The rise of Taylor’s University in QS rankings stems from how it educates students.
Taylor’s approach to education goes beyond imparting knowledge with the Taylor’sphere ecosystem
OVER a decade ago, Taylor’s University was awarded full university status and now, the university has achieved another remarkable feat by rising the ranks to number 53 in Asia, according to the QS Asia University Rankings 2022.
The higher education institution (HEI) reveals it achieved this meteoric rise in academia by realising early on that beyond the traditional role of universities to impart knowledge and foster critical thinking and discourse, its graduates needed an additional edge – experience.
Instead of leaving it to chance, many student experiences are carefully curated by Taylor’s.
This could include them taking up life skills modules like mindfulness and goal setting, or even gamification to rack up co-curricular points towards a tiered Shine award. Plus, they can even partake in multidisciplinary projects to develop impactful solutions to community problems.
Continuous excellence
Its innovations in the curriculum and technology fronts have paid off, as Taylor’s has chartered many firsts in QS rankings the past two years, despite the global Covid-19 pandemic that revolutionised the way people live, learn and work.
Taylor’s recognition as QS Asia University Rankings 2022’s 53rd top university in Asia, leaping 36 places from the previous year, cements its position as Malaysia’s top private university.
The HEI has recorded a jump of more than 140 ranks since 2016, on the back of positive trends in the recent QS Graduate Employment Rankings 2022 and the QS World University Rankings 2022, which saw the university not only maintain its position as the leading private university in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, but also become the top 1.1% of the most influential institutions globally.
“We have far exceeded our initial target of breaking into the top 100 in Asia by 2022. I believe this is an affirmation that strategic foresight in curriculum and culture transformation is essential for education institutions to thrive in this era,” said Taylor’s University vice chancellor and president Professor (Prof) Michael Driscoll.
He added, “Despite its relatively young age, Taylor’s has proved its adaptability even in challenging times to produce meaningful research, as well as foster strong industry networks and a conducive ecosystem that ensures our graduates are equipped with the necessary intellectual, practical and creative intelligence.”
Taylor’s Prof Driscoll said that reaching the initial target before 2022 reaffirms that strategic foresight in curriculum and culture transformation is essential for education institutions to thrive in this era.
The Taylor’sphere ecosystem
“Taylor’s redesigned its curriculum, pedagogy and assessment to create the Taylor’sphere ecosystem, in order to prepare students for a post-pandemic world where, more than ever, academic intelligence is not the most important factor for success.
“The ecosystem aims to ensure students will not only have the right knowledge and job skills but also essential life skills and social networks to put into practice what they have learnt and find solutions to real-world problems,” said deputy vice chancellor and chief academic officer Prof Dr Pradeep Nair.
He added that Taylor’sphere is supported by resources such as the Taylor’s Me.reka Makerspace, open access to any physical and virtual laboratory, dedicated life skills and career planning coaches, social innovation mentors, a startup incubator Bizpod and a commercialisation team to help bring solutions to the market.
This is augmented with the introduction of degrees with multiple learning tracks that include options to spend the final year on an entrepreneurship or work-based learning mode.
Much of the practical aspect of learning, however, takes place within the projects that degree students spearhead.
(Left photo) Liu worked with her industry mentor Ong on calligraphy designs, while (right) Poh worked with a henna expert for Patung Project, a collaboration with Barbie Mattel and KL Fashion Week.
Making an impact
Bachelor in Fashion Design Technology students Michell Poh and Liu Peiyi were grateful for the opportunity to work with local designers for their Patung Project, a collaboration with Barbie Mattel and Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, to produce cultural garments for Barbie dolls.
“I have been working with Revathi Uthamaseelan, who taught me the techniques of drawing the henna design,” said Poh, who added that she successfully learnt the technical skills required, despite the coaching being entirely online.
She shared, “I feel industry experience is important as it gives us the opportunity to engage with the profession in a realistic work environment.”
As for Liu, who was mentored by Ong Chia Koon to use calligraphy designs on her Barbie clothes, she received useful guidance with regard to design elements, creating a collection and anticipating customer needs.
“As students, we design clothes the way we like them, but I realise that designers with industry experience know more about what customers want,” she shared.
Beyond the industry experience, however, is the idea of students making an impact on their communities – a point nailed home in compulsory student projects across the university.
For communications lecturer Hardip Singh Rekhraj, that impact came in the form of his PR students’ final year projects.
“I wanted to use the class projects to help businesses that were grappling during the pandemic. If we can collectively put our efforts towards something bigger like this, we can contribute towards the nation’s economic recovery phase,” he said.
The Lee family and their No. 81 Mochi business were hit hard by the pandemic and received help from Taylor's Public Relations students.
His student, Nur Farah Dina Binti Shahrul Muzammir, shared her experience of working on the project where she approached businesses in Petaling Street, which were struggling as a result of lockdowns, in order to offer PR services to assist them.
“We agreed to work with No. 81 Mochi, as we felt that while muah chee is a very classic and popular snack in Chinese culture, it is rarely seen in the mainstream media,” she said.
Her team garnered coverage in several English media platforms and coordinated ideas and designs for social media posts to be uploaded on the business’ Instagram and Facebook pages.
She added, “We also helped create a DIY ‘Mochi Kit’ to add to No. 81 Mochi’s lineup of offerings. The kit has received a lot of positive feedback and reviews from customers.”
Apart from gaining skills such as communication, teamwork and conflict resolution, Farah felt thankful to be part of a project that made a difference to the community.
“Personally, I felt very fulfilled that we could help out the hardworking Lee family that was heavily hit by the pandemic. The family was really pleased and thankful,” she said.
“Education needs to engage not just the mind, but also the hands and the heart – it’s not just about preparing students for a job,” said Prof Dr Pradeep.
He stressed, “When you have knowledge, you need to apply it and apply it towards the greater good. This is what we believe in.
“We’re coming back full circle to what education is truly for – the development of the whole person.”
