VIRTUAL TOUR
2014
24 JulUCSI students showcase important global ideologies
KUALA LUMPUR: An education is meant to open minds. In line with this, UCSI University saw its first year students present their choice of public figures whose ideas have influenced the world during the University Life Showcase Day. The theme for the day was “Ideologies Worth Sharing.”
More than 500 students participated in this event that featured over 50 booths, stage performances, and sketches that showcased the various ideologies.
The event was part of the first year course (subject) University Life, which aims to help students embody the nine graduate attributes of UCSI University and subsequently prepare them for success in their studies and future careers.
The nine graduate attributes are; effective communication skills, creative and critical thinking abilities, ethical and civic responsibility, knowledge of disciplines, interpersonal skills, lifelong learning, engaged global citizen, leadership, as well as entrepreneurship and management skills.
According to Dato’ Peter Ng, UCSI Group founder and chairman, the theme ‘Ideologies Worth Sharing’ was useful for the students who were future leaders, as these public figures attained leadership status when their ideas captured the attention and support of the people.
He also pointed out that UCSI University itself was a product of a unique idea – the praxis® approach that advocates the application of theory to practice and focuses on closing the gap between academia and industry.
He revealed that a recent tracer study by the Malaysian Ministry of Education and Higher Learning rates UCSI University as one of the top two Malaysian universities in the area of graduate employability. With a score of 81.4%, UCSI University is ranked above all the leading private universities and foreign branch campuses in Malaysia. And while open distance learning universities and a niche medical school were ranked higher, their scores are contingent to a number of factors. Working adults make up the bulk of an open university’s student population, contributing to the near perfect scores, while doctors are never unemployed.
This, he pointed out, meant that UCSI’s praxis® approach goes far in securing the employability of its students.
Some of the leaders and their ideologies being showcased included martial arts master Ip Man and his focus on discipline in life and Oprah Winfrey’s belief that education has the power to defeat poverty.
According to student Alfred Tan who is currently enrolled in the BSc (Hons) Computing programme, him team chose Ip Man as his teachings on discipline is still relevant in today’s modern society.
“Having discipline is important to not just get ahead, but also stay ahead,” he said.
The experience of setting up their display took two to three weeks, but according to team mate Lai Yung Sing, a first year BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science student, the lessons learned would stay with him even when he started working.
“Discipline would help in the working world, where the work usually involves colleagues from different departments and this can be cause for conflict if everyone was not disciplined,” he said.
Other trailblazers whose ideologies were on display included Aung San Suu Kyi, Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln, Bruce Lee, and Dato’ Lee Chong Wei.
