INNOVATION LEADERSHIP 1

TRANSFORMING PUBLIC EDUCATIONTRANSFORMING PUBLIC EDUCATIONgraduate students for both PhDand Masters programmes. In comparison,public IHLs have a biggernumber of graduate students;2,169 and 14,813 respectively forboth Masters and PhD.We should also encourage IHLs todevelop a talent pool of high-levelintellectuals in post graduate studieswhich includes their lecturersto spur the growth of research andinnovation in the country. In thisregard, the Ministry has introducedthe MyBrain15 programme. Underthis initiative, the Governmentaims to produce a total of 60,000Malaysian PhD holders by 2023.The country requires a large pool ofPhDs to give impetus for sustainablegrowth of our economy.There are three schemes under thisprogramme namely MyMaster,MyPhD and Industrial MyPhD.Under the MyBrain15 Programme,the Ministry aims to sponsor40,000 students for MyMaster,5,000 students for MyPhD and500 students for Industrial MyPhd.It will be implemented in the nextfive years with a total budget ofRM780 million.As at November 12, 2012, a totalof 8,767 students have been offereda place for MyMaster, 1,381 forMyPhD and 93 for Industrial PhD,involving an allocation of RM130million for the three programmes(RM80 million for MyMaster andRM50 million for both MyPhDand Industrial MyPhD). For 2013,the Ministry has set a target of 8,000students for MyMaster, 1,000 studentsfor MyPhd and 100 studentsfor Industrial MyPhD. The Ministryhas been granted a bigger allocationfor next year, which translatesto about RM199 million; RM115million for My Master and anotherRM84 million for both MyPhDand Industrial MyPhD.There are now about ½ a milliontertiary students in the country.There have been a few programmeslaunched to fast-trackthe innovative mind-set of collegestudents such as Genovasi, whichis looking at a small elite group.Wouldn’t it be more widespreadand effective if the existing tertiarystructure is utilized to embedsuch programmes so it can reachmore people?No doubt that the success of a nationin the future is highly dependenton the efforts of all parties innurturing human capital whichis highly innovative, outstanding,competitive and having valueadded skills which can contributeto the further development of thenation and guarantee the stabilityof the economy.The Ministry of Higher Educationalways places greater attention tothe quality of graduates producedby institutions of higher learning(IHLs) in the country. We haveto aggressively partake in knowledgecreation and accumulation athigher level which has become oneof the major factors in economicdevelopment and is increasingly atthe core of a country’s competitiveadvantage, which is itself determinedby the ability to innovatein a continuous manner.It is our aim amongst the IHLs toproduce, wholesome graduates whonot only excel academically but alsoinnovative, resilient, and competitive,have an entrepreneurial spirit,are able to contribute positively toour society and become successfulindividuals. Knowledge creationand accumulation has become oneof the major factors in economicdevelopment and is increasinglyputting us at the core of the country’scompetitive advantage, whichis determined by the ability to innovatein a continuous manner.Student competitions like NST-Peugeot Design Competition;Imagine Cup Competition; RO-BOCON - are all about exploration,application, creativity,expansion and dissemination ofknowledge. These are clear effortsthat provide avenue for studentsto innovate and apply their passionand imagination into helping solvereal-world problems while gaininginvaluable experience outside theclassrooms.Competitions keep them competitive,and there is no doubt thatcompetition keeps the minds stimulatedand constantly in an activelearning mode. Aimed at encouragingsecondary and tertiary educationstudents to try their hand atautomotive design, the competitionentices them to sustain their interestfor better, bigger endeavours inthe future.The Ministry is also proud to introducethe Entrepreneurial Awards toact as a catalyst for the creation of aconducive and innovative environ-ment and a holistic entrepreneurshshipdevelopment in local institutionsof higher learning (IHLs).At present, only 23% of Malaysia’scurrent workforce is highlyskilled. Prime Minister DatukSeri Najib Razak said this numbermust rise to 37% by 2015 if itis to become a developed nationby 2020. We are no longer in amarathon; we are in the sprint tothe finish line. How do we closethat gap in real tangible terms?Today’s global economy has witnessedincreased competition betweennations to survive on theglobal stage. To survive in such acompetitive environment, nationshave to develop themselves especiallywith regard to human capital development,in order to ensure thatthey have the necessary resources tocompete at the international level.The higher education sector is centralto the Government’s economicand social transformation programmes.This is because the NewEconomic Model (NEM) is fundamentallybased on the revitalisation,through education, of societyat large. By this we mean that in ahigh value economy, the role of ahighly educated and sophisticatedworkforce becomes ever more critical.As outlined by the NEM, ourHigher Education sector needs tocreate an eco-system for innovation;increase local talent; retain and accessglobal talent; as well as establishstronger enabling institutions.These aims are reiterated in the 10thMalaysia Plan with its emphasis onthe role of the higher education sectoras the major generator of highlyskilled employable graduates.As the Minister of Higher Education,it is my responsibility to ensurethat we are able to producegraduates who have 21st centuryskills which are creative and innovative,and higher education institutionas the hub of innovation ofthe country.In this regard, Limkokwing University’sinitiatives towards providingquality education to produceinnovative and entrepreneurial humanresource, creating successfulpathways from R&D to innovationand commercialisation, and engagingwith communities are highlycommendable and indeed in linewith the goals of NEM.These efforts complement the variousinitiatives that the Ministry isembarking upon under the 10thMalaysia Plan in innovative humancapital development."Research carried out for its own sake may be well and good, but universities can no longer risk being justivory towers insulated from the rest of society," says Dato Seri Khaled (far right).20 INNOVATION LEADERSHIP INNOVATION LEADERSHIP 21