FRIDAY, 11 DECEMBER – Centre for Postgraduate Studies (PPPS) recently held a Dialogue Session between its Management and students at PPPS Auditorium.

The dialogue enabled PPPS management met with lecturers and supervisors from all faculties, centres and institutes in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) that offered courses at postgraduate level and their students.

In her opening speech, Dean of PPPS, Professor Datin Dr. Mariam Abd Latip said the main purpose of the dialogue was to disseminate the contents and enforcement of UMS Postgraduate Study Method 2015 to all lecturers, supervisors and its students.

“The dialogue session is a platform for all teachers, supervisors and postgraduate students to raise any issues, views or suggestions that could help strengthen the quality of management and supervision of postgraduate students at the university to achieve UMS’ goal in increasing the number of postgraduate students who would graduate on time (GOT),” she said.

Her speech was read by PPPS Deputy Dean (Academic and International), Associate Professor Dr. Patricia Matanjun.

She added that PPPS also hoped that this dialogue session would be used to further strengthen the existing cooperation between PPPS and faculties, centres and institutes.

At the dialogue session, a total of 82 postgraduate students attended and expressed a variety of proposals and issues relating to the education and welfare, including briefing on UMS Postgraduate Study Method 2015. – (fl)

 Source: Centre for Postgraduate Studies, UMS

FRIDAY, 11 DECEMBER – A Public Awareness and Education Programme on ‘Sea Turtles in Sabah’ for students from Pusat Minda Lestari UMS was organised by the third year students of Marine Science Course.

The undergraduates were under the supervision of Dr. Pushpalatha M. Palaniappan, lecturer of Biology of Marine Reptiles at the Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI).

The programme was held at the Aquarium and Museum of Universiti Malaysia Sabah and involved a total of 20 students from Pusat Minda Lestari (PML), UMS.

According to the programme director, Noor Diani Bambang Dwi Harsono, the programme’s aim was to expose and increase awareness on sea turtles amongst students from PML.  

In addition, it also gave the opportunities to the final year students of Marine Science to build their leadership skills.

The four activities organised were introduction to types of sea turtles, how to measure sea turtle, threats towards sea turtles and how to protect sea turtles. The students were given the opportunity to interact with a live sea turtle.

“In future, we hope that such programme can be held annually with cooperation from the goverment and non-goverment agencies.  

“We also hope to involve more participation from the public,” said Noor Diani.

The curator of Marine Aquarium and Museum of UMS, Flora Anne Asalin, was also present at the event.

Source: BMRI

Photo : Cheong Chah How

THURSDAY, 10 DECEMBER – A total of 200 staff and students of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) today had the opportunity to listen to an innovation sharing delivered by ‘innopreneur’, Robert Yong at the Sharing Session: Innovator that was held for an hour at the Main Lecture Hall 2, UMS.

According to Robert, great innovation started from a simple idea and would develop into a creation that would make it easier for users.

“There are four things that should be considered when producing innovative products that would make it easy and profitable,” he said, citing a number of his innovations that were accepted by the public such as POLYCLONE Instant Rubber Stamp Machine; MOBIHEAT Portable Water Heater; KAMIKAZE Mosquito Glue, TIME-LOCK Remote Control and some other products.

He explained that these four factors were Imagination, Creativity, Invention and Innovation that made the very foundation of every creation and innovation he created.

Through the products he innovated, he earned for himself many awards and accolades such as the Malaysian Inventor of the Year 1994 award, National Youth of the Year 1997, Gold in the Malaysia Technology Exhibition 2006, Gold in the London International Invention Fair, UK 1998, Silver medal in Inventions Competition in Geneva, Switzerland 1999 and many others.

Robert was specially invited to share on his knowledge and experience in the industry in conjunction with the Research and Invention Competition (PEREKA) 2015 organised by the Centre for Research and Innovation (PPI), UMS which began on 9 December and ended this evening. – CD (fl)

Photo: Ramdan Saleh Nain

THURSDAY, 10 DECEMBER – A 1Malaysia Camp was successfully organised recently at SMK Inanam, Kota Kinabalu.

The camp themed ‘Sehati Sejiwa’ was organised by the students under the INTERIM Cocurriculum Course (Section 1) of the Curriculum and Student Development Centre (PKPP), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

Director of the programme, Norsilah Rabiu said, the programme hoped to inculcate patriotism and unity among the young generation especially generation Z.

“We can see that patriotism towards our country is fading especially among the younger generation.  There is also inter-racial problems which threatens racial harmony and this is sad.

“This matter must be addressed from the grassroot level to ensure that national unity, which has been the key to the success of our country be renewed and bring Malaysia to a more prosperous and developed country in the future,” she said.

Senior Assistant of Student Affairs SMK Inanam, Norhaini Abd Ghani believed that this programme was very important and useful as it could help shape thepersonality and positive attitude amongst the younger generation especially school students.

“This activity could help foster comradeship and a love for the country besides shaping positive values amongst students.  We hope such programme would be continued for the common good of the future.”

Various activities were held throughout the programme such as unity explorace, video screenings and patriotic songs performances.

This programme was participated by 37 INTERIM students along with the course instructor, Amer Azlan Abdul Jamal and 160 students of SMK Inanam. – (fl)

Source: PKPP

WEDNESDAY, 09 DECEMBER – In an effort to re-evaluate and improve on the various existing work processes, the Centre for Postgraduate Studies (PPPS) held their Retreat at the Klagan Regency Hotel, 1Borneo. recently.

According to PPPS Dean, Professor Datin Dr. Mariam Abd. Latip, the retreat was also to review the delivery system of their services to their clients.

She said, the focus of the retreat this time was an PPPS staff innovation project presention that had been proposed and planned since early 2015 by Deputy Registrar, Aidah Noordin.

“The individual staff innovation presentation conducted for the very first time at PPPS indirectly would train staff to think creatively to produce new innovations in their work.

“This staff innovation project will also take into account the urpose of the annual performance evaluation by First Supervising Officer (PPP) and Second Supervising Officer (PPK),” she said during the opening of the retreat.

The programme also reviewed all forms used by each section in PPPS besides looking at improvements that are made in accordance with the new Postgraduate Studies method approved this year.

They included efforts to realise PPPS’ intention to use forms online to facilitate students access and processing could be made in the shortest time possble.

The retreat was described as another paradigm shift for PPPS in improving the quality of its services thereby producing innovative staff and moving towards university excellence. – SS (fl)

Source: Centre for Postgraduate Studies