Towards global digital leadership: (from left) Mohd Banuri, Idris, Parmjit and Mohd Helmy holding the documents signifying the collaboration.
SOME 13 outstanding students from the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) community are assured of a sponsored technology-based tertiary education, thanks to an initiative to produce excellent human capital that is ready to embrace challenges in the digital era.
These beneficiaries comprising grandchildren of the Felda settlers and children of Felda Group employees, including those of FGV Holdings Bhd, will form the initial cohort to pursue programmes up to the bachelor’s degree level – after having been selected from among 239 applicants vying for the scholarship.
Valued at RM1.5mil, the Global Digital Leadership (GDL) education programme includes the Academic Studies Programme, the Intensive English Programme, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, foreign language classes (Korean language), accommodation fees, and student allowance for four years and six months.
It also covers a broad range of technology specialisations aimed at increasing the Felda new generation’s digital preparedness in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The 18 technology-based courses offered are information technology, system security, cloud engineering, network computing, mobile technology, Internet of things, digital transformation, financial technology, business information systems, software engineering, computer science, data analytics, digital forensics, cyber security, intelligent systems, multimedia technology, virtual reality/augmented reality, and computer games development.
To deliver the initiative inspired by Felda chairman Tan Sri Idris Jusoh, Felda through Yayasan Felda has formed a strategic collaboration with the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU).
Signing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) were Yayasan Felda general manager Datuk Mohd Banuri Aris and APU executive director Mohd Helmy Norman, while Idris and APU chief executive officer Datuk Parmjit Singh were present to witness the ceremony.
At the event, Idris reinforced Felda’s commitment to raising educational standards and developing the new generation of Felda in order to enhance the social mobility of its community as a whole.
“With the signing of this MoU, I am confident that the educational aspirations of the new generation of Felda will be empowered, as will their digital mastery, which will be the driver of a more advanced future,” he said in a press release dated Aug 30.
“This move to collaborate with APU in the field of technology will serve as an inspiration for the new generation to continue to innovate and achieve world-class success after they graduate, and to become the force to achieve Felda’s aspiration to propel itself towards the Fortune 500 league,” he added.
Thanking Felda, FGV and Yayasan Felda for their confidence and foresight in establishing the collaboration, Parmjit said the varsity looks forward to transforming the students into highly competent, employable and future-proof graduates in their chosen technology specialisations.
“We are confident that through this collaboration, these students will not only be competitive locally, but will also develop high levels of global awareness and competitiveness through their studies at APU’s highly multicultural learning environment, which includes students from more than 130 countries on campus,” he said.
