Taylor’s Open Day introduces students to Taylor’sphere, a learning ecosystem and community that nurtures three intelligences in students – intellect, craft, and practical wisdom.
IN its fourth consecutive year as the Top Private University in South-East Asia, as per the QS World University Rankings 2024, Taylor’s University exemplifies its ongoing commitment to pursuing balanced excellence in education by nurturing purposeful and impact-driven student leaders.
This solidifies the institution’s position amongst the Top 1% of the most influential universities globally.
The growing accolades further attest to the institution’s long-term ambition to provide a meticulous academic experience, while prioritising continuous curriculum reforms that are aligned with market demands.
According to Taylor’s University president and vice-chancellor, Prof Michael Driscoll, the consistent ranking placement is a result of the high calibre of its academics and students, as well as the progressive programmes and innovative teaching methodologies.
Prof Driscoll believes that consistent ranking placement opens doors to provide students with better job opportunities, access to valuable resources, and the chance to build strong networks.
These strong suits open doors to better job opportunities, access to valuable resources and the chance to build strong networks.
Armed with a constant focus on providing new and exciting approaches to higher education, the university offers students an enriching and transformative learning experience.
Uplifting communities
At the heart of learning at Taylor’s lies an ecosystem that combines pedagogic practices to deliver quality education and experience for its students to graduate with a purpose.
By integrating purposeful learning into the curriculum, the university’s well-balanced Taylor’sphere ecosystem nurtures students’ three intelligences of intellect, craft and practical wisdom.
This motivates them to go beyond conventional notions of excellence by using their critical thinking knowledge and life skills to be resilient problem-solvers in an ever-changing world.
The ecosystem sets the stage for students to explore their passions, collaborate with like-minded individuals and develop their skills beyond the classroom.
Primed with a genuine passion for making a positive impact, the university – through its academics and students – actively tackles societal challenges and empowers local communities, to leave a lasting impression on the world.
This endeavour is brought to life through three remarkable Taylor’s students that embody community involvement, both within and out of the classroom.
BraillePad
Believing in the equity and quality of education, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons) student Ng Yong Pong created the BraillePad, which is a 3D printed tablet-like audible Braille book device.
3D Printed Audible BraillePad designed by Team Visionaries.
This innovative device addresses the limitations of conventional Braille books and enables visually impaired readers to engage in independent learning without having to rely on a teacher.
In addition to working with students from the university’s medical and business schools, Ng worked closely with Braille readers from the Malaysian Association of the Blind (MAB) to better understand their reading needs.
To date, Ng’s team aptly named “The Visionaries” have won several national and international awards for the BraillePad.
Their list of awards include the first runner-up at the National University of Singapore’s Medical Grand Challenge, double awards for the Youth Innovation Challenge at the Malaysia Technology Expo 2023, and the “Best Use of 3D Printing (Over 18)” at the PrintLab and Autodesk Make:able 3D Printing Challenge 2023.
“BraillePad is an example of how I applied the skills I have learnt in university, such as Computer-Aided Design drawing, additive manufacturing and 3D printing, to build a tangible solution that impacts the visually impaired community,” says Ng.
“Through the clubs and societies actively involved, I was able to connect with elites of various fields and appreciate the valuable mentorships from Taylor’s academics.”
Projek BacaBaca
After acquiring a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance at Taylor’s University, Tharani Ramasamy secured internships with prestigious accounting firms thanks to the university’s emphasis on practical skills and industry connections.
It was only later on that Tharani discovered her interest to pursue a Master of Teaching and Learning programme at Taylor’s School of Education.
In the programme, she scored an outstanding 4.0 CGPA and was armed with more passion than ever to create a meaningful impact in the Malaysian education scene – eventually taking on the role of project officer for Projek BacaBaca.
Children from underserved communities reading some of the books donated at Taylor’s Projek BacaBaca Launch.
When she first joined the project, which seeks to promote literacy in underserved communities, Tharani was shocked to learn that many Malaysian students lack similar educational opportunities and privileges, like those she has been accustomed to from a young age.
Now, in her second year as project officer, Tharani spearheads multiple reading programmes to cater for learners of various reading levels and capabilities.
Her eye-opening experiences and learnings from Projek BacaBaca were an invaluable asset when she presented a research paper on learning poverty at the BERA Conference 2022 at University of Liverpool.
Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in Education, investigating former Tamil primary school students’ primary-secondary medium of instruction transition.
CAREbinet by The Risers
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Interior Architecture second-year student, Immanuel Santosh, spearheads the CAREbinet by The Risers initiative, which entails building and distributing sustainable cabinets to 14 schools (and counting) in Kuala Lumpur.
The “CAREbinets” are restocked weekly with essential food and sanitary items, as this initiative aims to meet the fundamental needs of of students in underserved communities and enhance their chances of academic success at school.
Immanuel (first from left, front row) at the launch of ‘CAREbinet by The Risers’ initiative at SMK Seri Tasik in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras.
“The support we received from the schools that welcomed us and all the sponsors who contributed made this project a tremendous success,” says Immanuel.
“The diverse abilities and backgrounds of students from various programmes at Taylor’s, such as ACCA, Biomedical Science, and SACE, made it easier to build the cabinets, which was one of the greatest challenges to overcome.
“I’m proud to say that we built it efficiently with the aim to give back to the community.”
Knowledge with a purpose, experiences for impact
Themed “Powering Knowledge with Experience”, the Taylor’s Open Day is set to be held over the course of two weekends, from July 29-30 and August 5-6.
The lineup of Open Day activities entails culinary discovery classes, an experiential space featuring the 3D BraillePad, a CAREbinet drive to distribute essential needs to 14 schools in Klang Valley and a Projek BacaBaca showcase to encourage people to donate reading materials for the establishment of a library at Kg Sungai Choh in Rawang.
There will also be a Makerspace workshop utilising a 3D printer and an innovative student projects showcase from the Taylor’s Camp of Leaders programme and the Technopreneurship track.
Visitors will also go through experiential campus tours which include South-East Asia’s world-class Future of Extended Reality (XR) Learning Centre, the VORTEX XR Lab and other cutting-edge facilities, as well as consultation sessions with Taylor’s academic counsellors.
