Exchange & Co-Teaching Collaboration between Taylor's University & Universitas Multimedia Nusantara

Universitas Multimedia Nusantara is an outstanding university in ICT at both national and international levels, which produces graduates that are internationally-minded and highly competent in their field equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit and noble character. With the recent partnership between Taylor’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events and Universitas Multimedia Nusantara, Indonesia, teaching collaborations had surfaced.

Mr. Tengku Murad Tengku Mokhtar, Senior Lecturer from the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events along with Dr. Ringkar Situmorang, Lecturer from the Hospitality Department in Faculty of Business at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara, Indonesia conducted a teaching collaboration with their respective classes via ZOOM platform. Both lecturers conducted their classes with the topic “Introduction to Entrepreneurship Process”.

This was the first teaching collaboration by both Universities, and it was attended by 75 students. This topic was part of the Understanding Entrepreneurialism module from Taylor’s University, Malaysia and Business Management and Entrepreneurship module from Universitas Multimedia Nusantara, Indonesia. The session was organized as part of the knowledge transfer for the both modules. Moving forward students from both universities will be steered for more exciting entrepreneurship projects.

"Intelligent Augmented Reality & Smart Education System" by Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Edmund Ng Giap Weng

As part of the Innovative Media module, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Edmund Ng Giap Weng, the Director from Centre for E-Learning UMS was invited to share his thoughts on Intelligent Augmented Reality & Smart Education, based on his personal experiences as a developer in the AR industry.

Intelligent Augmented Reality (AR) System for learning applications is an object-oriented knowledge-based system, which incorporates the latest technology such as: Artificial Intelligent, Image processing, figure tracking, template matching, feature recognition, data handling structures and techniques. It also provides integration with real environment for data management and dissemination, and can handle the needs of the users with diverse focus areas such as education.

This system is designed to explore and visualize the 3-dimensional (3D) contents and objects in a most practical way. The Intelligent AR System is designed by considering human factors during and after using the system. This system intends to make a simple and straight-touch with real objects, while having an interactive guided support which allows the users to work at their own pace as well as to explore, locate any part of the system or any information based on their choice, quickly and easily.

The support includes highlighting and sequencing specifics depending on the task and the user’s field of view and experience. Around 115 participants from the School of Media & Communication attended the webinar.

School of Education Celebrated 10th Anniversary in Producing Leaders & Future-Ready Teachers

The School of Education recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Prof. Dr. Pradeep Nair, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, Taylor's University; Mr. B.K. Gan, President, Taylor's Schools Division; Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management; and, Dr. Logendra Stanley Ponniah, Head of School, School of Education, officiated the event. The school was founded in 2011 as a platform for future teachers to be placed at Taylor's School. Since its establishment 10 years ago, the School of Education has continuously offered diversified programmes to meet the needs of its local and international students looking to pursue a career in teaching.

Currently, the Bachelor of Education program has five different Specializations. Additionally, at the post-graduate level, the intake for the Masters in Teaching and Learning and the Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning has increased by three folds and the total number of the current Ph.D. students has exceeded more than 100 students. Furthermore, Taylor’s School of Education has well surpassed the enrollment target for both domestic and international market. Over the last decade, the school has seen an increase in student enrolment at all levels, from bachelor's to Ph.D. To date, the school has produced 350 alumni who are now working as educators in private international schools and universities both locally and internationally. Many of them have been leaders in their respective institutions as technology integrators, facilitating and connecting with the global community and engaging in numerous teaching and learning and community outreach activities.

According to the Ministry of Higher Education's 2020 Tracer Survey, 99 percent of Taylor's School of Education graduates are employed within six months of completing their studies. The School of Education is proud to have contributed to raising awareness and collaborating with various stakeholders and the community to create a pool of high-quality graduates who can make an impact on the education fraternity.

In addition to celebrating our 10th anniversary, the School of Education also took the opportunity to recognize our alumni and alumnus for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the education industry. Three awards namely Outstanding Award, Social Entrepreneur and Edu-Innovator were presented to our well-deserving alumnus. The winner of the Outstanding Awards is Ms. Emma Louise Short who is a Teacher at Garden International School. She currently volunteers at the Hriphi Learning Centre for refugee children and applies Holistic Kinesiology to promote health and well-being.

The next recipient who received the Social Entrepreneur award is Ms. Valerie Tan who is a Teacher at Taylor’s International Puchong. She has set up The KONE, with the support of the SUKA Society in Malaysia, to create greater access to education for Orang Asli children by empowering them with the necessary support and resources needed by the community.

Our final winner, Mr. Serit Banyan, is a Lecturer at the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Taylor’s University has received an award for the Edu-Innovator category. He had innovated and led several online teaching and learning initiatives at the university level.

In the coming decade, the School of Education looks forward to continuing its efforts in supporting the education industry and creating a positive impact in the community to prepare the next generation of leaders and future-ready teachers to steer progress in education excellence.