THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018
Revolutionising
WHEN talking about the Industrial
Revolution, images that often come
to mind include the extensive use
of steam power, the birth of heavy
machinery and ironworks, and
bleak factories in England.
However, two more industrial
revolutions have since passed and
the 21st century is paving its way
for the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (IR 4.0), which is seeing
the rise of autonomous decision
making of cyber-physical systems
and machine learning through
cloud technology.
In simple words, IR 4.0 is the
usage of artificial intelligence (AI)
and the Internet to transform
age-old processes and operating
procedures across all industries.
With such change taking place,
what does this mean for the
accounting industry and where do
accountants find their relevance in
an era that looks to automate
everything?
Calculating assets
In an interview with
international education provider
Kaplan, Malaysian Institute of
Accountants’ (MIA) chief executive
officer Dr Nurmazilah Datuk
Mahzan said, “Among the current
trends that are creating waves in
the accountancy profession are big
data and analytics.
“Companies of all sizes create
massive structured, unstructured
and semi-structured data every
day. Organisations harnessing big
data would be able to find new
insights and discover unique
patterns of their customer
behaviour or even create new
businesses that were previously
not possible.”
Echoing her sentiments is Bryan
Chung, Fellow of CPA Australia
(FCPA), divisional councillor at CPA
Australia (Malaysia), who believes
that even though AI is good at
matching patterns and automating
processes – making technology
useful to many functions in
companies in the process –
accountants still play a vital role.
He says, “While there is a lot of
hype surrounding blockchain and
AI in accountancy with more firms
taking steps to increase or
experiment with their use, it is
unlikely that accountants (or
auditors) will be out of a job
anytime soon.
“It is likely that most of the
administration process will be the
first to be introduced to AI.
Increasingly, accountants in
business are given the opportunity
to be less involved in automated
operations and focus more on
big-picture strategies, which gives
a clear indication of the type
of skills required in the near
future.”
The challenge, however, is
turning the current workforce in
the accounting field into
professionals who truly
understand the implications of
IR 4.0, not just in terms of their
personal skills but also movements
within the industry.
Discovering market
potential
Gone are the days when sales
numbers, website traffic and KPIs
were sufficient information to
accounting for a new era
The field of accounting is in need of a new breed of professionals who can contribute more than a quantifiable value
to companies.
measure monthly net profits.
In the same Kaplan interview,
the organisation’s global
professional accountancy head
Tanya Worsley said, “Businesses
today depend on their accountants
beyond purely checking financial
figures and balancing books.
“Financial professionals are
expected to be able to provide their
clients with actionable insights that
can add value to the organisation’s
overarching strategic goals.”
The changing role of accountants
in the digital economy is what
prompted MIA to launch the
Digital Technology Blueprint in
July this year, a document that
outlines the five driving principles
to help guide Malaysian
accountants to respond
appropriately to digital technology.
These principles are related to
digital technology trends, the
identification of capabilities,
harnessing of digital technology,
funding and governance.
Accountants who fail to stay
updated with the latest trends and
knowledge will cause their
employers to lose out in the long
run, while competing firms take
advantage of the evolving cloud
system.
For these reasons, upskilling
and obtaining professional
qualifications from MIA or
accountancy bodies such as CPA
Australia, Association of Chartered
Certified Accountants, Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales or Chartered Institute
of Management Accountants
should be considered a necessity
instead of mere steps for higher
management.
As most professional
accountancy bodies require
members to undergo regular
training to maintain their
memberships, these certified
professionals are expected to be
fully prepared for IR 4.0 and, by
and large, artificial intelligence
experts.
Chung adds, “IT knowledge is no
longer an option. Lest we aim
erroneously, it is not how extensive
the IT knowledge is (as this is
available in abundance and can be
acquired easily), but the ability to
understand the evolution of the
profession and apply the
knowledge appropriately.”
Explaining that accountants
must use technology in their
favour to elevate companies to
new heights, he gives the example
of successful tech businesses that
used e-platforms to achieve
massive scalability and visibility
within a short time, despite having
owners or founders who were not
IT graduates.
“In the same way, accountants
should be more strategic, make
sense of the vast data
available and deliver
services based on the twin
pillars of speed and quality,”
he continues.
Eliminating liabilities
When combining this piece
of information with the future
route of total automation for jobs
that are repetitive, rule-based and
involve limited or well-defined
physicality, the traditional job
scope of accountants is coming to
an end.
Employers are bemoaning the
skill gaps currently present in the
knowledge of digital technologies,
forcing companies to spend
resources retraining and reskilling
their employees.
At the other end of the spectrum,
constant news reports highlight the
more pressing issue of employers
having difficulty finding good
graduates who can hit the ground
running upon entering the
workforce.
These situations highlight the
dire need for a new breed of
accountants who can provide more
all-inclusive corporate reporting,
which tells less about the numbers
and more about the narrative of a
company.
The Malaysian education system,
for one, must move towards
becoming an ecosystem for
continuous upgrading of skills,
working together with employers,
be they officials from the
Government, small
business
entrepreneurs
or industry
Increasingly,
accountants in
business are given
the opportunity to
be less involved
in automated
operations and
focus more on big-
picture strategies,
which gives a clear
indication of the type
of skills required in
the near future.
Bryan Chung, FCPA
experts from professional
organisations.
Colleges and universities need to
continue reviewing their course
offerings so that graduates have
an accurate understanding of the
evolving industry while being
trained to adapt to new
technologies and autonomous
changes at the workplace.
However, it is not all doom and
gloom. Chung points out, “There
are now many initiatives being
undertaken by various
professional organisations and
associations to provide education
to accountants to increase
awareness of the changes taking
place.
“There are efforts now by
professional bodies, corporates
and academia to come together to
address the disconnect between
what’s being studied at universities
and what’s relevant in the business
world.”
Given how the financial
technology space has
demonstrated the willingness of
companies to use innovative
methods, Chung is optimistic about
the future as the accounting
profession can not only make
positive inroads but ride on the
back of this momentum to
accelerate the learning and
adoption of technologies as the
nation moves into a new era of
automation.
2 Postgraduate THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018

Comparing research impact

WHEN you write a scientific paper, it
becomes part of the scientific archive. The
hope is that other scientists will read your
research and further develop it.
This is how scientific advancements are
made, enabling today’s researchers to stand
on the shoulders of giants rather than
forever reinventing the wheel.
You also hope that other scientists will cite
your work. If your paper is cited, it shows
that somebody else believes that your
research is important.
Universities are often interested in how
often their papers are cited as it is important
for calculating an impact factor, which is
used to measure the productivity of their
staff and impact of their research.
One way to calculate impact factor is to
see how many times a certain group of
papers has been cited. An obvious grouping
includes all the papers written by a
university in a given year.
The table below shows the average
number of citations in this type of grouping
for several universities in Malaysia over the
past five years.
The figures in the table were created using
a standard tool (SciVal) that is available to
most universities. Its results can be
independently verified.
The table shows, by way of example, that
papers written at the University of Malaya
(UM) in 2013 have been cited an average of
12.1 times. Digging into the data, we see that
UM published 3,847 papers in 2013, which
were cited 46,591 times (46,591 ÷ 3,847 =
12.1). Over this five-year period, it published
22,236 papers, which were cited 186,849
times (186,849 ÷ 22,236 = 8.4) and shows
that its overall citations per publication
is 8.4.
Papers published in more recent years
have lower citation rates as they have not
been available for as long and are not as
highly cited.
UM is considered the best research
university in Malaysia, so it is probably not
surprising that it is at the top of the list.
What may be a little surprising is that the
next two universities in the list are both
foreign branch campuses (FBCs).
We hope that this serves as evidence of the
contribution that FBCs are providing to the
research landscape in Malaysia.
Malaysia’s other research universities
come up next on the list. This is not
unexpected – given the investment that has
been made in these institutions in recent
years, you would hope to see evidence of a
return on that investment.
The selection of the universities in the
table is reasonably arbitrary, and many are
missing. Monash University Malaysia is an
obvious omission, but it is because it does
not have its own entry in SciVal, making it
difficult to collect its statistics reliably.
These figures should be read with caution
as there are many other metrics that we
could use, but tools such as SciVal enable
easy comparison across different
institutions.
Deeper analysis and use of other metrics
may be even more illuminating. We would
be happy to do so if anyone feels that it
would be useful.
n Prof Graham Kendall is the chief executive
officer, provost and pro-vice-chancellor of
the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
Twitter: @Graham_Kendall

Overall 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

citations
University of Malaya * 8.4 12.1 11.7 9.6 6.5 2.6
RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus 7.9 25.2 2.2 5.3 3.1 11.7
University of Nottingham Malaysia 6.5 10.4 8.7 6.8 5.2 2.4
Universiti Sains Malaysia * 5.1 8.7 6.4 5.0 4.0 1.4
Universiti Putra Malaysia * 4.9 7.8 6.6 5.2 3.3 1.4
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia * 4.7 7.6 6.0 5.2 3.4 1.4
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia * 4.6 6.6 5.6 5.8 3.3 1.5
Limkokwing University of
4.1 6.5 5.9 3.3 2.0 0.5
Creative Technology
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia 3.8 - 3.8 4.1 5.9 2.7
Taylor's University 3.6 6.4 4.4 4.3 2.8 1.4
Sunway University 3.6 5.1 6.4 5.5 2.6 2.1
Universiti Teknologi Petronas 3.3 6.3 3.5 4.4 2.5 1.4
* Research university

Progress to the top

CPA Australia is one of the world’s largest
accounting bodies with a global membership
of more than 163,000 finance, accounting
and business professionals. More than
25,000 of them work in senior leadership
positions.
The CPA designation is recognised
internationally and can take you across the
globe into any sector you want to work in.
The CPA Program equips you with an
understanding of the dynamic issues that
organisations face in the global marketplace.
Throughout the programme, you will
receive a range of knowledge, resources and
learning products and choose how, when,
where and what you learn.
With its flexible study options, you can
complete the CPA Program through distance
learning, full-time study or combined
postgraduate degree. You can also opt for
online or face-to-face tuition to complement
the distance learning study option.
Through the CPA Australia Network,
students and graduates can be the first to
receive career advice from CPA Career
Mentor and find out about career events,
on-campus activities, and graduate and
internship opportunities.
This is an opportunity to discover how
CPA Australia can support you as a student,
open up networking opportunities with
professionals and springboard your future
as a CPA.
The CPA Australia Ambassador Program
gives you access to a network of more than
163,000 members and over 400 Recognised
Employer Partners worldwide. Become a
CPA Australia Ambassador and access skill
development opportunities to help you stand
out from the rest.
n For details, call 03-2267 3388, e-mail
kl@cpaaustralia.com.au or visit
www.cpaaustralia.com.au

Exclusive to
CPA Australia
Network,
Profession
Session –
Malaysia is
an annual
career fair that
helps students,
graduates
and young
professionals
land their
dream jobs.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018 3
4 Postgraduate THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018
Rebuilding Myanmar from within
MONASH University Malaysia’s Master of
Business Administration (MBA) student Aye
Chan Lwin was interested in Myanmar as a
location in which to implement her social
enterprise project. The project aims to
capitalise on Burmese talent and improve
rural infrastructure. It was Aye Chan’s visit
to Yangon, Myanmar, in 2012 that sparked
the idea of starting a project management
course for people there.
Myanmar started opening its doors to
foreign investment in 2012. Aye Chan was
surprised to see the high number of projects
underway that contrasted with the lack of
qualified local professionals, and aghast at
the wage gap between foreign and local
workers.
Aye Chan recalls a conversation she had
with a foreign engineer who worked as a
telecommunications manager in Myanmar.
“Being an engineer myself, I asked him
about how things work and the difficulties
faced in the industry. When I heard about
the privileges he was entitled to, I decided
that I would dedicate myself to showing
Myanmar that it has skilled locals who can
do the same type of work it hires foreigners
for, but with more locally appropriate
attributes and interests.
“The only weakness Myanmar locals have
is their lack of exposure to international
standards. With formal training, they can
be equally talented. Talent should be based
on meritocracy, not race or gender,” says
Aye Chan, who is proud of her Burmese
heritage.
Born in Yangon and having grown up in
various countries such as Vietnam, South
Africa, Singapore and Australia, Aye Chan
has had international exposure from a
young age. She holds a Diploma in
Engineering (Electrical, Computer and
Electronics) from Nanyang Polytechnic in
Singapore and Bachelor of Engineering
Aye Chan’s social enterprise initiative in Myanmar has seen higher involvement of locals in
project management.
specialising in electrical and computer
engineering from Queensland University of
Technology, Australia, and is a certified
Project Management Professional from
Project Management Institute in the United
States.
She speaks Mandarin, Burmese, French
and English fluently, and was recently
presented with Monash University’s 2018
Vice-Chancellor’s Diversity and Inclusion
Award.
In 2015, Aye Chan left her job as the
Championing public health
JO-ANN Belotindos is an International
Medical University (IMU) student under the
Master of Pharmacy Practice programme.
Hailing from the Phillipines, she chose to
study in Malaysia because of its proximity to
home and similar culture and climate.
Aiming to be the catalyst of change in the
pharmacy profession through teaching,
Belotindos has been in academia since 2004,
working as an instructor with Southwestern
University PHINMA in Cebu City, the
Philippines.
As part of her course in pharmacy
practice, Belotindos conducted a research
study on women’s awareness, attitudes and
perceptions regarding Zika in the
Philippines. Belotindos’ research showed a
need for public health interventions that
focus on protection against Zika among
people in Cebu, especially in the religio-social
context of the Philippines.
“The results of my research are important
to make people aware of how Zika can be
spread and prevented. I can contribute to
public health by disseminating important
information on health issues,” says
Belotindos.
Having the Master of Pharmacy Practice
qualification from IMU enables graduates to
address their education and training needs
and remain relevant to healthcare and
healthcare management. The programme
regional head for BP Australia and moved to
Malaysia with her family. Last year, she
decided to pursue her MBA in South Asian
Studies at Monash University Malaysia and
kick-start her “train the trainer” social
enterprise.
In collaboration with a joint-venture
partner, Myanmar Certified Training
Centers, Aye Chan designed the Project
Management Fundamental (PMF) course –
a two-day training course that introduces
the tools and techniques of project
management.
With funding from the World Bank, Aye
Chan began running PMF courses for the
Myanmar government’s Department of Rural
Development in September last year. Since
then, she has conducted six classes involving
350 participants in the Yangon region.
PMF course participants train local village
leaders on how to apply project management
basics to infrastructure projects in their
villages.
Moving forward, Aye Chan hopes to
restructure the business, revamp the course
to be more practical-focused and expand the
target market to include the private sector.
She hopes to offer the course in Malaysia
once she has perfected the business model
and established new trainers who can
succeed her.
“I find the people of Myanmar to be truly
remarkable. They are smart and eager to
learn. Once we can capitalise on the locals’
skill sets and assign them to the right
knowledge areas, the opportunities are
limitless. Project management is universal
and everyone is involved in a project one
way or another,” says Aye Chan.
n For more information on postgraduate
courses offered by Monash University
Malaysia’s School of Business, visit
www.monash.edu.my/business
Jo-Ann
Belotindos
(centre)
with her
university
mates at
IMU.
offers major streams (combined with
research training) in clinical pharmacy,
social and administrative pharmacy, and
pharmacy management.
It is offered in blended mode, enabling
pharmacists to earn a master’s degree while
continuing to practise. Each student
undertakes a research study under the
supervision of faculty members who have
established research credentials.
IMU offers other postgraduate
programmes such as MSc in Analytical and
Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Postgraduate
Diploma in Implant Dentistry, Master in
Medical & Health Sciences (by research), and
PhD in Medical & Health Sciences (by
research).
Established in 1992, IMU pioneered the
world’s first Partner Medical School
programme and has since gained
international recognition with more than 30
world-class university partners in Australia,
New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada,
Ireland and China. IMU’s main campus is
located in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, with
branch clinical schools in Seremban, Kuala
Pilah, Batu Pahat and Kluang.
n For more information on IMU’s
postgraduate programmes, call 03-731 7272,
e-mail postgraduate@imu.edu.my or visit
www.imu.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018
A revamped
graduate centre
POSTGRADUATE learners at Open University
Malaysia (OUM) will discover that changes
are taking place at the university.
The Kuala Lumpur Learning Centre has
been recently renamed OUM Graduate
Centre (OUMGC), a move that is in line with
the shift in leadership.
Dr Gurcharan Singh Bishen Singh (pic) has
been appointed as the new director of
OUMGC effective Aug 1.
A seasoned academic with 30 years of
experience, Dr Gurcharan joined OUM as
programme director for the Master of
Education (MEd). He received his Doctor of
Education from University of Birmingham,
United Kingdom, specialising in educational
leadership.
He spent most of his career at the
Education Ministry as an educational
leadership trainer at Institut Aminuddin
Baki, where he made major contributions,
including leading the development of the
National Professional Qualification for
Educational Leaders.
Dr Gurcharan says, “OUMGC is the hub for
postgraduate studies across Malaysia,
particularly the Klang Valley since it is the
only learning centre where master’s and
PhD programmes are offered.”
He adds that OUMGC will expand its role
to include improved coordination of
postgraduate studies for all learners
throughout Malaysia. Under his leadership,
Dr Gurcharan wants to ensure proactive
engagement with learners and facilitators.
“I will be personally engaging with them
right from the first seminar. This is one way
we can ensure learners enjoy great service
and support from day one until they
complete their studies,” he says.
OUMGC will focus on more structured and
organised seminars, talks and workshops
covering areas such as academic writing,
research and soft skills development.
The centre will also add value to learners’
experience by hosting events where they can
present research findings and obtain
feedback from experts.
With respect to lecturers and facilitators,
OUM only hires experienced individuals
who pass the stringent selection process
to ensure that learners receive enough
support and guidance throughout their
studies.
“We are putting our hearts and minds into
it. As the director, my main concern is to
provide quality services so that learners
enjoy the process of acquiring knowledge
and studying here with us and among their
peers.”
Dr Gurcharan also maintains his role as
the programme director for MEd. He shares,
Postgraduate 5
OUMGC will focus
on more structured and
organised seminars, talks
and workshops covering
areas such as academic
writing, research and soft
skills development.
The centre will also
add value to learners’
experience by hosting
events where they can
present research findings
and obtain feedback from
experts.
Dr Gurcharan Singh Bishen Singh
“I will be introducing School Leadership as a
subject matter that is suitable for leaders in
schools. We want to provide a platform for
them to obtain a master’s degree that is
relevant to their workplace.”
For the current September intake,
OUMGC is re-offering the Master of Quality
Management (MQM) programme.
According to MQM programme director
Dr Raziana Che Aziz, “OUM academics have
collaborated with experts from Sirim STS
Sdn Bhd in the development of the
programme and learning materials. This is
to ensure that the programme will be able to
produce competent graduates who are
sought after by employers.”
As a senior faculty member at OUM,
Dr Raziana has vast experience in quality
management. She has also been appointed
as an internal auditor for the Malaysian
Association of Distance Education, member
of the Board of Studies of MQM and internal
auditor for OUM.
Dr Raziana explains that MQM graduates
will receive credentials upon passing Sirim
assessment tests. The credentials include
Certified Quality Manager, Certified Quality
Professional, Total Quality Fast Track Model
and Certified Lead Auditor.
n For more information on MQM and other
postgraduate programmes offered at
OUMGC, call 03-2773 2121 or e-mail
enquiries@oum.edu.my
6 Postgraduate
Producing
competent grads
MANAGEMENT & Science University
(MSU) launched an upgraded version of its
e-learning platform recently.
The MSU Online Distance e-Learning
(MODeL) aims to enable an equal learning
experience through access for all MSU
students, including soon-to-be members of
the university’s alumni.
“The aim of online learning is to support
those unable to be present as part and parcel
of the campus community,” says MSU
president Prof Tan Sri Datuk Wira Dr Mohd
Shukri Ab Yajid.
In the fast-paced 21st century where time
is a commodity, MODeL provides an effective
recourse to alumni in their quest for lifelong
learning and career progression.
No longer confined to a particular space –
neither the classroom nor library – access to
knowledge through information has changed
tremendously. Technology is changing the
learning environment and becoming a tool
that supports learning. Why, then, still be in
university?
“Being in campus gives you unmatched
learning experiences. Nothing beats being
present and face to face,” says Prof Shukri.
As one of Malaysia’s top universities, MSU
focuses on developing and delivering quality
human capital in areas such as medicine,
health sciences, pharmacy, information
sciences, engineering, business management
and professional studies, education and
social sciences, hospitality and culinary arts,
music, and fashion.
The university attained 5 Stars for
teaching, facilities, graduate employability,
social responsibility and inclusiveness in the
QS Stars University Ratings.
It is placed 217th in the QS World
University Rankings and among the top 1.8%
of universities in the QS Asia University
Rankings 2018.
MSU has achieved 6 Star: Excellent status
in the Higher Education Ministry’s Rating for
Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia
(Setara). It was also crowned The Most
Entrepreneurial Private University by the
Higher Education Ministry in 2016.
Other recognitions include the Putra
Brand Awards 2017 – awarded by the
Association of Accredited Advertising Agents
Malaysia and endorsed by the Malaysia
External Trade Development Corporation –
and the Best Brand in Education for
Leadership and Human Capital Development
2017 – awarded at the Asia Pacific Elite of
Elites BrandLaureate Awards.
MSU gives top priority to building both
students and faculty and enhancing graduate
employability. Engaging highly qualified
MSU’s newly introduced MODeL offers flexibility through e-learning for lifelong learners.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018
Engaging highly
qualified academics and
international visiting
professors, the university
delivers compelling
learning experiences
within the framework
of a holistic curriculum.
academics and international visiting
professors, the university delivers
compelling learning experiences within the
framework of a holistic curriculum.
Collaborative, industry- and enterprise-
embedded MSU blends global exposure with
extensive industrial training to enrich the
personal competencies of its graduates.
Its global mobility initiatives for student
exchange, leadership development and
market immersion empower MSU graduates
with the well-roundedness desired and
sought after by employers.
As an applied and enterprise university,
MSU offers programmes at postgraduate,
undergraduate and foundation levels
through connected pathways that admit
students from all walks of life and
backgrounds.
The university’s promotion and
advancement of higher education have been
recognised by Accreditation Services for
International Schools, Colleges & Universities
in the form of two awards: Outstanding
Contribution to International Education and
Excellence in Quality International
Education.
Steeped in a culture of research
and innovation as well as social
entrepreneurship, technology-driven MSU
comprises the Faculty of Health and Life
Sciences, Faculty of Business Management
and Professional Studies, Faculty of
Information Science and Engineering,
International Medical School, School of
Pharmacy, School of Education and Social
Sciences, School of Hospitality and Creative
Arts, Postgraduate Centre and Centre for
Foundation Studies.
n For further enquiries on MSU’s
programmes for the coming intakes, call
03-5521 6868, e-mail enquiry@msu.edu.my
or visit www.msu.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018 Postgraduate 7

Creating a quality learning environment

IF you look back at your school
days, I am sure you can remember
a particular teacher who has made
an impact on you. A certain lesson,
delivered in a certain way, may
have sparked your interest in a
certain subject. This spark may
have even led you to your career
today.
An engaging learning
environment can certainly
influence a life-changing decision.
Creating this environment requires
an institutional commitment to
learner-centredness, which is key
to ensuring that learners make the
most of their experience. This, in
turn, can lead to personal growth
and success.
This environment comprises
various components, including
teaching, delivery, learning
materials and resources.
In open and distance learning
(ODL), other factors come into play,
such as learner demography and
adoption of appropriate
technologies to introduce flexibility
and enhance the learning
experience.
At Open University Malaysia
(OUM), we leverage on technology
to provide the best learning
environment for adult learners
who study on a part-time basis.
As described by renowned
American educator Malcolm
Knowles, adult learners have
diverse attitudes towards
learning.
According to him, adult learners
also remember differently,
retaining 20% of what they hear,
40% of what they see and hear,
and 80% of what they do. Thus, a
suitable learning environment
must take into consideration their
life and work experiences,
motivations for studying, and
individual learning styles.
By PROF
DATUK DR
MANSOR
FADZIL
Understanding that adult
learners have unique
characteristics, OUM has
incorporated Knowles’ spirit in the
many aspects of the university’s
learning environment, including
delivery modes, development of
learning materials, and training of
tutors and facilitators.
However, in today’s digital
age, adopting the right technology
is also crucial to ensure an
enriching learning experience.
OUM emphasises flexibility and
accessibility in its delivery,
combining online learning, self-
managed learning and face-to-face
tutorials.
At the same time, a learning
management system called
myINSPIRE allows learners to
access learning materials and
interact with their tutors and peers
on e-forums through any device.
Learners can also access university
services through a specially
developed mobile application.
Technology is an integral
component of an ODL
environment. In addition to
myINSPIRE, the university
leverages on digital applications,
social media, video lectures
and digital library resources to
add value to the learning
experience.
Learning materials such as
modules and web-based and
multimedia resources are
produced using proven
instructional design strategies to
ensure relevant and engaging
content for courses offered.
OUM’s teaching staff comprises
internal faculty members as well
as tutors who bring with them a
wealth of knowledge from their
industry and academic
backgrounds.
Adult learners need a learning
environment where their prior
experiences are acknowledged and
they can engage with peers, tutors
and facilitators, thus creating value
in their lives.
At OUM, we emphasise an
institutional commitment to quality
and strive to provide a learning
environment that reflects the
university’s pledge to offer the best
possible experience for all our
learners.
n Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil is
the president and vice-chancellor
of OUM.

Boost your
career potential
QUEST International University
Perak (QIUP) in Ipoh is
expanding its presence in the
growing postgraduate education
market.
Working professionals and
students who are planning to
pursue a Master in Business
Administration (MBA), Doctorate
in Business Administration
(DBA), Doctor of Philosophy
(PhD) in Business
Administration, Master in
Science (MSc) or PhD in Science
can enrol in QIUP.
These postgraduate
programmes offer flexible
learning and, with experienced
academic staff providing
excellent support, are ideal for
individuals seeking to advance
their careers. The MBA is
coursework-based while the MSc
and PhD programmes are
research-based.
The MBA programme is
structured so that each student is
able to take the course at her
own pace. If desired, full-time
students can complete the MBA
in as little as 18 months.
Working professionals
studying part-time generally take
about two and a half years to
complete the MBA programme.
Classes are conducted on
weekday evenings and weekends
to accommodate the working
population.
The MSc and PhD in Science
are offered on full-time and part-
time basis.
It is highly recommended that
those who already possess a
master’s degree in a field related
to business and management
pursue the DBA at QIUP.
The DBA will help you develop
greater awareness of the wider
context in which business and
management processes take
place and increase your ability to
work confidently across
industrial and national
boundaries.
The MBA and DBA programme
costs are claimable under the
Human Resources Development
Fund.
QIUP’s chief operating officer
Nicholas Goh says, “Due to
stressful lifestyles and competing
priorities, people find it difficult
to conveniently and efficiently
upgrade their skills. Our
programmes aim to equip
students with the managerial
and technical tools required for
them to take up new challenges
and excel at work.”
There are five faculties and
one centre at QIUP – Centre for
Research and Innovation, Faculty
of Medicine, Faculty of Science
and Technology, Faculty of
Business and Management,
Faculty of Social Sciences, and
Faculty of Pharmacy.
QIUP offers programmes at
undergraduate and postgraduate
levels. Should you want a rich
student life and opportunities to
interact with the best
academicians, QIUP is the
answer.
QIUP’s postgraduate
programmes are currently open
for registration.
n For details, call 05-249 0500,
e-mail enquiries@qiup.edu.my
or visit www.qiup.edu.my
8 Postgraduate
The business of zero marginal cost
“CONTEMPLATION seems to be
about the only luxury that costs
nothing,” wrote Dodie Smith in I
Capture the Castle.
However, according to the
author of The Zero Marginal Cost
Society Jeremy Rifkin,
contemplation is not the only
luxury that costs nothing. The
Internet and Internet of Things are
ushering us into an era of goods
and services that are almost free.
In his book, Rifkin predicted that
massive economic and social
changes will arise from the rapidly
increasing number of horizontal
value chains, displacing existing
vertical value chain behemoths.
We are now getting a glimpse of
this prognosis.
For decades, industries have
focused on increasing productivity
and decreasing marginal costs,
enabling businesses to reduce
prices and capture larger market
shares.
After the initial setup cost of
assembling the teams and tools
needed to make the first unit
of a product, the subsequent
marginal cost of producing
additional units can be reduced
progressively.
For physical products such as
cars, the market will lean towards
pricing the product at its marginal
cost, barring monopolies.
For example, with renewable
energy, once solar panels and wind
power generators are installed,
they generate power at almost zero
marginal cost. In economic terms,
companies may collaborate with
each other to dramatically reduce
production costs.
Zero marginal cost products are
nearly free of charge. There are
countless cases in which goods and
services that customers used to pay
for have been made free.
For instance, the marginal cost
of e-mail transmission is zero, and
so is getting information on the
Internet in most cases. The
marginal cost of e-books consists
of only their respective copyright
fees.
For a traditional taxi company to
add another car to its fleet, it needs
to acquire a vehicle and licence at
a significant cost. In contrast, ride-
hailing services such as Grab can
add vehicles to their inventories at
almost no cost by enabling people
to share their personal cars.
Because of this, a ride-hailing
service can offer other on-demand
services such as food delivery
beyond just increasing the size of
its fleet.
“Freemiums” or tiered pricing
entails giving away some core
products for free and offering
additional services at a fee, such as
how Spotify lets you play free
music but airs advertisements
between plays.
If you want advertisement-free
and offline music, you have to
sign up for Spotify Premium –
In an ideal zero marginal
cost society, products and
services can be offered
almost free of charge.
a paid subscription.
A similar example is how
e-newspapers offer articles.
The New York Times and other
e-newspapers allow you to read a
limited number of free articles per
month. If you want access to more
articles, you are asked to sign up
for a paid subscription. Likewise,
most free mobile applications offer
in-app purchases to unlock
additional features.
The phrase ecosystem play refers
to offering free digital products,
which are part of a larger set in a
company’s product suite.
For example, Google and Apple
give away free GPS applications on
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2018
We are
experiencing what
it is like to live in a
zero marginal cost
community where
we need not own
something in order
to use it.
their phones to enhance the value
of their smartphone ecosystems.
These free applications are
examples of open-source software
– a movement that advocates for
companies to share software
development costs to increase
productivity, accelerate innovation
and lower setup costs.
In conclusion, we are
experiencing what it is like to live
in a zero marginal cost community
where we need not own something
in order to use it.
Students of Victoria University
master’s programmes at Sunway
College Kuala Lumpur are
capturing the zeitgeist of zero
marginal cost economics. – By Dr
Hendry Ng, director of Victoria
University postgraduate
programmes at Sunway College
Kuala Lumpur
n For more information, e-mail
hendryng@sunway.edu.my