Education

Sunday October 7, 2007

It’s a university!

By Tan Shiow Chin

IT started out as one of the smallest colleges in Malaysia over 10 years ago, with an enrolment of only 300 students.

In 2001, the Advanced Technology and Management Centre (PTPL) was upgraded to the University College of Technology and Management Malaysia (KUTPM).

This year marks an important milestone for KUTPM.

On Oct 2, the university college was officially upgraded to university status in a ceremony graced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.

Prof Shukri (left) explaining the layout of the new campus to Najib and Mustapa during the launching ceremony.
KUTPM, with a student body of 17,000 and 11 faculties, will now be known as the Management and Science University (MSU).

Said Najib in his speech: “The efforts to create a university is not an easy task. Many factors have to be taken into account before such a decision becomes a reality.

“We cannot build a university merely to fulfil current needs. It needs a deep and thorough study.”

He added that a university education should not be perceived merely as a way to produce human resources, but should be regarded more as a process to form a knowledgeable, civilised, educated, well-behaved and ethical society to support the formation of a successful nation.

According to Najib, the biggest challenge currently facing the country is that of accelerating Malaysia's competitive edge.

The development of “glocal” (global and local) human capital, which depends on the country's educational system, is a key element in facing that challenge, he said.

Najib added: “The decision to upgrade KUTPM to university status was based solely on merit.

“That is the only way to ensure that our evaluation process has credibility.”

In his speech, Mustapa congratulated the institution on its achievement and said that the upgrading of KUTPM was “well-deserved and hard-earned”.

He shared that several factors indicated that the university college merited the upgrade – over 50% of KUTPM courses were fully accredited by the National Accreditation Board, the more than 50 home-grown courses offered to students, well-qualified academics including having the required number of lecturers with PhD qualifications, and a strong financial position.

“Actually, the IPTS (private institutions of higher learning) in this country have always provided IPTAs (public institutions of higher learning) with stiff competition,” said Mustapa.

“Institutions like KUTPM will stimulate the public universities to move faster (in terms of development).

“Ultimately, this wil improve our entire education system.”

The ceremony, held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, also saw the launching of MSU's new campus development plans.

The new campus, costing RM250mil and located at Section 13, Shah Alam, is expected to be ready by 2009.

The first phase of the construction began two months ago.

Among the facilities to be provided on the new campus are 86 tutorial rooms, seven lecture halls, seven medical labs and 48 science labs, a multipurpose sports hall and an Islamic centre.

The ceremony was attended by KUTPM's chairman Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid Noordin, president and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Mohd Shukri Ab Yazid, staff and students, as well as other invited guests.

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