UNIRAZAK – Universiti Tun Abdul Razak
Strategic Partnership:
Sunday, July 25, 2010.
UNIVERSITI Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cairo University in which both parties declared their interest to work together in the implementation of programmes for their respective open education (online) centres. The agreement signals the start of a close working relationship between the two institutions.
The MoU was signed by UniRazak president and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Zabid Abdul Rashid and Cairo University’s vice president of education and student affairs Prof Dr Adel Zaid.
With the agreement, Cairo University will provide the academic regulations, necessary curriculum, course materials and other documents for submission to the Higher Education Ministry and other regulatory bodies to enable UniRazak to run the programme in Malaysia. It will also provide academic staff, necessary course materials, technical and specialised support, and exam supervisors.
Meanwhile, UniRazak will be responsible for the advertising and marketing of all the programmes supplied by Cairo University Centre for Open Education within Malaysia. The institution will also implement and maintain the necessary equipment and software programmes that permit video conference lectures, Internet broadcasting and transfer of documents, data and preregistered lectures from Cairo University.
International collaboration: (from left) Assoc Prof Bustam, Prof Md Zabid, Prof Adel and Prof Awad Abbas at the signing ceremony.
“We are very honoured to be able to work with Cairo University, a prestigious university that has been established for over 100 years,” said Prof Md Zabid.
Prof Adel added, “Cairo University, as part of our strategic plan, wants to enhance our international presence as competition is becoming very global.
“We’re seeking partnerships all over the world and are very happy to sign this MoU with UniRazak, our first partner in Malaysia.”
The ceremony was witnessed by UniRazak’s College for Open Learning dean Assoc Prof Dr Bustam Kamri and Cairo University’s Open Learning Centre managing director Prof Dr Awad Abbas Ragab Mohamed.
Also present were the Embassy of Egypt’s minister for economic and commercial affairs Amin Sabry Abdel Meguid, Education Ministry officials, and UniRazak’s deans and heads of department.
Read more @ http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2010/7/25/education/6702915&sec=education
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Boutique Status for UNIRAZAK.
Sunday, December 6, 2009.
BEING named after Malaysia’s Father of Development, it is not surprising that Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) has decided that its role in nation-building is to produce “high quality managerial leaders and capable entrepreneurs”.
The private university — previously known by the acronym UNIRAZAK — is currently undergoing a restructuring and rebranding exercise to better reflect the legacy and values of its namesake Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who was Malaysia’s second Prime Minister and first Education Minister.
This, says president and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Zabid Abdul Rashid, means remodelling the institution into a boutique university.
Prof Zabid checking out the university’s new brochures and coffee table book that were printed with the university’s new logo .
As he explains, a boutique university means that the institution is “specific and focused in certain areas of study, and offer specialities of high quality”.
For Unirazak, this will be in the areas of innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship.
Says Prof Zabid: “Through innovation, we get quality leaders, and through leadership, we can produce capable entrepreneurs.
“This is to leapfrog Malaysia to a higher income society and increase the production of human capital.”
He opines that there is now a shortage of quality human capital in both the public and private sectors in Malaysia, as evidenced by the many foreign experts being employed in the country.
“Our intent is to produce quality human capital for the country, and ultimately, for the region,” he says.
A key aspect of fulfilling this goal is the setting up of three new faculties: the Bank Rakyat School of Business and Entrepreneurship, the Graduate School of Business (formerly the Centre for Graduate Studies) and the Razak School of Government.
Several new degree programmes are set to be introduced across these three schools by next year in line with the university’s rebranding, and in response to industry demands.
These include two undergraduate courses with majors in Islamic Banking and Finance, and Islamic Planning; Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degrees specialising in Retail and Hypermarket, Global Islamic Finance and Entrepreneurship; and an Executive Master in Public Management, among others.
Says Prof Zabid: “Most of the programmes (we will be introducing) are not offered in any other institution in this country.”
He points out that the MBA in Retail and Hypermarket is the only one of its kind, while the Global Islamic Finance MBA programme is run in collaboration with six other institutions in Europe and the USA under the International Business School Alliance (IBSA).
Under the IBSA, students can spend one semester abroad in any one of the six partner universities and get a double postgraduate degree — one from Unirazak and another from the foreign university.
Another key change in the university’s rebranding exercise is the way lecturers will be teaching their classes.
While declining to give details, Prof Zabid says that the institution was “developing innovative and creative learning modes to excite Malaysians towards the learning of business and the real business world, by immersing them briefly in real-world situations”.
This also means that the university, which was one of the pioneers in e-learning in the country, will be moving away from its roots in online learning.
Says Prof Zabid: “We have to provide innovative ways of learning and delivery by giving more emphasis on face-to-face interaction, so that we can help to develop the personality and identity of our students.
“While we do not deny the importance of technology in learning, we must de-emphasise this mode of interaction in order to develop quality human capital.”
He estimates that currently, around 60% of the university’s students are already studying via conventional modes, while the other 40% are on distance-learning programmes.
“We hope, by 2011, UNIRAZAK will have about 90% students on the conventional mode of learning, and the remaining online programmes will cater for working adult students.”
The institution is also hoping to enhance its teaching and research manpower, as well as attract the best postgraduate students, by offering around 10 teaching and research assistant positions every year.
These positions will be offered only to Malaysian first class honours graduates. Successful applicants will be provided with a place in the full-time MBA programme at the university, as well as a living stipend of RM1,500 monthly.
They will be expected to assist lecturers in their classes and participate in research projects in addition to their own studies.
by Tan Shiow Chin.
http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2009/12/6/education/5154182&sec=education
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Business boost
Sunday, February 21, 2010.
UNIVERSITI Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak) students can soon look forward to furthering their entrepreneurial ambitions with the aid of Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd’s (PUNB) Prosper Siswazah Scheme.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed recently, the university and the corporation committed themselves to further developing a strong entrepreneurial community within Malaysia, and to offer the financial and academic assistance necessary for entrepreneurs to survive and prosper.
Among the areas of cooperation identified in the MoU are development of training and attachment programmes, joint research projects, sharing of expertise in business trends and information, providing consultancy services, and inculcating an entrepreneurial culture among UniRazak students, particularly through the Prosper Siswazah Scheme.
Prof Zabid (second from left) and Mohd Nasir sealing the deal with a handshake, as Ailinton (left) and Dzulkifli look on.
Many of the programmes are targeted specifically at bumiputera entrepreneurs.
The MoU was signed by UniRazak president and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Zabid Abdul Rashid and PUNB chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad at the university’s campus in Kuala Lumpur.
Witnessing the signing were UniRazak director (Special Project – Institutional Relations) Ailinton Isahak and PUNB Investment Division general manager Dzulkifli Fadzilah.
Said Prof Zabid: “PUNB and UniRazak share a common vision, which is to develop and strengthen Malaysian entrepreneurs for the benefit of the community and the nation as a whole.
“For Malaysia to prosper, it is essential that our entrepreneurs have access to the knowledge and finances required to build and grow their businesses.
“I am delighted to be able to work closer with PUNB in this shared vision of ours, to support our Malaysian entrepreneurs.
“We hope that our entrepreneurs will not only be profit-driven, but also have a strong sense of social entrepreneurship, and give back to the community.”
Mohd Nasir added: “We have been looking to partner with graduate schools, and am happy to establish this relationship with UniRazak.
“With our Program Siswazah, graduates will have more and earlier exposure to successful entrepreneurs, so as to learn more ‘tricks of the trade’ and familiarise themselves with how entrepreneurs think and work.”
In another event, the university’s School of Government (RSOG) held a public talk entitled Policy Response to Economic and Financial Crises: Towards Effective Macroeconomic Management in Malaysia at its campus recently.
The talk is the first in a series of lectures known as the RSOG Public Discourse, which are delivered by well-known personalities in their respective fields of study.
Speaking on the topic was Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) chairman and RSOG Adjunct Professor, Prof Tan Sri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob.
He largely covered Malaysia’s experiences and lessons learnt in passing through several severe economic and financial crises, such as the economic recession in 1980s, the Asian economic crisis in 1997-98, and the most recent financial crisis caused by the American housing market downturn.
The talk was attended by various students, academics, diplomats, members of the private sector, as well as government officials.
Subsequent RSOG Public Discourses on current topics relating to Leadership, Public Sector Management and Public Policy will also be delivered by prominent speakers.
For more information, visit
www.unirazak.edu.my, e-mail
hishamk@unirazak.edu.my, or call 03-7809 2020 or 03-7627 7000.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2010/2/21/education/5655265&sec=education
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Tun Abdul Razak Lecture Series: “Governance – An Approach In the Razak Era”
4th February 2009 - Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak), Malaysia’s leading boutique university specialising in innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship, strives to play an active role in promoting and cherishing national idealism and the achievements of our great leaders such as our former Prime Minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak. In line with this objective UniRazak has organised a series of lectures known as the “Tun Abdul Razak Lecture Series” (TARLS) to be delivered by well known personalities in their respective field of studies. The 4th lecture in this series was delivered by YBhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Michael Chen at UniRazak’s new Razak Campus in Capital Square on 4th February.
YBhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Michael Chen is, by profession and since 1962, an advocate and solicitor. In the course of his storied career, he has held many notable government positions and board memberships in several significant Malaysian companies. He has been involved in politics and government service since 1964 and has served as a Member of Parliament from 1964 to 1986 and a member of the Senate from 1997 to 2003. He has also held the positions of Parliamentary Secretary, Minister with Special Function, Minister of Housing Local Government and New Village, Deputy President of the Senate and President of the Senate during his tenure as a Member of Parliament and the Senate. Other positions he has held include Deputy President of MCA, Secretary General of Alliance, and Treasurer General of Barisan Nasional.
Read more: http://www.unitar.edu.my/news/new.htm?new13_10.htm
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Tax education deal:
11 April, 2010.
UNIVERSITI Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia (CTIM) to work together in the area of tax education.
The MoU was signed by UniRazak president and vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Zabid Abdul Rashid and CTIM president Dr Veerinderjeet Singh.
Prof Md Zabid said the university was looking forward to work closely with CTIM to further progress tax education in Malaysia.
Prof Md Zabid (left) and Dr Veerinderjeet Singh exchanging documents after signing the agreement.
“Since its inception, CTIM has been actively involved in creating awareness on and promoting the tax profession to ensure the country’s demand for qualified and trained tax practitioners is met,” he said.
By working together, he said the two institutions could develop tax professionals in Malaysia and raise them to new heights.
“In fact, UniRazak’s Bank Rakyat School of Business and Entrepreneurship (BRSBE) has developed a Bachelor of Taxation (Honours) programme which has recently been approved by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
“We believe this programme to be timely and extremely relevant.
“It is also an excellent opportunity for Malaysians to join this niche field,” he said.
Other areas of cooperation identified in the MoU include input from CTIM to continually upgrade the tax curriculum of any courses offered by the university, ensuring that the contents meet the requirements of the profession.
The university will in turn keep CTIM updated on its tax-related programmes.
CTIM will also source its members to assist in the teaching of the relevant tax subjects, and work with its members to provide practical training in the field of taxation for relevant students in UniRazak.
Meanwhile, the university will allowing its facilities such as training rooms, equipment and auditorium at its city campus to be utilised by CTIM for its events, as well as organise career talks in taxation for the benefit of its students.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by UniRazak deputy president (Academic and Research) Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Mahyuddin Mohd Dahan and CTIM deputy president Khoo Chin Guan.
Source:
http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2010/4/11/education/6010131&sec=education
