theSun | THURSDAY DECEMBER 18 2008
news without borders
UM to increase
postgrad intake
to boost ranking
KUALA LUMPUR:
Universiti Malaya has shifted
its focus to postgraduate
studies by increasing the
number of places for such
programmes and reducing its
undergraduate intake.
Newly-appointed Vice-
Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr
Ghauth Jasmon said the
move was in line with the
university’s efforts to boost its
ranking in the Times Higher
Education Supplement within
the next two years.
“We want more and better
postgraduates and to reduce
the number of undergraduates
so that we can improve the
quality of research output.
The focus now is to raise UM
quickly and into the league of
the top 200 universities in the
world in the next two years,”
he said in an interview with
Bernama at his office here.
UM has slipped down the
rankings since 2006, going
from 169 in 2005 to 192 in
2006. It was at 245 last year,
but rose slightly to 230 this
year.
And just a month after
his appointment on Nov
10, Ghauth has already set
into motion his plans for
the university to improve its
standing.
Top of the agenda, he said,
was focusing more on research
and development.
“I’m working to attract first
class honours graduates into
the system to conduct research
and improve the quality of
research output. We also want
more people to be involved in
research, and this will be the
key index for measuring their
academic performance.”
First class honours
graduates would also
be immediately offered
postgraduate scholarships.
Next on the list is to fill
300 academic positions
with qualified academicians
from around the world. “We
need them to strengthen our
academic body,” Ghauth said.
He also plans to bring
experts into niche areas which
he wants UM to develop such
as medicine, engineering,
Bomoh held for stealing
RM11,000 from customers
KUANTAN: Police on Tuesday
night detained a 20-year-old
female bomoh for allegedly
stealing RM11,000 in cash and
jewellery from her customers
in Beserah near here.
Pahang deputy CID chief
Supt Mohd Haris Daud said
the bomoh, who specialises in
treating people with marital
problems and specific diseases,
was detained after three
victims lodged police reports.
“The victims, aged 30 to
40 years, claimed they were
asked to lie down and place
valuables near their head.
11
business and economics.
On the declining quality
of the university’s graduates,
Ghauth said this problem was
not confined only to UM.
“Generally, there appears
to be such a problem at the
moment, not just at UM but
nationwide. People attribute it
mainly to poor communication
skills. One method employed
by UM to alleviate the problem
is to teach more subjects in
English, as well as to conduct
coursework and assignments
in English.”
He said a poor ability to
interact and convince people
also affects the marketability
of graduates, adding that
this could be remedied with
community work, which
provides good leadership and
social skills training.
“For example, if they do
community work, we must give
them marks for this. If they do
work for their kampung, that
must be recognised.”
Ghauth said the choices of
co-curricular activities could
be widened to include activities
such as community work. He
called for a more proactive
student affairs division in
coming up with new ideas for
student participation outside
the classroom.
In addition, he said,
graduates also need to be
more entrepreneurial, instead
of just expecting to land a job
immediately upon completing
their studies.
Ghauth said one way in
which UM could encourage
its graduates in this regard
was to have entrepreneurship
programmes such as those
offered at the Multimedia
University, where he served as
president and chief executive
officer for 11 years.
“They can come up with
good business ideas, and
under the programmes, the
universities will fund the
setting up of their companies,”
he said.
“Our employability figure
is 97%, but there is a need
to improve this, especially
by shifting the focus to
postgraduate studies.
After the ‘treatment’, they put
the items back in their bags,
but upon returning home,
found money and jewellery
missing from the bags,” he told
reporters here yesterday.
Mohd Haris said the first
victim reported losing RM5,000,
while the second and third said
they lost RM3,000 each.
The bomoh has been rem-
anded at the Kuantan police
headquarters until Saturday to
facilitate investigations.
Others who have fallen
victims to the bomoh are urged
to lodge reports. – Bernama