ALTHOUGH the number of Covid-19 cases are reducing in Malaysia, the impact of the global outbreak has been dramatic and transformative, as educators put in workable solutions for remote teaching and learning.
All these stem from the emergence of a new, but life-saving, concept: social distancing. What makes it possible to implement such safety measures and at the same time, continue delivering education is Malaysia’s infrastuctural advantage in most cities.
While each level of education faces unique challenges, an article by the World Economic Forum posits that higher education may end up triggering a learning revolution – a much sought after transformation.
Universities usually have an advantage, as their students would be mature enough to manage the rigours of online work. They would also be tech-savvy enough to navigate new platforms.
The real question, however, lies with the institution’s willingness to employ technology as an approach to engage and educate their students.
An Open Day experience like no other
The series of questions and contemplation may quickly lead to a new hybrid model of education. This is an area that Malaysia’s leading private higher education provider, Taylor’s University, is exploring by kickstarting their virtual Open Day - running until mid-August 2020 - in conducting a fully digital summit.
Themed “Rising together as we reimagine the future: Evolution and change amidst the covid-19 era”, the Taylor’s E-Summit 2020 targets Malaysia’s youth and future nation-builders to strengthen, resolve and renew optimism in order to help them realise their dreams.
The e-summit is arranged on the weekend of July 25 and 26 in four sessions, with the respective faculties tackling current affairs. Each session will feature a keynote speaker to present on various topics.
The two-day virtual event will see the industries’ movers and shakers from the Ministry of Health, the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Adobe come together – as a gathering of real world experts and academics who have had their share of professional and personal challenges and triumphs.
The live stream is designed to stimulate impactful conversations and inspire audiences to embark on new fields of exploration and further their learning by overcoming this unprecedented crisis.
Impactful keynote speakers
Taylor’s University’s impressive lineup includes Health deputy director-general for research and technical support Dr Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim, who will be the keynote speaker for the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, addressing, “A Shot at Success: Vaccines and Bioscience Breakthroughs to Prevent Future Pandemics”.
He is currently working with Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in leading Malaysia in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Hishamshah will be the keynote speaker for the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
A senior consultant paediatrician and senior consultant paediatric haematologist and oncologist, Dr Hishamshah has clinical responsibilities and research interest in childhood malignancies, stem cell transplantation, haematological disorders and infections in the immunocompromised.
He is also a strong advocate of research for the greater good of humanity.
Joining Dr Hishamshah is MDEC chief executive officer Surina Shukri, who will be the keynote speaker for the Faculty of Social Science and Leisure Management.
She brings two decades of experience working across a diverse range of companies including global multinationals, middle market companies and early stage startups across the financial services, natural resources and technology sectors.
Surina spent most of her professional career in the United States and started SheNovation Ventures in 2018, where she advised fintech and blockchain startups on growth strategy and capital raising, alongside consulting business leaders on culture change and transformation.
Surina will present on “How Innovation in Education Can Nurture a Nation’s Future”.
She is also one of the core members for the female-centric group Women4Blockchain, which aims to help build the blockchain ecosystem by connecting and educating people about technology
Surina will present on “How Innovation in Education Can Nurture a Nation’s Future”.
Next on the list is Adobe managing director for South-East Asia Simon Dale, who pushes the global boundaries in the topic on “Decoding the Demands for a Digitalised Workforce”.
As the keynote speaker for the Faculty of Innovation and Technology and a respected leader in the industry, Dale has over three decades of professional experience in the technology sector, including 18 years in the Asia Pacific region.
He has held senior roles at MapR and SAP, where he established and scaled new businesses across the region and gained deep and practical understanding of the software and cloud services business.
Dale has over three decades of professional experience in the technology sector.Dale’s career has spanned development, sales management and executive leadership at both startups and large corporations.
He is also an active mentor and angel investor in multiple startups, as well as a mentor and coach to early talent through Mentorshub.
Last, but certainly not least, is prominent personality Datuk Seri Idris Jala, who is the keynote speaker for the Faculty of Business and Law. He will touch on “Survive Today, Thrive Tomorrow: Running Businesses in the Covid-19 era”.
He has a history in transforming the country to become innovative, rigorous and relevant to today’s demand.
He has made many contributions to the country while serving as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and as the chief executive officer of Pemandu, which Nesta, UK and Bloomberg Philanthropies named as one of the top 20 most innovative government agencies in the world in 2014.
In that same year, he was also named in Bloomberg Markets’ “50 Most Influential list” under the policymakers category.
One of his more significant contributions was his role as Malaysia Airlines CEO, where he succeeded in turning the company around in less than two years, with the airlines achieving a record profit of US$260mil in 2007.
He will touch on “Survive Today, Thrive Tomorrow: Running Businesses in the Covid-19 era”.
Empowering business leaders of tomorrow
During the e-summit, Taylor’s will also introduce a new programme in the form of a dialogue to inspire and guide the next generation of entrepreneurs through the waves of self-employment.
The dialogue will see young, yet successful business owners sharing their own experiences from the impact of the pandemic, as well as some key initiatives they have taken to navigate this turbulence.
The conversation seeks to cover the benefits of having strong theoretical knowledge and how being in a community of other like-minded individuals is the perfect formula in cultivating a solid foundation for the entrepreneurship journey.
The two-day e-summit is open to the public and certificate holders in diploma and foundation, allowing participants to be a part of in-depth breakout sessions, experience the Lakeside Campus through virtual tours and sit with Taylor’s experts in an e-counselling sessions for youths interested to find out more about the course they are interested to pursue.
The Taylor’s E-Summit 2020 is keen to help the nation’s youths rise to their dreams - by equipping them with the right values, knowledge and survival skills - to be future leaders in their chosen fields.
Future-proof yourself and find out more about the Taylor’s E-Summit 2020 by getting in touch via email at summit@taylors.edu.my or registering at http://university2.taylors.edu.my/esummit/.
