Mobilising Diversity to Achieve Academic Excellence
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MOBILISING DIVERSITY TO ACHIEVE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE JOINT JEFFREY CHEAH INSTITUTE ON SOUTHEAST ASIA AND SUNWAY UNIVERSITY SEMINAR As is the case in many countries worldwide, the number of 7 March 2016, Monday students participating in higher education in Malaysia has rapidly increased in recent decades, to the point that the 9.00am − 1.00pm gross enrolment rate in Malaysian higher education institutions in 2012 was approximately 36 percent of the relevant student population. Along with this expansion in Sunway University numbers has been an increase in the diversity of the backgrounds of attending students, with implications for educational quality, management, and teaching and learning approaches. A country well known globally for the high quality of its education from the school system to higher education and with considerable experience in catering for student diversity is Australia. In Malaysia, as the system adjusts to student diversity, higher education institutions need to ensure the quality of the academic experience for all attending students, without undermining the integrity and rigour of academic standards. Consequent improvement in students’ academic performance can impact positively on the achievement of graduate outcomes and employability. For registration, please visit: http://goo.gl/forms/JRWCZR588b Presenters: Increasing Diversity: Student Experience, Outcomes Based Education and Globalization As is the case in many countries worldwide, the number of students participating in higher education in Malaysia has rapidly increased in recent decades, to the point that the gross enrolment rate in Malaysian higher education institutions in 2012 was approximately 36 percent of the relevant student population. Along with this expansion in numbers has been an increase in the diversity of the backgrounds of attending students, with implications for educational quality, management, and teaching and learning approaches. A country well known globally for the high quality of its education from the school system to higher education and with considerable experience in catering for student diversity is Australia. In Malaysia, as the system adjusts to student diversity, higher education institutions need to ensure the quality of the academic experience for all attending students, without undermining the integrity and rigour of academic standards. Consequent improvement in students’ academic performance can impact positively on the achievement of graduate outcomes Prof. Graeme Wilkinson and employability. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graeme Wilkinson is Vice-Chancellor of Sunway University. He is a physics graduate of Imperial College London and holds a Sunway University doctorate from Oxford University. In his early career he taught computer science at Kingston University, London, and at University College London. He subsequently joined the European Union’s Joint Research Centre at Ispra in Italy undertaking research on satellite environmental remote sensing. He then returned to the UK and held senior posts in several universities with a focus on widening participation in higher education. He was Head of the School of Computing and Information Systems at Kingston University, Dean of the Faculty of Technology at the University of Lincoln, and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Glyndwr University. He has been with Sunway University since July 2012. From Numbers to Persons: Reenvisioning Student Admissions Universities around the world employ a range of approaches and priorities for determining admission, from ‘needs blind’ academic achievement only systems to portfolio applications that stress achievements in and out of the classroom as well as a determination to learn and to make. Taking the Australian National University as an example, this session explores the ways in which a university can transition from an academic achievement only system to a broader consideration of student achievements and diversity indicators. The session will stress the advantages of an integrated scholarships/financial aid approach, the importance of working with schools, parents and alumni, and technologies which ensure that the search for students is based upon the principle that diversity is important for the educational, social and economic success of a nation and region. Professor Hughes-Warrington's key aim is to make ANU a world-leader in education innovation, including strengthening local and global Prof. Marnie Hughes- connections in curriculum and education commercialisation. She is an active researcher, with six books and $18 million in grants to her Warrington name. She was a key driver with the head of Philanthropy in developing the Tuckwell program and has a particular interest in providing Deputy Vice-Chancellor, support for outstanding students and citizens from any background to reach their full potential. She is Chair of the Tuckwell Scholarships Australian National University, Board, the Freilich Foundation Board, and National Secretary of the Rhodes Scholarships for Australia and a member of the Office for Australia Learning and Teaching's Expert Advisory Group. Challenges in Uplifting the Quality of Education in Malaysian Schools The general quality of Malaysian education has been shown to be declining in recent years. Results in PISA assessment showed that Malaysia scored below that of Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand although the annual Education budget in Malaysia has been comparably quite significant. This is a very worrying development and is of great concern to all, especially to parents, the public, NGOs and the authorities. It is feared that if the problem is not quickly checked, Malaysia will in the long run suffer economically, socially and in global competition. The seminar is aimed at discussing the underlying causes of this serious decline by polling the opinion of senior teachers and school principals. The presenter will attempt to offer possible course of remedial action to arrest this decline hoping that all the interested stakeholders will pull together efforts to bring Malaysia back into its past days of glory in the education arena. Tan Sri Professor Ghauth Jasmon is well-known for his effectiveness in managing both private and public universities. He built the Tan Sri Prof. Ghauth Multimedia University from a start-up in 1996 into a comprehensive university with more than 20,000 students in 2007. He transformed Jasmon the University of Malaya to enable it to move from the global rank of 246 in 2007 to 156 in 2012. Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Malaya; Tan Sri Professor Ghauth Jasmon is a Research Professor and Board Member of Sunway University, and Senior Fellow of Jeffrey Cheah Member of the Board, institute on Southeast Asia. He was the Former Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya and Founder President of Multimedia University. Sunway University Higher Education Diversity: The Australian Experience The diversity of Australia’s university student population has been a policy issue of significant interest to successive Australian Governments. A range of initiatives have been introduced to support greater access to higher education for students from low socio economic backgrounds, from regional and remote communities, and indigenous students. Some good progress has been made in recent years, but these students are still underrepresented as a proportion of our student body as a whole. Major challenges still remain in boosting participation by equity groups - most particularly for indigenous Australians which suffer some of the greatest disadvantage. Getting into university is just the first step, and being supported to complete a qualification is equally important. Australian universities are rising to this challenge, with innovative new programs designed to prepare and support students through university. This presentation will consider the Australian policy settings which support growing participation by students from diverse backgrounds, look at how Australia is performing, and explore how universities are moving beyond the ‘one size fits all’ approach, to meet the learning needs of Karen Welsh their increasingly diverse student bodies. Counsellor (Education and Science), Karen Welsh has been the Counsellor (Education & Science) based at the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur since 2013. Australian High Commission, Immediately prior to taking up her posting, she was Director of the Policy Unit in the Higher Education Group. Since joining the Australian Malaysia Government in 2005, Karen has worked on a wide range of higher education policies and programs including development and implementation of the Government response to the Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education. Her roles have covered issues such as quality assurance, institutional accountability, and structural change. She has also worked in the International Education Division where she was responsible for Australia’s education relationship with North Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. Before working for the Government, Karen spent 15 years in university management roles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (1987) and a Master of Business Administration (2004) from the University of Queensland, and a Master of Tertiary Education Management (2011) studied through the LH Martin Institute at the University of Melbourne..