EDUbriefs

Malaysian Business, Aug 16, 2007

UTAR CHEMISTRY GRADS GET RECOGNITION

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman's (UTAR) three-year Bachelor of Science (Hons) Chemistry programme has received the British Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) recognition for fulfilling the requirements necessary for admission to the society.

The acknowledgement from the RSC is the latest recognition to be granted by a foreign professional body this year for the faculty. `Apart from the Chemistry Degree, both of UTAR's Honours Degrees in Quantity Surveying and Construction Management have also gained recognition from the British Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS),' says Dr Tham Choy Yoong, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Science.

This recognition from the UK-based organisation is timely as the first batch of Chemistry graduates from UTAR will be convocating in August this year, thus qualifying them to be admitted as Associate Members of the Royal Society of Chemistry (AMRSC).

NOTTINGHAM'S MALAYSIA PHARMACY COURSE GETS UK ACCREDITATION

The University of Nottingham's four-year MPharm Degree in Pharmacy - where students spend two years at the university's Malaysian campus and two years in the UK campus in Nottingham - has been fully accredited by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB).

The accreditation of the overseas delivery of the Nottingham MPharm Degree means that following the successful completion of a pre- registration training year, graduates will be able to practise as pharmacists within the UK and also ultimately in Malaysia and Singapore which also recognise the Nottingham Pharmacy Degree.

The RPSGB undertakes accreditation visits to all UK Schools of Pharmacy and requires every school to undergo re-accreditation on at least a five- yearly cycle. At its meeting in July 2007, the Education Committee of the RPSGB recommended that the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus be accredited for a period of five years for its overseas delivery of the UK MPharm programme.

MALAYSIA-CHINA POLYTECHNIC PACT

Malaysia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Shenzhen Polytechnic of China to enhance co-operation in technical education and training. The MoU was signed by Higher Education Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Dr Zulkefli A Hassan and the polytechnic's Vice- President Yang Runhui.

Under the agreement, both parties have agreed to encourage and promote technical co-operation through the exchange of staff, experts and students. The possibilities of credit transfer, the training of administrators and lecturers and the exchange of educational literature are other areas of collaboration will be considered.

Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Shah Alam, representing the Malaysian Government, and Shenzhen Polytechnic will be responsible for the implementation of the agreement.