Post Vaccine is No Silver Bullet for Tourism Revival: Do We Have an Alternative?

ASEAN Tourism Research Association (ATRA) recently co-organised with Taylor's University, Malaysia and Centre of Research and Innovation in Tourism successfully hosted a virtual Panel Expert Workshop entitled “Post Vaccine is No Silver Bullet for Tourism Revival: Do We Have an Alternative?”. This workshop gathered key players from tourism industry of the country to brainstorm on the readiness and expectation of the industry during the post-vaccination period. The main objective of the workshop was to outline the short-term to medium-term strategies during the post-vaccination period in Malaysia and the S.E.A region to provide a realistic tourism revival plan.

Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Executive Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management and President of ATRA played the role as a moderator of the workshop and delivered the tourism scenarios during the opening remarks. The uncertainty over the pandemic and vaccination plan has raised the urgency to create a viable operational plan to strengthen tourism stakeholders’ response post-vaccine period. How could the tourism industry optimize the post-vaccine period effectively given limitations surrounding vaccination plan? The workshop was maneuvered towards developing a revival plan for domestic tourism during the Post Vaccine period. Apart from that, determining specific travel bubble targets for inter-regional travel markets and practical recommendations to tourism authorities of the country were also crystallized in this workshop.

Mr. Mohd Daud Bin Arif, Senior Director of Policy and International Affairs Unit (MOTAC) was invited as guest speaker and had enlightened the session on the contemporary developments according to the Ministry's perspectives and plans. There were also breakout sessions in the workshop to brainstorm the issues raised in more specialized areas of tourism and travel, business events and hospitality, and Food & Beverage. The breakout sessions were facilitated by Prof. Dr. Kashif Husain, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mostafa Rasoolimaneh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kandappan Balasubramanian, Dr. Lisa Tung, and Dr. Puvaneswaran Kunasekaran from Faculty of Social Science and Leisure Management.

Signing of Memorandum of Agreement on the Implementation of 2u1i Work-based Learning Programmes

Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in International Relations and Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in Social Innovation & Change are two new Bachelor programmes at Taylor’s University to be launched in March 2021. This programme is very distinctive from other Bachelor of Social Science in South East Asia as it will apply the work-based learning method that combines 2-years university learning with 1 one year of industrial training.

To realise the implementation of work-based learning, the two Bachelor of Social Science programmes have signed several Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) relevant national and international organisations. The MOA applies for 5 years duration sealed the closer relationship between Taylor’s University and partner institution for one-year industrial placement for the students of Bachelor of Social Science offered via 2u1i mode at the partner’s industrial site for one year. In October 2020, the programmes have sealed the agreement with four new partners namely, Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), North-South Initiative (NSI), A Foundation for the Disable and Underpriviledge (YOKUK) and Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam Malaysia (YAWA).

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) is one of the first organisation that collaborates with Bachelor of Social Science programme. WAO has provided free shelter, counselling, and crisis support to women and children who experience abuse since 1983. It also helps women and their children to rebuild their lives, after surviving domestic violence, rape, trafficking, and other atrocities. While at the same time learning from these women's experiences, WAO advocates to improve public policies and shift public mindsets. The student from Bachelor of Social Science will be placed for a one-year industrial training at WAO for managing and leading projects that relate with the issues that WAO advocates.

North-South Initiative (NSI) is the second organisation that signed the MOA with the Bachelor of Social Science in October 2020. North-South Initiative (NSI) is a cross sector-based consortium to help bridge solidarity and equality gaps between the North and South countries in terms of human rights and social justice. It provides an empowerment platform for youths (including marginalized youths) as it brings in experiential learning on environment coupled with personal, social and eco-entrepreneurism development programmes. NSI’s activities include:

1. Strategic Organizing and Protection of Migrant Workers in Malaysia

2. Empowering Local Farmers with Knowledge on the Impact of Globalization on Agriculture and Developing Natural Farming Based Solutions

3. Capacity Building of Youth for Social Action and Environmental Justice

4. Conflict Resolution and Peace Building

5. The “Roots to Fruits” Manual Production and Training on Integrity

6. Regionalism for Social Justice in South East Asia

A Foundation for the Disabled and Underprivileged (YOKUK) is the third organisation with whom the Bachelor of Social Science students will work for the final year of studies. YOKUK is a charity organization established for the past 20 years in Kelantan. It is originally established to alleviate the plight of people with disabilities and to give them a meaningful life. It has a one-stop centre located at Jalan Padang Tembak, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan and provides various forms of training, therapy and welfare services beyond people with disabilities. YOKUK activities include:

1. Multidisciplinary therapy services: Physical therapy, hippotherapy, sensory therapy, hydrotherapy, music, arts & drama therapy

2. Palliative care through YOKUK @ Sayang Homecare

3. Educational services: Vocational Training, workshop and seminars, parent support group

Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam Malaysia (YAWA) is the fourth organisation that signed an MOA with Bachelor of Social Science, Taylor’s University. YAWA is an Environmental Education Foundation established in October 1996 with the tagline of “Committed to Changing Young Lives”. It is recognized as a UNEP Global 500 Laureate in the Youth Category (2001) and a member of Global 500 Environmental Forum. It is an empowerment platform for youths (including marginalized youths) as it provides experiential learning on environment coupled with personal, social and eco-entrepreneurism development programmes. YAWA activities include:

1. Greening for a Sustainable Future

2. Love Mangrove, Love Life

3. Jom ke Kebun

4. Experimental Organic Farm

5. Free-Range Chicken

6. Eco-sailing Expedition

7. Eco Cycling Expedition

Gold Award for Excellence in Research by MELTA

It was indeed a more than delightful moment when Dr. Kalai Vaani Rajandram, Senior Lecturer, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences (SLAS) was awarded the Gold Award for Excellence in Research. This recognition was presented by the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (MELTA) during the 10th MELTA International Research Conference in English Language Education on 7th November 2020.

The conference this year, which was held via Microsoft TEAMS, required shortlisted scholars, who were selected from their submission of extended abstracts, to present a video and design an E-poster. Dr. Kalai’s study entitled “Facilitating the Educator in Reading and Studying Malaysian Literature in English through Co-Construction of Meaning” received a number of YouTube views and generated a keen interest during the online session.

This conference, which is held annually, sees participation from scholars of local and international universities as well as educators from secondary and tertiary levels of education. Winning this is a motivation for Dr. Kalai to further her research in English Language Education!

The Executive Dean, Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Congratulates Dr. Kalai on her research achievements.