StarSpecial

THE STAR Tuesday 12 August 2014

Creating work-ready graduates > 8 Making education accessible > 11
More than just
numbers
COURSE FOCUS:
BUSINESS, ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
2 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014
Getting to know
accountancy
in Malaysia
The versatility
of a business degree
A BUSINESS degree, or more
specically a bachelors degree
in business administration
(BBA), allows you to be versatile
in your career choice.
The BBA is designed to
equip students with the
basic knowledge of corporate
management and help them
understand the various
functions in a company.
The duration of BBA courses
are typically four years in most
private colleges and universities.
The teaching methods in the
BBA often include project
work, presentations, visits to
industries and internships.
By the end of the
programme, a graduate will
possess good leadership skills,
good communications skills and
will have the skills to effectively
manage a business.
Students graduating with
a BBA can pursue careers in
various elds:
Banking nance managers,
branch managers, bank oce
managers
Finance nancial advisors,
nancial managers
Accounting bookkeepers,
auditors
Management business
operations managers,
administrative assistants
Marketing sales managers,
sales representatives
Academia lecturers
Students are exposed to
various aspects of business
management through general
business subjects, which will
allow them to pick a specialised
branch later on. These
branching subjects include:
Accounting
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Marketing
Public relations
Management
Real estate
International business
Legal management
Information technology
As there is a large number
of business graduates who hold
BBAs, specialising in a branch
subject is important as it boosts
your chances of employment in
your eld of specialisation. This
will also give you an edge over
your competition.
To give yourself more
leverage, you can choose to
pursue a masters degree in
business administration (MBA)
once you complete your BBA.
Having an MBA under your
belt will allow you to work in
higher ranking positions in the
various sectors of business and
nance.
Again, because of the high
number of graduates with a
BBA, most employers prefer an
MBA holder because they are
better qualied.
THE future of the accounting
industry in Malaysia is bright.
Because Malaysia is supported
by a market-oriented economy
and a pro-business government,
Malaysia is slowly becoming more
industrialised. Its attractive interest
rates are a major pull for foreign
investors.
New investments will lead to
new businesses, creating countless
job opportunities for Malaysians,
accountants included, as every
organisation needs the services of
an accountant.
Future of accounting
By NG VEAN TAT
A
CCOUNTING is the practice
of recording, reporting
and auditing the nancial
activities of a business using
a system of measuring and
analysing the results of a business
activity.
Accountants also prepare
statements regarding the assets,
liabilities and business outcomes
of a company or individual.
Professional accountants usually
work in accounting rms and
provide auditing, consultation
and tax services.
In Malaysia, the accountancy
profession is regulated by
the Malaysian Institute of
Accountants (MIA).
MIA is responsible for
developing well-trained
accountants through education
and training.
In order for accountants to be
certied, they will need to apply
for a membership with MIA as it
is the only ocial and authorised
accounting body in Malaysia.
Types of accounting
There are a few types of
accounting you can choose to
practise, but here are the four
most common types:
l Public accounting Public
accountants are not engaged with
a particular rm. Their clients can
be individuals, private companies
and businesses, governmental
agencies, public rms or non-
governmental organisations.
Public accounting, also
called assurance services, is
a diverse type of accounting
because its practitioners must
be able to provide several
different services to their clients
to meet their various needs,
including nancial analysis, tax
preparation, nancial reporting
and consultation.
l Management accounting
Management accountants or
corporate accountants work
for agencies and corporations.
Their job is to carry out nancial
analysis and take records of the
companys nancial data.
Management accountants
provide budgeting reports to a
company before the release of a
new product. This is crucial for
any company to prevent over-
spending.
They also have to prepare the
nancial data of the company
for investors and tax authorities.
These nancial data usually
consist of the companys assets,
liabilities, income, equity and
expenses.
The nancial data of a
company is used to analyse the
companys business performance
and it helps determine whether
the companys business strategies
should be kept or changed.
l Governmental accounting
Governmental accounting is a
form of public accounting, but
accountants in this line only
work for governmental agencies,
sectors and businesses and must
be able to provide different types
of services.
Governmental accountants
maintain and keep nancial
records of governmental
agencies. They also provide
budgeting and costs analysis
services to the government.
l Internal auditing The job
of an internal auditing accountant
is to inspect a companys nancial
management practices and ensure
that there are no aws in the
practices or fraud and waste in
funds.
They ensure that a company
abides by the law in managing and
recording its nances.
Internal auditors play a key role
in improving the management of
an organisation by giving opinions
and recommendations based on
the data gathered from nancial
analysis and business auditing.
StarSpecial 3
Tuesday 12 August 2014
4 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014
Dr Danny Choong is the principal and deputy chief
executive officer of Advance Tertiary College.
Part-time option
for law degree
A
DVANCE Tertiary College (ATC) has
been at the forefront of private legal
education in Malaysia for the past
27 years. During this time, thousands
of its graduates have gone on to pursue
illustrious careers in law and other related
elds.
While most of these graduates came to
ATC and fresh out of school, there have also
been many students who undertook legal
studies later in life and studied for their
law degree on a part-time basis.
ATC offers the Bachelor of Laws
(LLB) under the University of London
International Programmes, which can be
completed entirely in Malaysia.
The degree that you will obtain upon
successfully completing the programme
will be an internationally recognised
degree and you will be able to use this
degree to practise law in many countries.
ATC has a well-structured programme
for part-time studies where classes are
scheduled at night on weekdays and on
weekends depending on the year of study
and the subjects taken.
You also have the option of completing
the degree in three years, which is the
minimum duration for a degree in law, or
you can choose to complete the degree in
four years.
Dr Danny Choong, principal and deputy
chief executive ocer of ATC, says that
many part-time students were already
established in their various elds but still
devoted their time and resources to obtain
a law degree at ATC, which has greatly
enhanced their career prospects.
Some have opted to leave their original
careers and have switched to a career in
legal practice.
None of them have regretted obtaining
a law degree as it has, in one way or
ATC has groomed
students on the
University of London
Programmes to
achieve first class
honours and second
class upper honours
degrees. It is also
the single largest
institution in the
world to produce
such results on
the University of
London Law degree
programme.
another, beneted them tremendously,
Choong says.
Apart from enhancing ones career,
part-time study also provides an avenue
for those who did not have the opportunity
to obtain a tertiary education when they
nished school.
The University of London LLB degree
provides a second chance for people to
upgrade themselves and move on to more
lucrative careers.
ATC has groomed students on the
University of London programmes to
achieve rst class honours and second
class upper honours degrees.
It is also the single largest institution
in the world to produce such results on
the University of London Law degree
programme, says Prof Dr Wayne
Morrison, immediate past director
of the University of London External
Undergraduate Laws Programme.
ATC is also one of only ve institutions
worldwide that was recognised for
excellence in conjunction with the
University of Londons 150th anniversary
celebrations.
ATC is now one of the nine aliate
centres of University of London worldwide
for the law programme. There will be a
course preview on the LLB at ATC in Kuala
Lumpur and Penang this Saturday (Aug 16).
n For more information,
call 1800 889 292 (ATC KL) or
04-229 9266 (ATC Penang) or visit
www.atc2u.com
Dr Danny Choong
Enjoying the game with numbers Professionals speak
ELIZABETH Lim graduated
from the Australian
National University (ANU)
in Canberra with a Bachelor
of Commerce (Accounting)
and recently completed
the Graduate Diploma of
Chartered Accounting under
the Chartered Accountants
Programme.
When starting her
course, Lim did not know
what to expect as she was
from a science background
but numbers interested her.
Lim now works as a
tax accountant whose
work entails preparing
accounts and tax returns for
individuals, partnerships,
trusts and companies.
She believes that her
degree helped her gain the
skills and knowledge that
gave her a solid platform for
on-the-job learning.
She now nds
satisfaction in analysing
data and gures and in
providing valuable advice
to clients regarding their
taxes.
As businesses
continuously require
accountants and the
turnover rates for specic
areas such as auditing can
be quite high, Lim believes
that the eld is ripe for fresh
graduates to enter and has
not changed much since she
graduated four years ago.
The skills and
knowledge you gain from
a business and accounting
degree are transferable
commercial know-how,
analytical thinking and
leadership abilities to name
a few, says Lim.
She adds that with a
business background,
one can branch out
to administration,
communication and even
the media.
Elizabeth Lim.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014 COURSE FOCUS 5
Moulding
business
leaders
T
HE SEGi University Group
is a renowned provider of
business education and
now offers a wide range of
programmes under its Faculty
of Business and Accounting.
With bachelors degrees
offered by universities in
the United Kingdom such as
Abertay University, University
of Sunderland and University
of Greenwich, Malaysians can
pursue a British education
in business and accounting
without leaving the country.
These programmes include
qualications in marketing,
business psychology and
economics with banking.
SEGi University is also the
awarding body for a number of
bachelors degree programmes.
One of the most popular
programmes is the Bachelor
of Business Management
(Hons), which includes options
for students to take two
years off their undergraduate
programme to learn the basics
of business management.
Final year students can
then opt to branch out into
general management, nancial
management, human resource
management or marketing
management.
SEGi University has now
made obtaining a business
qualication much easier with
its online university, PACE
(Professional and Continuing
Education).
This programme enables
students to learn at their
own pace and complete their
studies with the assurance that
they can still attend to other
obligations and have a fullling
work-life balance.
Instead of attending
scheduled classes at a physical
venue, students can log on to
their classes at any time of the
day and at any location with
access to the Internet.
PACE provides students
with guided learning and also
independent learning. This
means that students attend
classes once a month and
revision classes are provided for
one weekend per semester for
a subject. This gives students
the opportunity to network
with their course mates, meet
their lecturers and gain any
additional support that they
may need.
The number of subjects that
students take in a semester is
up to them.
SEGi also provides a guided
learning plan to ensure that
students get the best out of their
lessons, including study guides
and strategies for coping with
coursework and exams.
Undergraduate business
programmes under PACE
include:
Bachelor in Business
Management (Hons)
Students study the basics of
business management for two
years before selecting an area of
specialisation in the nal year.
This provides graduates with an
in-depth study of the eld they
select to pursue as a career.
No other business degree
offers as many specialisation
options, especially for
programmes that are delivered
via exible mode.
Students can choose from
general management, nancial
management, human resource
management, supply chain
management and marketing
management.
Executive Diploma in
Business Administration
The executive diploma is
suitable for working adults with
a basic education qualication.
This programme prepares
graduates for a successful
career in the business world
by instilling holistic views on
business administration.
In addition, students will be
provided an understanding of
management principles and will
also be guided to think like a
successful entrepreneur while
sharpening core interpersonal
skills.
n For more information, visit
www.segi.edu.my
SEGi University has now made obtaining a business qualification easier with
PACE, its online university.
6 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014
Industry-ready business talents
W
E give our business and accounting
students the advantage that many
other fresh graduates do not have.
Our graduates emerge in the job market
complete with job experience, in addition
to a dual-award qualication from Anglia
Ruskin University in the United Kingdom,
says Chung Cheng Hoe, dean of the Faculty
of Business and Accounting at MAHSA
University.
Through the business incubator
programme, our students are given the
experience of running an actual registered
business at campus for a minimum period
of a year. The student-run businesses are
facilitated by various larger businesses so
that students can learn how to meet the
numerous demands of real-life business
situations in nance, human resource
management, marketing and accounting,
he elaborates.
As in every real business or trade,
there will be challenges. Students in this
programme will face daily challenges, such
as stang, resource management as well
as budgetary concerns, and learn how to
manage these situations.
They also learn more about how
different departments work and come
together to form a single unit of one
company, Chung adds.
Job opportunities in todays
employment arena offer a wide selection
for graduates. However, a common plight
faced by fresh graduates is that most
employers seek job experience, a criterion
that fresh graduates are unable to meet.
Through the business incubator
programme, internship experiences,
theoretical knowledge, continuing
professional development programmes
and other student activities on campus,
Through the business incubator programme, students at MAHSA are given the experience of running
an actual registered business on campus for a minimum period of a year.
Gain experience
Professionals speak
JUSTIN Wong (pic) graduated with a Bachelor
of Commerce, majoring in accounting and
nance, from the University of Melbourne and
is also a certied member of the Institute of
Chartered Accountants Australia.
His current job as an accountant involves
assisting businesses with tax compliance,
day-to-day operations and other business
consulting work.
I draw on a lot from my studies,
particularly from subjects in accounting and
business and taxation law while subjects
in economics and nance helped develop
my business acumen. I nd job satisfaction
in doing what I enjoy, which is to empower
businesses.
In addition, he believes that having a great
team, a good working environment and
maintaining a healthy work-life balance is
important.
While postgraduate studies are common
for those in the nance sector, Wong does not
believe the same applies to accounting and
that working while pursuing an accounting
professional paper would be the
better option.
Specialising when
you have not had any
experience may not be the
wisest decision as you are
limiting your career options
very early on.
Get some work
experience in an area that
you are interested
in and see what it is
like before pursuing a
specialisation, he says.
MAHSA prepares its students to graduate
with the experience that employers
demand.
Chung, who has almost 15 years of
experience in business and academics,
also reveals that students receive
internship opportunities with more than
40 different multi-national companies,
through the Malaysian Institute of
Management, which MAHSA is closely
aliated with.
Postgraduate business students
have the exibility to choose between
full-time and part-time programmes
to t their schedule while learning
from experienced professionals in the
industry.
In addition, MAHSAs accounting
students have a unique pathway to
obtain a globally recognised professional
qualication from the Chartered Institute
of Management Accountants.
MAHSA University offers students
the following business and accounting
options:
Foundation in Business
Diploma in Accounting
Diploma in Business Administration
Bachelor in Oil and Gas Management
Bachelor in Accounting
Bachelor in Business Administration
Masters in Business Administration
MAHSAs Open Day will be held on
August 23 and 24 at the Jalan University
Campus.
n For more information, call
1800 880 300 or visit mahsa.edu.my
StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014 COURSE FOCUS 7
Prof Martha-Marie Kleinhans is the
vice-provost of the University of
Reading Malaysia.
Choice of top-ranking university
L
AST September, the University
of Reading Malaysia delivered
its Foundation in Business
programme for the rst time
outside of the United Kingdom.
This intensive course has
been designed for students who
do not have British A-Levels
qualications or its equivalent
who intend to take up an
undergraduate business, law or
psychology degree.
Successful completion of
the Foundation in Business
programme guarantees
progression to the University
of Reading, including Henley
Business School courses.
From next month, the
universitys Henley Business
School will begin the delivery
of its BSc Finance and Business
Management programme the
rst in a suite of undergraduate
programmes being brought to
Malaysia by this award-winning
business school.
At the University of Reading
Malaysia, were trying to service
the Malaysian market in the
best way possible by providing
a great foundation programme
with a long heritage of success
at a price that is competitive
within the local market, explains
Prof Martha-Marie Kleinhans,
vice-provost of the University of
Reading Malaysia.
University of Reading is in the
top 1% of the worlds universities,
according to the Times Higher
Education World University
Rankings 201314 and is ranked
No.1 for accounting and nance
by the Guardian University Guide
2015.
The University of Readings
Henley Business School is one of
only 57 business schools in the
world to hold a triple-accredited
status from the Association of
MBAs, The European Quality
Improvement System and
the Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business
top accreditation bodies across
the United Kingdom, Europe and
the United States.
The cost of studying at the
University of Reading Malaysia is
signicantly lower than the cost of
studying the same programme at
the UK campus.
Students transferring to the
UK campus will be eligible for a
20% discount on the published
international student fees.
The University of Reading
Malaysia also has scholarship
opportunities to celebrate the
success of students and awards
for high-achieving students
throughout their studies with up
to a 32% discount on tuition fees.
As a world-class university,
the University of Reading attracts
and selects the best students
and prides itself on producing
graduates who are highly sought
after by employers across the
globe.
Having received its rst
Malaysian student in 1934, the
university now has more than
1,400 alumni from Malaysia,
with 114 Malaysian students
graduating in the last two years
in law, nance and quantity
surveying.
The University of Reading
Malaysia is hosting an Open Day
this Saturday (Aug 16) at its city
campus in Menara Kotaraya, Johor
Baru.
Prospective students and
their parents are invited to meet
the senior management team,
academic staff and current
students to experience the
universitys up-to-date teaching
facilities and to explore the
accommodation and social and
sports venues at Educity@Iskandar
where its new campus will be
opened.
n For more information,
call 07-295 5010, e-mail
my.enquiry@reading.edu.my
or visit www.reading.edu.my
The University of Reading prides
itself on producing graduates
who are highly sought after by
employers across the world.
8 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014
Representatives from Kolej Poly-Tech MARA and Dublin Business School at the signing of
the Memorandum of Understanding in July 2011.
The BAAF programme is an excellent choice for those who want to have an
exciting and rewarding career in accountancy and finance.
Creating work-ready graduates
T
HE Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
in Accounting and Finance
(BAAF) is a collaboration
franchise programme between
Kolej Poly-Tech MARA (KPTM) and
Dublin Business School (DBS),
Ireland.
KPTM is an educational
institution registered as a private
higher education institution that
is managed, maintained, operated
and administered by KPTM Sdn
Bhd, a company wholly owned by
Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA).
KPTM has grown to be one of
the biggest bumiputra private
educational institutions with nine
campuses in Kuala Lumpur, Bangi,
Kuantan, Batu Pahat, Ipoh, Alor
Star, Kota Baru, Semporna and
Kesedar.
KPTMs alliance with DBS
began in 1993 as a vision to
become a leading higher education
institution of choice and resulted
from an initiative by MARA in an
academic collaboration project
concerning the development of an
accountancy programme.
This relationship was
strengthened by the signing of
DBS is the largest
independent third level
institution in Ireland that
provides a comprehensive range
of undergraduate, postgraduate,
professional and executive
education programmes.
The institution has
established an excellent
reputation for quality teaching
standards that meet the needs
of students and the industry.
The BAAF programme has
received accreditation from
the Malaysian Qualications
Agency (MQA) and Quality and
Qualications of Ireland (QQI).
QQI is the awarding body
for this programme. BAAF,
offered by KPTM Bangi, is the
only trans-national programme
offered and conducted outside
of Ireland that has been
approved by QQI.
In line with DBS, philosophy
of ensuring its graduates are
made readily employable,
the programmes structure
emphasises students
development in communication
skills, employability skills and
entrepreneurship, which form
the employability pillar.
According to DBS, this
pillar of modules is to
ensure students are aware
of employer expectations,
enhance communication skills
and time management skills
and experience academic
development during their
degree.
The added value offered
by BAAF programme assists
students to not only explore
their interests and potential
but also equip them with the
necessary skills to enter a
competitive eld.
In addition, 15 hours for
each module at stages one and
two, and 30 hours at stage
three of the programme will be
delivered by DBS own qualied
and industry-experienced
lecturers from Ireland.
Students will need to
complete 21 major modules and
ve MQA requirement modules.
Upon completion of this
three-year programme,
students will receive a DBS
degree certicate identical
to the one awarded to DBS
students in Ireland with the
title of BA (Hons) in Accounting
and Finance. Study loans are
also available for qualied
candidates.
A DBS representative,
known as the programme
manager, is assigned as a
contact person for KPTM Bangi
and DBS, Ireland, and thus
ensures close monitoring and
co-operation between KPTM
and DBS lecturer as well as
the respective units involved
in the implementation of the
programme.
KPTMs determination to
provide recognised, quality
and market-driven educational
programmes to produce
knowledgeable, quality and
competitive graduates is
evidenced by its offering of the
BAAF programme.
Accounting and nance
knowledge is vital to businesses.
The accounting sector not only
prepares the nancial report
of an organisation but also
provides expert nancial advice
on the impact of management
decisions and solutions.
The nance sector
concerns the monitoring and
forecasting of an organisations
performance, nancing and
investment decision and
coordination.
Pursuing studies in a diverse
eld such as accounting and
nance therefore gives students
the opportunity to be trained
in the operations and various
roles involving accounting and
nance in a wider business
management context.
This valuable knowledge and
qualication offers prestige to a
students career.
They can pursue careers
as staff accountants, tax
accountants, accountants,
auditors, nancial analysts,
consultants and nancial
planners.
The BAAF programme by
DBS receives the maximum
number of exemptions from the
professional accounting bodies.
It is also a major stepping
stone towards CIMA, ACA,
CPA and ACCA qualications.
The completion of BAAF
provides exemption to nine
of the 14 papers for the ACCA
qualication.
Professional qualications
give graduates the competitive
edge in employment,
international opportunities and
rewarding salaries.
The BAAF programme is a
great path to pursue especially
for students who want to have
a rewarding, interesting and
exciting career in accountancy
and nance.
Online applications are now
open for the September intake.
n For more information,
www.kptm.edu.my
a memorandum of understanding
between MARA and DBS in July
2011 and is related to the academic
collaboration project to develop
an accountancy programme in
Malaysia.
Following this, MARA supported
the alliance of KPTM and DBS to
offer the international programme,
which was in line with KPTMs
ambition to produce professional
and world-class graduates.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014 COURSE FOCUS 9
Build your future.
Build Malaysia.
Distinctly Global
www.hw.edu.my
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (KPT/JPS/DFT/US/W 18)
Level 2, Menara PjH, No. 2 Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Precinct 2, 62100 W.P. Putrajaya, Malaysia.
+603 - 8881 0918 HWUM@hw.ac.uk +6014 - 513 7177 or 7277
HWUMalaysia facebook.com/hwumalaysia
YTL Foundation
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Scholarships
Scholarships open now for Malaysians
Covers full tuition fees & partial living allowances for disciplines listed below (only for study at HWUM)
Minimum qualication requirements: A-Levels/STPM BBB or equivalent
BSc (Hons) Construction Project Management
KPT/JPS (PA4168) 12/18
BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying
KPT/JPS (PA4369) 06/19
BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering
KPT/JPS (PA4095) 12/18
At Heriot-Watt University, were honoured to
have YTL Foundation bestow a scholarship fund
for our programmes in *Construction Project
Management, *Quantity Surveying and
Mechanical Engineering. We look forward
to supporting their vision in developing
young talents for Malaysias growing
construction industry.
*Accreditation
Our programmes are accredited by the Board of
Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM) and the Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Further
University
provided
scholarships
available
for other
disciplines
Scholarship
application closes
on 18 August for
the September
2014 intake
Gaining a competitive edge
T
IEW Kee Yee is no stranger
to adversity. His stellar
academic and co-curricular
achievements stem from an
ironclad determination to achieve.
Diagnosed with Type 2 spinal
muscular atrophy disease that
causes the weakening of muscles,
Tiew depends on a wheelchair to
get around.
Yet he continued pursuing his
education despite knowing his
condition would not improve.
Knowledge is my only chance
to ensure I have a competitive
advantage, says Tiew.
His resolve to earn a degree
saw him enrolling in UCSI
Universitys BA (Hons) Accounting
degree under the Faculty of
Business and Information Sciences
(FoBIS), and was announced as
the recipient of the inaugural
Chancellors Gold Medal Award,
an honour on par with that of the
valedictorian, at UCSI Universitys
27th Convocation ceremony held
early this month.
Tiew is thankful that his
experience at UCSI has turned him
into a condent young man from
the boy who had experienced
diculty expressing himself.
Creating quality graduates
To ensure students such
as Tiew are equipped with a
competitive edge for the working
world, FoBIS periodically reviews
its programmes.
The industry leaders we
spoke to have said that they
are looking for graduates with
nancial knowledge in addition to
a business degree, reveals Melissa
Migin, dean of the Faculty of
Business and Information Science.
Coupled with the fact that
the nancial services sector is
Melissa Migin, dean of the Faculty of
Business and Information Science, talks
about FoBIS focus on giving an edge to
its students.
Impart business acumen
COMMERCE in todays world
has been redened by the
globalisation of the marketplace
and business leaders face
formidable challenges in an
increasingly dynamic global
economy to meet evolving
business needs of the 21st
century.
Educators are tasked to
equip tomorrows business
leaders with long-term vision,
the ability to analyse risks and
opportunities and create value
for their community.
With that in mind, Taylors
Business School believes in
developing purposeful business
leaders of the future through
a holistic and value-based
education. This is achieved by
approaching business studies
in a practical and engaging
manner, making it highly
relevant to current global
business practices.
Since being established
in 1993, Taylors Business
School has grown into one of
the largest business schools
in Malaysia, offering highly
recognised international
business qualications,
including foundation, diploma,
bachelors, masters and PhD
programmes.
Taylors Business School
also offers dual degree
programmes in collaboration
with the Bristol Business
School, University of the West
of England (UWE) and students
will receive certication and
academic transcripts from both
institutions upon completion of
the degrees.
Taylors takes pride in
grooming business graduates
with an entrepreneurial
mindset who can create social
value through their business
activities, look beyond prot
margins and contribute to the
community.
Despite being challenged
with a limited budget and
resources, students in the
business programmes are
required to develop creative
and cost-effective proposals
to achieve their business
goals. This enhances their
practical experience in
running a business, enabling
them to apply their classroom
knowledge as well as improve
ethical, interpersonal,
communication, leadership and
problem-solving skills as seen
in some projects undertaken by
students.
Two projects organised
by Taylors Business School
students were the Social
Entrepreneurship Fresh Mart
and the Kampung Temasek
Community Development
Project.
The projects helped the local
farming community of Cameron
Highlands and increased sales
revenue for villagers selling
food and tourism products in
Kampung Temasek.
By providing opportunities
such as these projects to its
students, Taylors Business
School creates a platform
for its students to grow and
expand themselves outside
of the classroom setting
while empowering the local
community to excel in their
chosen areas of interest.
n For more information,
call 03-5629 5000 or e-mail
admissions@taylors.edu.my or
visit www.taylors.edu.my/tbs
Taylors Business School students gain
exposure to social entrepreneurship
through real business experiences.
targeted to raise the countrys
gross national income by a
staggering RM121.5bil by 2020,
Migin and her team realised the
need to equip their students with
sucient nancial knowledge.
Thus, FoBIS has designed a new
range of programmes to meet
this need: Bachelor of Financial
Economics (Hons), BA (Hons)
Accounting & Finance, BSc (Hons)
Actuarial Science & Finance, BSc
(Hons) Finance & Investment and
BBA (Hons) Islamic Banking &
Finance.
FoBIS emphasises hands-on
learning, which is in line with
UCSIs praxis university approach
that advocates the application of
theory to practice.
While its two-month co-op
attachments for every study year
send students to intern with some
of the best names in the industry,
FoBIS also brings in industry
professionals to deliver lectures
to students on the ins and outs of
the industry as well as organise
forums, seminars, workshops and
talks by key industrial partners
such as Securities Commission
Malaysia, Apple and Tricor.
As a testament to its esteem,
FoBIS also has an excellent
relationship with accrediting and
professional bodies such as the
Association of Chartered Certied
Accountant (ACCA), Certied
Practicing Accountant (CPA)
Australia, the Chartered Institute
of Management Accountants
(CIMA), and the Chartered Tax
Institute of Malaysia (CTIM).
This has resulted in professional
papers exemptions for many of its
business degrees.
n For more information, call
03-9101 8882 or visit
www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my
10 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014
A fulfilling
career
T
HE eld of accountancy
has always afforded
graduates great prospects
and growth. This is because of
the continued economic growth
that Malaysia is experiencing.
As the nancial sector is a
key enabler and the catalyst of
economic growth, the demand
for skilled accounting and
nancial professionals will
continue to grow in the coming
decades.
Presently, the government
and the nance industry in
Malaysia are in need of highly
competent accountants to
drive and support the countrys
ambition of becoming a high-
income nation.
This is why the Malaysia
Institute of Accountants (MIA)
has an important role to play.
MIA is the umbrella body for
the accountancy profession in
Malaysia and is tasked with
regulating and developing
the accountancy profession in
Malaysia.
MIA is the only accountancy
body that is empowered by law
to regulate the accountancy
profession in Malaysia. An
MIA membership is therefore
mandatory for those who
intend to practise as a certied
accountant in the country, MIA
president Johan Idris says.
Becoming an accountant
in Malaysia
In Malaysia, graduating with
an accounting degree does not
automatically qualify you as
an accountant. To become an
MIA member and to practise
as an accountant in Malaysia,
one must possess a recognised
local accountancy degree or
be a member of a recognised
professional accountancy body
such as the Malaysian Institute
of Certied Public Accountants,
the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and
Wales, the Association of
Chartered Certied Accountants
and CPA Australia, among
others.
If you have an accounting
degree or other qualications
relating to accounting,
business or nance that are
not recognised under the
Accountants Act but are
recognised by the Public
Services Department or the MIA
Council, you can sit for the MIA
Qualifying Examination.
The qualication that you
possess should not be less than
an undergraduate degree and
its content must be at least
60% accounting based. Those
who graduate from twinning
and 3+0 programmes are also
eligible to sit for the MIA QE,
explains Johan.
Once the above requirements
are fullled, at least three years
of related working experience
in the accounting, business or
nance industry is required
before applying for an MIA
membership.
To facilitate aspiring
accountants in gaining relevant
working experience after
Johan Idris is the president of the
Malaysia Institute of Accountants.
Building life skills
THE three-year BSc (Hons)
Accounting and Finance programme
at Sunway University prepares
students for the workforce,
equipping them with skills in
teamwork, problem-solving,
communication and leadership.
Sunway University aims to
nurture competent and well-
rounded intellectuals, giving
students the opportunity to take
on leadership roles to embrace the
concept of community service and
enhance their personal attributes.
Tan Wee Li (pic), a student in the
BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance
programme, was among the 150
students selected earlier this year
as a Google Student Ambassador for
the South-East Asia region out of
1,000 applicants.
I was speechless but ecstatic
when I got the invitation. I have
always dreamed of being part of
the Google family, says Tan, who is
currently in his second year of the
BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance
programme. His main role as a
Google Student Ambassador is be a
liaison between Google and Sunway
University.
Tan recently represented
Malaysia and Sunway University
at the Google Student Ambassador
South-East Asia Summit in Cebu,
Philippines.
The event was enjoyable and
an eye-opening experience for
me. I gained a lot of experience
and knowledge and met people
from different backgrounds. I was
inspired by them and learned a lot
too, he says.
Students in the BSc (Hons)
Accounting and Finance
programme at Sunway University
will be equipped for future careers
in the accounting profession or
nancial sector.
The degree at Sunway University
is validated by Lancaster University
and graduates receive certicates
from both universities.
The programme is accredited
by the prestigious Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales (ICAEW), the Association
of Chartered Certied Accountants
(ACCA), the Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants (CIMA)
and CPA Australia.
n For more information
call 03-7491 8622 or e-mail
info@sunway.edu.my or visit
sunway.edu.my
completing their studies, MIA
has created the Chartered
Accountants Relevant
Experience (CARE) Programme.
This programme provides
guidance and sets out a range of
competencies that accountants
need to obtain before they
can be certied. Under the
CARE programme, a mentor
will be appointed to supervise
candidates until they have
completed the three years of
required working experience.
Students who intend to
enrol into an accountancy
programme must ensure that
the programme is one that will
prepare them for a challenging
but rewarding career.
What you can expect
Generally, an accounting
programme is technically
inclined and requires students
to be comfortable with
numbers. A good accounting
programme will also provide
students with the relevant
knowledge of business and
marketing, an internship
component and the opportunity
to acquire transferable skills,
Johan continues.
The internship component
is vital as it allows the student
to gain valuable real-life work
experience before graduating.
During their internship,
students will also be able to
work on their soft skills such
as communication skills,
presentation skills, teamwork,
research skills and negotiation
skills, says Johan.
As accountancy is a
profession that is multi-faceted,
those with sound knowledge
and expertise in accounting
can be employed in almost any
industry.
By now you should already
be convinced that accountancy
is a rewarding career. It is
denitely a leading profession
and is highly sought after by
many for its competitive salary,
prestige and job satisfaction.
So if you have a keen sense of
nance and business, you may
want to consider a career in
accountancy. The opportunities
are endless, says Johan.
n For more information, visit
www.mia.org.my
StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014 COURSE FOCUS 11
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
will be hosting its first campus
tours this weekend.
Making
education
accessible
H
ERIOT-WATT University
Malaysias state-of-the-
art, purpose-built green
campus is the rst university in
Putrajaya.
The university now offers
a special range of inaugural
scholarships to all students who
register for the upcoming intake
in September.
Visitors will get the
opportunity to visit the rst
green university campus in
Malaysia this weekend as
Heriot-Watt University will be
hosting its rst campus tours.
To celebrate our new
foundation and undergraduate
programmes, as well as the
approaching completion of our
new, purpose-built campus, we
are offering special nancial
packages, including scholarships
for high achievers regardless of
their nancial background.
Heriot-Watt University
Malaysia recognises that quality
higher education should be
accessible to a wide range of
students, says Prof Robert
J.M. Craik, chief executive
ocer and provost of Heriot-
Watt University Malaysia, in
reference to the scholarship
packages that are made
available.
Heriot-Watt University,
recognised internationally
as a centre for high-calibre
research in engineering, built
environment, science and
business, now offers many of
the same degree programmes
in Malaysia as its main campus
in Edinburgh.
Students who register for
the September undergraduate
programme intake at the
university will be rewarded
with a scholarship of RM3,000.
The High Achiever
Scholarship for undergraduate
studies offers students 30% off
their tuition fees for the rst
year.
Scholarship and non-
scholarship holders who
maintain a 70% average in their
undergraduate studies will be
awarded 35% off on their tuition
fees in the following year.
Scholarship packages are also
available to underprivileged
students.
In some instances, these
scholarship packages account
for 50% or 100% of the total
tuition cost.
Scholarships for foundation
to postgraduate studies are also
available from the universitys
corporate and industry partners
such as YTL Corporation Berhad,
Great Eastern Life Malaysia,
MNRB Holdings Berhad and Loh
& Loh Corporation Berhad.
Heriot-Watt University
Malaysias new campus has
a student capacity of 4,000
and is offering a range of
undergraduate programmes,
including business, nance,
mechanical engineering,
petroleum engineering,
construction project
management and quantity
surveying for its upcoming
intake in September.
Heriot-Watt University
undergraduate programmes
are designed so that graduates
are well prepared when they
begin their employment. The
syllabuses are closely linked to
the industries and provide skill
sets that will be useful in their
careers.
This is why graduates from
Heriot-Watt University gain a
higher employability rate upon
graduation with 94% securing
full-time employment or
furthering their studies within
six months, says Prof Craik.
Heriot-Watt University is one
of the most culturally diverse
centres of study with campuses
in the United Kingdom, United
Arab Emirates and Malaysia.
The university has the largest
international student cohort
of any Scottish university and
delivers degree programmes to
11,800 students in 150 countries
around the world.
The campus is designed
to enforce a supportive
educational community that
reects the world famous
Heriot-Watt University status
as a leading provider of
high-quality, professionally
orientated education.
n For more information,
call 03-8881 0918, e-mail
hwum@hw.ac.uk or visit
www.hwu.edu.my
12 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 12 August 2014
Opportunities abound with a law degree
L
AW is one of the most
interesting and rewarding
disciplines in the world. It
equips one with an awareness
of rights and responsibilities,
enhances ones self-condence,
augments critical thinking and
improves communication skills.
It is also a versatile qualication
that enables graduates to pursue
careers outside of law.
Brickelds Asia College (BAC)
offers the widest selection of law
programmes in the nation, ranging
from pre-law to professional
programmes. It is the nations No.1
law school, having sent more than
6,700 law graduates into practice.
The colleges stellar track record
includes more than 200 World
and National Top Student awards,
Book Prize winners, rsts and 2nd
uppers in the past two years.
The success of its students
showcases BACs commitment
in providing a remarkable
educational experience.
Currently, BAC has partnerships
and aliations with more
than 20 foreign universities
and professional organisations,
offering its students access to
more than 70 world-class law and
business degrees and professional
qualications that can be
completed either locally or abroad.
BAC has guided students to
achieve outstanding results
in the Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
programme. In the last two years,
63 rst class LLB (Hons) degrees
were awarded to BAC students.
In the University of London
International programme, BAC
students were awarded the Kings
College Scholarship three times in
the past six years.
Students can opt to pursue
the LLB (Hons) degree via the
University of London International
Programmes, which is the only
external law degree recognised by
the Legal Professional Qualifying
Board. This is a 3+0 programme
that allows students to complete
all three years of study at BAC.
BAC is one of the few
aliate centres for the UOL law
programme in Malaysia.
BAC also offers the UK Transfer
Degree Programme (Law), which
is designed for students to study
law in Malaysia for the rst two
years before transferring to one of
BACs partner universities in the
United Kingdom for the remainder
of the course.
Preceded by BACs A-Levels
Express Route, which takes only
11 months to complete, the UKT
programme allows students to
graduate up to two years before
their peers, making BAC the fastest
and smartest path to more than 70
UK law or business degrees.
After obtaining a degree in law,
graduates may choose to pursue
the Certicate in Legal Practice
(CLP), which will qualify them to
practise law in Malaysia. At last
years CLP convocation ceremony,
a BAC student received the Tun
Hamid Omar Award for the Best
Overall Student in the country.
This is the rst time that
students from the same institution
have been awarded this coveted
prize for the ninth consecutive
year.
BAC has the largest law
faculty in Malaysia, consisting
of highly qualied lecturers
and experienced practitioners.
Students studying in BAC receive
free study materials as well
as access to exclusive online
resources.
n For more information,
call 03-2727 7494 or visit
www.bac.edu.my
Dr David Poyton from the Aberystwyth University giving participants crucial insights into the demands of studying and living
abroad at BACs recent education fair.