Next frontier: Zambry delivering the closing address at the ICIEF 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star
The Higher Education Ministry is looking into setting up a polytechnic for artificial intelligence (AI) in Malaysia.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said a study is being conducted on the feasibility of setting up Malaysia’s first AI polytechnic.
“The University of Tsukuba, which is one of the leading institutes in Japan with its own AI research centre, will also be establishing a branch here.
“As a start, the varsity will conduct its programme at Universiti Malaya this year,” he said after closing the 15th International Conference on Islamic Economics & Finance (ICIEF) 2024 in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 22.
In his speech, Zambry said the education system’s curriculum from the preschool to tertiary level is in need of urgent reform.
TVET
During a recent visit to Japan, Zambry said a discussion was held to understand the curriculum of the National Institute of Technology, Tokyo College (Tokyo Kosen), and to see how the ministry can upgrade technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Malaysia.
He said there are over 50 of these institutes in Japan, and that they have produced more than 500,000 graduates in high TVET engineering.
“One of the ministry’s main focuses is to look at the education system in providing room for students to choose their fields more effectively.
“The stigma that TVET is a second class education must be eliminated,” he added.
The Japanese, he said, do not look at TVET as second class education unlike how it is in Malaysia.“In Japan, at age 15, students get to decide between continuing regular schooling and attending a technical school, without needing to ponder about what field they want to venture into at the ages of 17 or 18.
“They see high level TVET as an extremely important field of study. This is why we want to emphasise its importance.”
Collaboration
He also said a focus on science, mathematics and the latest technology is crucial to shape the youth into well-rounded and empowered citizens who are able to thrive in the digital economy as creators of technology rather than mere users.
“(But) while more focus on the latest technology is needed, we must not forget that collaboration is key.
“It is by fostering collaboration that young minds can learn to develop businesses and social entrepreneurship initiatives that address the critical social and environmental issues of today and tomorrow,” he said.With the increasing speed of discovery of new and modern technology, partnerships between universities, industries, civil societies and government agencies must be strengthened, he added.
“Innovation manifests when multiple disciplines intersect. This will accelerate the pace of new discoveries and holistic solutions to challenges we face in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic world.
“Interdisciplinary collaboration is what will drive universities and colleges into incubators of change.
“We must work together across different sectors regardless of borders to share the knowledge and resources we hold for the benefit of everyone involved.“No single entity has all the answers, and it is by bringing together academia, industries and policymakers that we are able to cultivate global citizens who are equipped to address the complexities of our time and to implement solutions that benefit the economy and the environment,” he added.
The ministry, he said, will continuously support collaborative research, especially in niche areas such as Islamic economics that do not get sufficient attention from industries.
