Student Support

Students Support

by Norpisah Mat Isa (USM)

International student intake is one of the significant indicators of internationalization. The student experience begins at the first point of contact with an institution or its staff and continues beyond graduation to alumni relations. Enhancing this entails continues review and renewal of the range and quality student support services that provides a rich and welcoming environment for international students and an inclusive international environment for home students.

Activities Suggested

• Higher education institutions are to establish a one stop-center that provides
  -Effective publicity and communication with existing and prospective students, including on-line as well as paper based materials.
  -Well-resource and professionally staffed support services to international students that enable them to receive effective counseling and support including academic, administrative and accommodation advice.
  -Integration and cross-cultural activities that enable international students to integrate in the life of the institution and for home students to be exposed to the diverse culture and community existing within the University.
  
  
• The Ministry of Higher Education and the higher education institutions are encouraged to establish Malaysian Alumni Association overseas to maintain relationship with graduates of Malaysian higher education institutions. The Alumni will act as link for promotion of Malaysian higher education and will also act as reference point for prospective students.
  
  
• Develop strategic alliances between the public and private higher education providers in enhancing the eco-system for higher education in Malaysia.
  

Risk

Failure of the one-stop center in functioning effectively and thus resulting in poor experience of international students at any stage in the admission and enrolment process, will lead to negative reporting and publicity.
Lack of interest among home students to participate in integration and inter-cultural activities will result in only a small number of home students benefiting from such programmes.

Monitoring of the activities

Determine KPIs
Develop feedback mechanisms from international and home students

International Research Collaboration

The proposed activities under Research by Prof. Dr. Mohamad Sahari bin Nordin (UIAM)

To advance international research collaboration. Specifically the project aims to transform:

• researcher mobility and placement of post doctoral candidates.
• IPTAs’ Center of Excellence engagement in international research collaborations.
• establishment and implementation of international research agreements.
• frequency, volume and focus of joint research.
• locally-based research grants for international research collaborations.
• short- and long-term contract recruitment of distinguished researcher.
• admission and sponsorship of excellent international graduate students.

To promote international collaboration in high-impact publication of research findings and commercialization of research products on the basis of :

• promotion of the selected IPTAs’ flagship journals.
• short- and long-term appointment of established editors of cited/refereed journal
• co-authorship of journal articles and paper presentation at refereed international conferences.
• joint publication of scholarly works with reputable international publication.
• securing patent from internationally-recognized agencies.
  
  

Trans-Boundary Education

One of the key challenges identified in the internationalization of Malaysian Higher Education is to offer more programmes which are international in nature to benefit local and foreign students. Such an endeavour will attract foreign students to come and immerse themselves in learning the local culture and traditions. For the local students, it would save the government foreign exchange when the experience of learning in an environment deemed as ‘international’ may be obtained locally.

Activities suggested
• Setting up foreign satellite campuses (within public university)
o Double degree programmes
o Twinning programmes
o Joint programmes
• Develop various international programmes to mobilise students
o Short study stints
o Summer camps/ courses
o Student placement/ internship

Monitoring of the activities
• Determine KPIs
• Set targets depending on the status of the university (research, old/new, public/private.
• Create computer based monitoring with the capability to create databases and reports.

Implementing the Internationalisation Agenda

INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGIC PLANS AND IMPLEMENTATION
By Dato Prof. Ir. Dr. Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar

Introduction

Internationalization has become an important aspect of universities development in the world arena with globalization and the need to close gaps between countries. More and more Universities throughout the world in the past 2 decades have laid out plans to internationalize their universities. Many best practices can be seen around the world and in Universities in Malaysia. There are Universities in Malaysia that have made many plans had made many progress but some are still moving slowly without achieving the required target by the country. Many Universities around the world who have been long time players have now emerged as top Universities in the world and earning potential sums of funding from foreign students.

The Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia has launched its strategic plan to have Malaysian Universities to be recognized around world. One aspect of the plan is definitely internationalization. Without internationalization we cannot put Malaysia’s name in the world map and our Universities cannot be named as top Universities in the world. A consorted effort should be taken to plan, communicate, implement, monitor and audit all the strategic process to achieve the target required .A high quality status output are targeted.

This paper outlines a simple process on how to achieve the strategic plans targeted. What needs to be done immediately, How to do it? How to communicate? How to monitor? How to audit and how to achieve the target without too much fuss? How to manage the success required and to ensure the quality needed will show the maturity of the Ministry. This paper is only a preliminary thought and it’s a draft that may be used to enhance the whole process based what has been planned.

Modus Operandi

The following are suggestions on how to implement the plans

Many Universities have made their own plans. Many Universities are just moving along. Real measurable achievements are too few to be named. There has been no monitoring or audit on the success. Many plans have also failed. Having a PMO set up as suggested in the strategic plans will be first time monitoring and audit system put into place to ensure the quality and the output targets are achieved. This will ensure all the Universities will participate and will know exactly each other s capability and they can compare their relative achievements.

Steps to be suggested

1. A interim committee that has been set up will study the plans and suggest the implementations steps. The PMO will be required to implement the entire process
2. List down all that needs to be done according to categories. Many committees previously have listed many of the activities under internationalization. These documents need to be retrieved and studied and the list needs to be brought forward for implementation. The following aspects can be chosen to be listed
i. Students
ii. Lecturers
iii. Faculty
iv. The University
v. Research
vi. Curriculum
vii. Others aspects

3. Best Practices around the world have also been recorded and a number of teams have also visited a number of countries and have submitted their report. A committee or Special Interest group made up of Universities lecturers need to be formed to highlight the best practices that need to be implemented. This SIG should continue to exist and do further studies on the best practices and continue to advise the PMO for further implementations. USM had been given the task for studying best practices but so far no report have been made or even shared. There have been problems in most cases when there is no monitoring.
4. With the knowledge and the full list of what need to be done our Minister should be able to launch one aspect of the entire plan that is Internationalization. PMO will immediately take over the communication, implementation, monitoring ands the audit of what need to be done and what have been done
5. A seminar / meeting need to be held calling all the relevant parties involved in the Internationalization of the University. A full briefing of what need to be done is to be shared. How is to be done. The launching and the keynote address can be by the Minister. Other paper should be very specific to the target and not abstract papers talking about theories and principles. What need to be done? What need to be achieved? Sustainability, the quality required and the continuous improvement that is expected should be explained.
6. With the launching, the PMO will effectively take control of the situation and well put into process the tools for communication, implementation, monitoring, and auditing in place. The PMO is a focus group without any other duties expects to ensure the quality output targeted is achieved. If not they have to intervene before it is domed to fail another natural death. There are components of the Ministry that also deals with Internationalization but they should continue doing what they have been doing without interfering into PMO They can observe and provide suggestion for improvement without undue interference
7. A weekly and monthly progress on the development will be prepared and presented to the Minister. A 6 month review by PMO and followed by yearly report will clearly show the target and what has been achieved.
8. With such a process being implemented all the Universities will have clear guidelines and targets to be achieved and with a proper check and balance all the target set can be achieved. We have to understand 80 percent of the work is in the Universities the other 20% lies with the PMO.
9. The above processes laid out clearly should be properly communicated to all concern parties and full start of implementation should be within 1 month from mid September that in mid October 2007


What needs to be done?

The following are some examples of targets. This list is not exhaustive. Many new ideas can be suggested. There are also many committees report that we may have to study to dig up further what else can be done. It may be nothing new to some Universities but this will be first time all Universities will put their act together to be monitored and audited.

1. Students
i. One semester abroad
ii. To bring the best qualified students around the world to Malaysia and sponsored. The idea to set the roadmap to Nobel prize in Malaysia
iii. Student internship local and abroad
iv. Promotion of international students. (KPT has Units will also may come under the audit process)
v. Student field trip aboard
vi. Host family programs
vii. Enhance credit transfer system
viii. Target 30 % foreign students
ix. Etc

Lecturers

i. Teaching in foreign Universities as visiting professors
ii. Joint research
iii. Sabbatical in foreign Universities
iv. Getting top universities in the world to collaborate
v. Placement in established laboratories
vi. post doctoral
vii. One semester aboard
viii. Our lecturers going around as world class renowned speakers
ix. Co supervise PhD research
x. Become consultant to world organization and Universities
xi. A foreign world class reputed University with an outstanding team to be identified to act a mentor to a Faculty in Malaysian Universities in enriching niche programs
xii. Increase overseas and refereed paper presentations by reward system
xiii. Etc

Curriculum

i. World standard imposed on our curriculum
ii. Professional body recognition to our programs
iii. Futuristic programs as new courses
iv. Close academia industry involvement
v. Inputs from prominent professors
vi. Appointment of adjunct professors in curriculum committee
vii. E-Learning practices and models around the world to be added as value added to learning and teaching
viii. Recognition of all our degrees in OIC and other countries around the world
ix. Etc

Faculty development

i. Double Degree programs with reputable Universities around the world at all levels
ii. More International Convention and Seminars
iii. Promoting Malaysian Universities globally through personal networking
iv. Development of International Linkages database
v. Benchmark faculties against top Universities in the world
vi. Rebranding Faculties based on Universal Trend
vii. University leaders and deans should be committed in bringing about innovations in philosophy,policy,teaching, learning practices and assessment as the pillars in creating excellent prestige as world class university


Research
i. Increase post graduate research masters
ii. Increase referred publications of research
iii. Collaboration with top flight researchers
iv. More International Academic chairs
v. Focused International research groups

Futuristic programs
i. Chemical product design
ii. Forensic ergonomics
iii. Nuclear technology
iv. Packaging Technology
v. Structural engineering and architecture
vi. Biotechnological law and ethics
vii. Finance and Law
viii. Criminology and criminal justice
ix. Engineering design and manufacture
x. Investigative Medicine
xi. Law and Business
xii. Medical Physics
xiii. Nano Science
xiv. Rail systems Engineering
xv. Plus many other that can listed



Conclusion.

The paper outline s some preliminary thoughts that targets easy implementation without undue complication. Simple approach with PMO processes and procedures can achieve the targets needed with the quality in place. The above are some of the preliminary thoughts.

Internationalising Universities: Rationales and Implications

An article written by Prof. Morshidi Sirat and Dr. Sarjit Kaur from IPPTN

Introduction
The call to internationalise today’s universities has gained ascendance in recent years. For many institutions, ‘internationalisation’ has become a catchword of the times in higher education and it’s wider use these days has led to an unprecedented increase to its emergence as a research area in its own right (Yang, 2002). The question of the importance of globalisation has never been more relevant, and the move to internationalise higher education has advanced with a sense of urgency (Spanier, 2007). In most higher education contexts worldwide, it is clear that to prepare students to compete, contribute and peacefully co-exist with diverse populations, universities must provide a more fully international education.

Rationales
Just as the development of a common definition of internationalisation has not proved easy, the assessment of the rationale for internationalisation is problematic (Yang, 2002). Indeed, realistically it is envisaged that any discussion on internationalisation cannot avoid discussion of the nature of a university and its role in the transmission and creation of forms of culture and knowledge. The rationale for internationalisation lies in an understanding of the universal nature of the advancement of knowledge (while knowledge is often contextual, the advancement of human knowledge that is based on the common bonds of humanity is arguably a global enterprise). By nature of their commitment to advancing human knowledge, universities necessarily engage in international cooperation. In this regard, “internationalisation that goes far beyond simply having some international connections is even more inherent in many academic disciplines” (Yang, 2002: 86). Often introducing or emphasising international and intercultural aspects leads to more interdisciplinary cooperation in research endeavours. It is the responsibility of the university to “cultivate the ability to understand, appreciate and articulate the reality of interdependence among nations to prepare faculty, staff and students to function in an international and intercultural context” (Yang, 2002: 86). When universities are viewed as having the prime role of helping us understand what is happening in our lives and around the world, there needs to be a burst of creativity and renewed energy to re-imagine universities as an intellectual community and as a locus of intellectual life that is responsive to the changed political, social and economic conditions of the current age.

Key factors
Spanier (2007), in commenting on the need to internationalise today’s universities, sets out the following key aspects:

The role of international organisations
Increasingly, organisations like the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) provide intercontinental opportunities and bring together leaders in education to focus attention on international education. The stumbling block has been the reluctance of governments to fund research across national boundaries, although this is now changing (e.g. The National Science Foundation in the US has become more open to such research collaboration, as has the European Union).

Shaping a new curriculum
The integration of global perspectives into the curriculum is essential for providing a meaningful
international understanding for students. Penn State’s commitment for internationalising the
curriculum has been incorporated into the University’s strategic plan as a “key tenet of each of its fundamental goals of teaching, research and service” (Spanier, 2007: 7). Increasingly, it is being viewed that a truly global university will ensure that coursework is infused with a worldview at many levels: for example humanities, social sciences, arts and business course content reflect variations across countries, cultures and time periods. Fluency in a foreign language can also be an important element of international education. English has become a second most spoken world language and it’s important for universities to realize that competence in English language is not only a key to better communication but it is central to better understanding.

The student experience
International students bring cultural diversity to university campuses and they also have a major economic impact (e.g. in 2005/06, the net contribution to the US economy by foreign students and their families was more than $1.3 billion). Also, international undergraduate students who live in residence halls tend to interact with a much larger population in clubs, organisations and classrooms. The model of a semester or year abroad is still effective (Spanier, 2007). When students work on international teams, they create important and lasting links with other countries. Technology has enabled researchers around the globe to pursue more complex projects.

Implications and conclusion
Universities traditionally have had a two-fold approach to internationalisation: foreign student recruitment and study-abroad programs. These efforts have yielded some success: according to UNESCO, in 2004 there were 2.5 million international students worldwide, which was a 56% increase from 1999 and over half these students are found in East Asia, North America and Western Europe (Spanier, 2007). It is expected that within the next 10 years, university rankings worldwide will undoubtedly shift to include more universities from other countries such as Singapore, China, Malaysia, South Korea and India as these countries are working to “transform their knowledge economy and to develop national strategies to position their higher
education institutions in a competitive world” (Spanier, 2007: 6). In comparative and international education, it is widely acknowledged that pressures from the West are increasing and it is precisely within this scenario that internationalisation poses some particular issues for
universities in developing or less economically developed non-Western countries. Not withstanding the co-existence of regionalisation and internationalisation, modern universities in Asia can use these trends to further advance the case of internationalisation without losing their national identities and sense of tradition. By way of analysing the special role of Asian universities, stronger links can be established among the members of ASEAN, the University Mobility of the Asia-Pacific (UMAP) and European networks via the European Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) and the Trans European Mobility Programme for University Study (TEMPUS), among others, as these programmes “foster regional cooperation, discussion of common problems, regional scholarship programmes and some institutional links” (Yang, 2002: 89).

Prepared by:
Professor Morshidi Sirat (Director, IPPTN)
Dr. Sarjit Kaur (Associate Research Fellow, IPPTN)

Sources:
Spanier, G. (2007). Internationalising Today’s Universities. Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 12 September 2007. Accessed online on 29 October 2007 from www.obhe.ac.uk
Yang, R. (2002). University Internationalisation: Its Meanings, Rationales and Implications. Intercultural Education, Vol. 13 (1): 81-95.

Objectives for Project

Preliminary Project Objectives

1. To enhance global higher education linkages.
2. To increase the number of academic programmes for international students.
3. To promote Malaysia as a centre of excellence for education.

Quick wins

1. Profiling of Malaysian higher education in the media especially international media.
2. Consolidation of information on research and academic programmes for promotional purposes.

Globalisation

What is Globalisation?

We need to discuss what we understand by globalisation?