The University of Nottingham Malaysia has students from more than 85 different countries.
SOME of us might have the need to make a difference in the world and this could be fostered from a young age. When taking the first steps, look for a course and university that focuses on development towards these goals.
According to University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) dean Dr Jason Pandya-Wood, it is important to choose a programme that is right for you.
“What spurs you on? What inspires you? What makes you curious about the world? Courses in arts and social science are often chosen by those who want to make a positive impact or a difference in the world around them,” he said.
For those who follow the debate on making business more sustainable, he said: “The Nottingham University Business School is right for you. You would gain a qualification with important insights and skills needed to be a competent business leader but add to that, insights into how to make a more positive impact on the world.”
Furthermore, students with an interest in telling compelling stories, he said, might find media courses intriguing.
“Develop skills in writing, communicating in different ways and understanding language. Actually those skills are great for people in any career including the work I do, where advanced communication skills are really critical and important,” he added.
FASS is a large and diverse faculty with a total of eight departments – with broad-based and specialist teachings – which include the schools of Business; Economics; Education; English; Organisational and Applied Psychology; Media Languages and Cultures; Politics, History and International Relations; and the Centre for English Language and Foundation Education.
Dr Jason Pandya-Wood advises students to choose a programme that is right for them.
A vibrant place to study
A truly global university, UNM is home to students from 85 countries and with sister campuses in the UK and China, which gives students access to international experience and perspective with lecturers from around the world and interaction with students from other campuses.
“The thing I’m most proud of with working at UNM is the staff who are inspiring, dedicated lecturers and tutors who are constantly innovative in their approach to teaching and learning. Our dedicated administrative and support staff also put students at the heart of everything they do.
“Students benefit from a wide range of teaching and learning strategies. You would get a chance to participate in outstanding and engaging lectures but also work in seminar groups with your peers, and in problem-based real world learning groups with industry partners,” he said.
According to Josephine Dionisappu who recently graduated from MA Educational Leadership and Management the quality of support she received from the staff of the School was instrumental in helping her to the completion of a 15,000-word dissertation.
“The staff are very committed. Without their support, I am not sure I could have got a high merit for my dissertation, given that this pandemic brought upon added challenges and responsibilities,” she added.
Concurring the commitment of the university in staying agile during the new normal, Dr Pandya-Wood said, almost overnight, UNM was able to convert from being a physical in-person experience to being a state-of-the-art online learning experience.
“That’s because our tutors were already developing their expertise in that area and already recognised that students wanted a blended approach to their learning.
“It’s not just lectures online. For example, there is a module in our politics course where students would traditionally visit agencies involved in politics, so we did virtual ones where these agencies would take us around their agency, talk about the work that they do and get students to do tasks,” he said.
Giving students a leg-up
UNM spans some 125 acres (50.58ha) overlooking green hills and is designed to mirror the attributes of the University Park campus in the UK.
Furthermore, the university aims to give students the reassurance that the education they are getting meets the national and international standards for quality via its accreditations such as international accreditation from EQUIS and the associations of MBAs for the MBA programmes.
“We are always looking for professional endorsement for the work that we do. We are currently working with CNN in developing the educational course work with media studies so that students would get the opportunity to gain hands-on journalism experience,” he said.
Besides that, UNM offers financial aid to exceptional students.
“We also recognise excellence in students during their time in UNM and the dean's excellence scholarship is awarded to students who perform exceptionally well in their studies.”
The dean's excellence scholarship is awarded to excellent students progressing from foundation to Year 1 and returning students from Year 1 to Year 2, and Year 2 to Year 3.
“We also recognise that students may encounter financial difficulties during these tough times as well as the uncertainty of life under Covid-19, thus, students can familiarise themselves with UNM’s Hardship Fund designed for existing students,” Dr Pandya-Wood added.
Interested students are encouraged to register for UNM’s upcoming September 2021 intake.
For more information, visit www.nottingham.edu.my/Social-Sciences/index.aspx or call 03-8924 8686.
