NEWS: More access to IT tools

The Star

By SUMITHA MARTIN

YASMIN: Microsoft is committed to sharing best practices and thoughts with the higher education sector

FIVE public institutions of higher learning will work with Microsoft Malaysia in a venture called the 3K Programme.

The institutions are Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan and Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO).

Comprising three elements – communication, collaboration and culture – the programme will allow the institutions greater access to IT tools, programmes and resources.

The programme was initiated through a memorandum of understanding between Microsoft and the institutions, signed at the Faculty Summit 2007 – the first regional higher education conference organised by the IT giant and held on Monday and Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur.

Microsoft Malaysia managing director Yasmin Mahmood said all higher education students in the programme would have access to collaborations within universities and between local and international universities.

This will involve collaborations among students, between students and faculty members, and between students and faculty professionals.

Yasmin said Microsoft was "committed to nation-building by sharing best practices and thoughts with the higher education sector."

The summit brought together academics, students and IT professionals from the Asean region and other countries such as Australia.

Yasmin said the decision to hold the event in Malaysia was based on the fact that it was growing as an international and regional hub of higher education.

PROF HASSAN: The 3K programme will help produce graduates who will be able to compete in the international field.

Other factors which led to the decision include Malaysia's growth as an attractive location for overseas campuses, and the Government's aspirations to attract a foreign student enrolment of 100,000 by 2010.

Present to witness the signing ceremony and deliver the keynote address on behalf of Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed was Higher Education Management Department director-general Prof Datuk Dr Hassan Said.

Prof Hassan said the collaboration between the institutions and Microsoft would help produce graduates who would be able to compete in the international field.

He added that discussions were ongoing between the ministry and Microsoft to implement an attachment programme which would enable lecturers and students from both public and private institutions of higher learning to secure placements in Microsoft offices overseas.

This initiative, he said, would be aimed at enabling lecturers to know what was happening outside classrooms and to enhance the marketability of students.

Prof Hassan said the ministry hoped to get the attachment programme under way this year.