Closing the education-industry gap as a key step in developing the economy
of the nation was discussed in depth at the Malaysian Education Colloquium
2010 Series, organised jointly by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and
the Malaysian Association for Education (MAE) on 29 June 2010 at the UTAR
Petaling Jaya Campus.
The invited speakers at the colloquium, Amir Hamzah, the CEO of Petronas
Dagangan Berhad and Dr Sheikh Ghazali Abod, Group Head of Education, Sime
Darby Berhad, presented their views of the gap between education and
industry.
The colloquium, which was chaired by Professor Dr Zainal Aripin Zakariah of
U niversiti Industri Selangor (UNISEL) , saw gaps in the qualifications
produced by higher education providers and the needs of the industry, with
over-supply in some specialisations and under-supply in others. The
colloquium noted the declining production of workforce with vocational and
technical training.
The graduates produced by higher education institutions have to be prepared
to function in the knowledge economy that is borderless and is characterized
by short life-cycle production and new ways of doing things. They have to
have a global mindset, be technology savvy, mobile, autonomous, open to
diversity, creative and innovative.
Integrity is also a virtue that the industry holds high, in order for the
nation to move ahead in the global economy. Integrity would enable the
nation to develop socially and economically where meritocracy and benefits
flow to the rightful beneficiaries.
The colloquium concludes that all elements involved in education system,
including the infrastructure and facilities, contents and curriculum,
regulators, players and stakeholders need to work together to bridge the
education-industry gap so that the nation may move faster towards competing
in the global economy.
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