes which refer to a theory of pe~sonality thatfocuses on career and vocational choice. It groupspeople on the basis of their suitability for six catego-
SPM school-leaners face the daunting task o(taking the next step in terms offurthering their education.
There is atendency
for a person to dosomething else everyfive years. Life isall about progress.Lifelong learning iskey.JACKSON NGProfessional trainer andmotivator
Nik Faiz Iskandar Nik Zahari at a career seminar for Form Five students.
ries of occupations. In RIASEC,students differen-tiate themselves with six different categories andinterests," she said, ,
The characters are summarised as either re-alistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprisingor conventional. .
The RIASECCode guides' students on the en-vironment and career that will suit their person-ality: "Once they know their personality and theirfavourite subject, they can find out more aboutcareers that suit them and choose an institutionfor pursuing their studies." .
said Mastura.Both arts and science stream Students need to
free themselves from the "box" they were put inat school, Ng added. ~'.
"Conventional wisdom has it that those in thesciencestream are destined to be professionalswhile those in the arts stream go into business.This is not true - science students can do well infields such as psychology, for example.
"Although an arts background may seem likea lesser choice and an unfair starting point, thereality is that many 'professionals with sciencebackground work for businesses or corporations,or for entrepreneurs from the arts stream," saidNg, adding that every industry is a business andthere is equal opportunity to succeed.
"Anyway, wtiat we study is not a worry as thereis a tendency for a person to do something elseevery five years. Life is all about progress. Life-long learning is key."
Yap commented that at the Form Five level,the arts student is only held back by effort.
"Even though the arts student may be at aslight disadvantage in terms of scientific knowl-edge, he or she can overcome it by spendingextra time reading to make up for it. To rule out
SCn!NCE VERSUS ARTSBoth science and arts secondary school-leavershave a variety of fields to choose from at higher
. learning institutions." _.It is a misconception that arts students have
second class options as they can have theirpick of programmes such as social science, hu-manities, education Ispecial, sports, language,music, early child, etc], business, communica-tions, art Igraphic media, animation, etc], hos-pitality and human resources.
"Students just need to choose the coursethat matches their personality and interests,"
MALAYSIA'S TOP UNIVERSITIES BY OS SUBJECT··RANKINGS.SUBJECT INSTITUTION RANK
'Accounting & Finance University of Malaya 101-150/ Agriculture & Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia 51-100
Anthropology University of Malaya 51-100
Architecture /Built Environment Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-100
Art & Design Universiti Sains Malaysia 101-150
~ Biological Sciences University of Malaya 151-200
Business & Management Studies University of Malaya 51-100
Chemistry University of Malaya 101-150
Communication & Media Studies University of Malaya' 51-100
Computer Science& Information , University of Malaya 51-1.00
Development Studies University of Malaya 26
Economics &. Econometrics University of Malaya 151-200
Education University of Malaya 41
Engineering - Chemical. University of Malaya 38
Engineering - Civil & Structural University of Malaya 51-100
Engineering ~ Electrical & Electronic University of Malaya 23
Enginee;:in~- Mechanical, Aeronautical University of Malaya 33Manufacturing .
Engineering - Mineral & Mining University of Malaya 35
English Language & Literature Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-1.00
Environmental Sciences Universiti Sains Malaysia 49
Geography University of Malaya 151-200
Hospitality & Leisure Management Taylor's University 29
Law University of Malaya 151-200
Linguistics Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-100
Materials Science University of Malaya 101-150
Mathematics University of Malaya 151-200
Medicine' University of Malaya 101-150
Modern Languages University of Malaya 51-100
Pharmacy & Pharmacology University of Malaya 51-100
Physics & Astronomy University of Malaya 201-250
Psychology University of Malaya 251-300
Social Policy & Administration Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 51-100
Sociology University of Malaya 151-200
Sports-related Subjects University of Malaya 51-100
Statistics & Operational Research University of Ma[aya 101-150
Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies -International lslarnic University 46. Malaysia
Arts & Humanities University of Malaya 85
Engineering & Technoloqy University of Malaya. . 35
Life Sciences & Medicine University of Malaya 164
, Natural Sciences University of Malaya 188.
'" Social Sciences 8. Management - University of Malaya 71;:.
Source: as World University Rankings by Subject 2017
the scientific field because one didn't spend two. years IForms Four and Five] studying it would bepremature as one's interest and skills are stilldeveloping .
"Instead, let your curiosity drive your explora-tion and use the energy generated from that rno-tivation to overcome any shortcomings you mayhave," he said.
boards. Those who intend to enrol in local univer-sities may consider the Matriculation programmemanaged by the ministry," he added.
Students who are eligible to enter the Ma-triculation programme can opt for either sci-ence or accounting electives. Students are givenan allowance throughout their year-long 'studies'which are conducted in an atmosphere similar touniversity. Upon completing the programme, theycan then apply for a place in programmes at pub-lic universities.
Meanwhile, there are home-grown founda-tion programmes with qualifications awardedby various universities that SPM school-leaversmay want to consider. The advantaqe of a founda-tion programme is that students study subjects.specific to the course they plan to take at degreelevel. The assessment style is usually a combi-nation of coursework, continual evaluation and afinal exam, but the weighting of each assessment
MAltUCULATION. 'OUNDATtON OR DIPL.OMACOUk ~ .Nik Faiz said the Education Ministry provides a lotof opportunities for students to further their stud-ies, be it overseas or locally. Those who excel intheir SPM exam, of course, have a wider range ofchoices to further their studies.
"Students who have an interest to study ata university abroad may consider Foundationcourses, International Baccalaureate or A Levelprogrammes offered' by external examination
TheTVET OptiOR~';j
.. ..;.
SIJIl=- Pelajaran Malaysia ISPMlschool-leavers have another av-enue when furthering their edu-cation - Technical VocationalEducation and Traininq ITVETl pro-grammes.
The Ministry of Higher Educa-tion, 'as outlined in the MalaysiaEducation Blueprint IHigher Edu-cationl 2015-2025, envisions thatpolytechnics and community col-leges will be the premier highereducation TVE'I' providers that Amir Md Noordevelop skilled talent to meet thegrowing and changing demands of industry.
The higher education landscape is now in -the midst of changing from a primary focuson university education as the sole pathwayto success to one where academic and TVETpathways are equally valued and cultivated.
Datuk Amir Md Noor, director-generalof the Department of Community CoLLegeEducation and acting director-general ofDepartment of Polytechnic Education at theministry, envisages that enroLment in TVETprogrammes will increase significantly,through extensive partnerships with industry,to ensure supply matches demand.
Polytechnics education, which began in -Malaysia with the establishment of the UngkuOmar Polytechnic, Ipoh in 1969, was entrust-ed to provide technical manpower to caterfor the demand for semi-professionals in theengineering, commerce and services sectors.
Community college education, on the oth-er hand, was established in 2001 and aimedat providing vocational-based training pro-grammes to secondary school-leavers andthe local community through a Lifelong learn-ing approach.
Almost all of the programmes of study inpolytechnics are designed to meet the re-gional and national demand for semi-pro-
. fessionals in the said sectors.while the majority of the pro-grammes offered in commu-nity colleges are tailored tosuit the socio-econorny needsof the community.
The distinct difference be-tween programmes run bypolytechnics and communitycolleges is the level of quaLifi-.cation - polytechnics mostly'offer diploma courses while'community colleges. providecertificate programmes.
'As of June this year, Malaysian polytech-nics will. be offering two pre-diploma pro-grammes, five special skills certificate pro-grammes, 63 diploma programmes and eightdegree programmes.
"In other words, the target groups forcommunity colleges are quite diverse rang-ing from school-leavers/drop-outs, displacedworkers, communities or any members of thepublic who need training for work. SPM hold-ers can apply for full-time programmes at thecertificate level in community colleges andlocal community members can enrol in shortcourses of their interests either dur.ing theweekends or weekdays at a nominal fee."
Amir said as a rule 'of thumb, school-leav-ers should be mindful of the following when"applylnq for a programme in either poty-.technics or community colleges - interests,unique talents, work attitudes, nature of edu-cation and training; career advancement, ex-pected salary and availability of jobs.
"Depending on their SPM results, thereare many programmes at both polytechnics.and community colleges that they can consid-er. They should also consider consulting ca-reer guidance counsellors at their respectiveschools on a particular programme in theseinstitutions."
'.
depends on the colleqe.The disadvantage of university-
specific foundation programmesis that it may be difficult to switchcourses.
Nik Faiz said SPM school-leaverscan also enter Form Six and sit theSijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia examas it gives them ample time to study- close to two years - and thinkabout their future career.
"Students who may have personalobligations such as family financeprefer pursuing diploma courseswhere they have the chance to securea job first and will consider a degreeprogramme later when they want tomove up the career ladder," headded.
A diploma programme gener-ally takes three years and there arecourses in a myriad of fields: Diplomaholders, are generally skilled andreadily employed. If a diploma holderdecides to continue studies at thedegree level, they will generally getcredit exemption for the programme.
Mastura Mansor
cilities and bigger research grants- that is all.
"From the employer's' perspec-tive, it doesn't really matter fromwhich public or local university thestudents graduate from. Good re-sults at university are just a ticketto a job interview. It is the student's. responsibility. to enhance himselfwith positive personality, skill com-petency and leadership experienceto build up their charisma in the eyes. of the future employer."- Yap commented the dilemmahere is very similar to the passionversus pragmatism conundrum~ "Should I pursue my passion orshould I take a safe job that guaran-tees a stable salary?"
"There are merits on both sidesof the coin. On one hand, graduatingfor a higher ranking university looksbetter on your resume and the stu-dent may probably receive a higherquality education, not to mentionconnections and networks.
"On the other hand, history is full"of individuals who have succeeded iri
life despite coming from Lessglamorous institu-tions of higher learning," he said.
"In fact, both the late Steve Jobs and his rivalBill Gates didn't even complete their universityeducation-It doesn't matter whether one ends upat a top ranked university or chooses to pursue asuitable course ata lower ranked one becausesuccess seems to be determined more by the willof the individual rather than the quality of educa-.tion. Once the student realises that he is in chargeof his destiny instead of the university ne attends,then this decision becomes an easy one."
_ . .e
.. .;. ....
Justin YapRANKING I
Does the rankings of a university matter whenlooking at courses to pursue or should future un- ,dergraduates just pursue the field of study of theirchoice at any university?
Mastura said the university rankings are justan insight into its capacity to serve students intheir studies.
'Themost reliable ranking survey is as rank-ing and in Malaysia we have APEX (AcceleratedProgramme for Excellence! and Research Uni-versity (RUl status. Only a few public universitieshave this recognition of more capacity, better fa-
