Dr Imrie delivering his talk on ‘Changing The World Through Idea Generation’ at the Star Education Fair 2016 at SPICE Centre.
SCHOOL leavers should pursue options which will change the world through creativity and empowerment.
In his talk on ‘Changing The World Through Idea Generation’, KDU Penang University College’s deputy vice-chancellor Dr Brian Charles Imrie said students should be encouraged to hit the ground and start their own business through the generation of ideas and products.
“A 2004 documentary on poor lifestyle choices of fast food, which contributes to all types of ill health, received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. It even made over USD$30mil at the box office. This is an example of an idea generation in media production and social impact.
“There are a whole range of opportunities to engage in with creative activities and schoolleavers should choose a university level education which focuses on the creation of ‘thinkers’.
“Choose a college or university that fully supports your ideas to change the world instead of just being a teaching disseminator,” he said in his talk at the Star Education Fair 2016 at SPICE Centre, Bayan Lepas, on Saturday.
INTI International University & Colleges’ career services head Jesus Cuevas Tinawin said when looking for a career, it’s better for one to pursue something they are passionate about, rather than to follow others.
“If one did this, they will excel in their profession.
“One must also choose auniversity which can guarantee a job when they have graduated,” he said in his talk, titled ‘How To Best Equip Yourself In The Competitive World’.
Tinawin added that students should choose higher institutions, which have collaboration with corporate companies.
In his ‘Choosing the Right Career Pathway’ talk, HELP University’s Career Development Centre CareerSense@HELP director Eric Bryan Amaladas said one should assess his or herself beforeexploring the job market.
“The learning opportunities are vital as you have to meet or volunteer in the profession that you are interested in.
“And finally, plan and put your decision in action,” he said.
School leavers who are opting to study overseas, especially in the United States or United Kingdom, also got an insight of what they have to prepare when submitting their applications in the ‘Criteria to Enter the World’s Best Universities’ talk.
Jonathan Whitehouse, who is now the East Asia director for CATS College (UK), Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts, and CATS Academy Boston (USA), under the Cambridge Education Group, said while considering a university, factors such as subjects that are being taught, the expertise offered in the institution and style of teaching, whether it is problem-based or subject-based, have to be considered.
Head of DISTED College’s School of Psychology Foo Pei Lynn in her ‘Career Pathways in Psychology’ session, described what psychology was all about, what study options were available to those keen on pursuing it, what they could expect to learn, and the career opportunities that were available.
In ‘Funding Higher Education’, Star Education Fund manager Susanna Kuan said the fund is offering 241 scholarships worth RM11.4mil, with its 26 partners-in-education this year.
These scholarships cover a wide range of fields and disciplines, from entry-level courses to postgraduate education, professional studies to vocational training.
The scholarships are all bond-free.
The application form can be downloaded from thestar.com.my/edufund.
The other speakers on both days of the fair were International Medical University’s (IMU) Clinical School Associate Dean Assoc Prof Nazimah Idris, Sarawak General Hospital general surgeon Dr James Khaw and Penang National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) general manager Raja Syahriman.
On Sunday, promoting American Degree Programmes from a partnership between Troy University in Alabama, United States and SEGi College Penang was Troy University’s international recruiter Christopher Thomas Miller.
Also pointing out education opportunities in Australia and United Kingdom were AUG Student Services regional operations and marketing director James Kon and Cambridge Ruskin International College marketing manager Rebecca Chong respectively.
MAHSA University’s pre-university studies and American degree programme director Dr James Walsh, Study Excel Sdn Bhd general manager Jerry Tan, Sentral College Penang School of Computing and IT head Nel Ng, The One Academy Penang head of Multimedia Design Leong Wai Khong, Equator College vice-principal Dr William Wong, Quest International University Perak head of department Assoc Prof Dr Vilasini Pillai, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s engineering professor and delegation head of the Engineering Accreditation Council Prof Datuk Dr Eric Goh and Penang Skills Development Centre’s School of Engineering dean Tham Kok Kee were the other speakers.
