UOW Malaysia has collaborated with 22 industry advisory panels comprising 85 panellists that represent some of the largest industry players in Malaysia and on the global platform.
"We confer regularly. Our industry advisory panels provide feedback on changes in technologies, business models, consumer patterns, cultural shifts, financial systems and so much more,” said UOW Malaysia’s Academic deputy vice-chancellor Professor Dr Hon Wei Min.
"Through that, we proudly say that our undergraduates are always schooled in the latest developments in the industries they are aiming to join.
"Our trademarked catchphrase is that we want our graduates to 'Hit the Ground Running', and we really mean that,” she said.
Some UOW Malaysia's bachelor degree programmes are even designed for undergraduates based on what the campus' industry partners need.
UOW Malaysia's Batu Kawan, Penang campus head of operations Associate Professor Dr. Yeap Gik Hong said integrated circuit (IC) design is a part of the curriculum for some fields of study such as computing and engineering. Penang has a long list of giant multinational corporations such as Intel.
“We customised the curriculum because our industry partners need graduates who know IC design. In response, our industry partners provide scholarships for our students with guaranteed jobs upon graduating.
“This is because our curriculum is specially tailored to produce graduates that multinational corporations need,” said Prof Yeap.
Once a year, he added, the industry advisory panels would convene formally, and the teaching body will present the students' achievements.
"We show them our students' projects, events and research. Then we ask them to comment on them. Does anything need to be enhanced or changed?
"These are experts in their line of work and we value their frank assessment of our students' efforts," he said.
Prof Yeap added that it is through the generous sharing of industry advisory panels that enables lecturers to update their curriculum to ensure that every batch of students are armed with skills and knowledge most needed by industries.
“Our panellists and other industry partners also hold talks and webinars regularly. At the moment, we are having a series of monthly talks by experts from Intel Penang.
“They share with students what they know about programming, engineering, IC design and these are valuable opportunities for our students,” he added.
Prof Yeap said UOW Malaysia also organised industrial training or internships for its students through close collaboration with industry partners.
“We work with our partners so that our students join teams in those companies during internship to work on projects and solve problems, instead of being relegated to menial tasks.
“We take their internships seriously because we know how important it is to prepare them for careers after they graduate,” he said.
To learn more about UOW Malaysia programmes, visit www.uowmkdu.edu.my.
