THE STAR Tuesday 14 April 2015

StarSpecial

COURSE FOCUS:
COMPUTER, TECHNOLOGY,
ART AND DESIGN

Bringing
ideas to life

Cultivating design expertise > 3

Obtain an edge in ICT > 9

2 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

Makers of
modern magic
We often speak of the great
Fans around the world
role technology plays in advancing
mourned the loss of Paul Walker
several other fields and, once in a
in late 2013 when the Fast and
while, a pop culture example such
Furious star passed in a car
as Walker
CGI reminds
the actors brothers as body doubles.
accident shortly before the
By in
THERESA
BELLEus it is a
wonderful time to be alive.
Carefully chosen camera angles and
completion of the seventh film. If
Today, there
various
lighting combined with savvy (CGI) then
you watched Fast and Furious 7,
ANSare
around
the world mourned the
opportunities
and
nicheWalker
positions
produced identical images of Walker so
however, you may have noticed
loss
of Paul
in late 2013 when
in the technology
and
arts
scenestar was killed in a he was able to appear in the final tribute
that the movie seemed to flow
the Fast
and
Furious
both
exciting
and inbefore the completion
scene.
without a hint of the loss of a main that arecar
accident
shortly
demand.
are brieffilm.
overviews
This is one of the many ways computer
actor.
ofHere
the seventh
If you watched Fast and
of games
development,
music
technology has enabled the entertainment
How did they do it?
Furious
7, however,
you may have noticed
production
scoring,
and to flow without a
industry to achieve bigger and better
Director James Wan reportedly
that and
the movie
seemed
programming,
including
courses
things in the past, actors were often
filmed Walkers remaining scenes
hint of the
loss of a
main actor.
and job opportunities
available
explicitly replaced on screen without
using the actors brothers as body
How did they
do it? in
the country.
explanation or logical plot adjustments.
doubles. Carefully chosen camera
Director James Wan reportedly
We often speak of the great role
angles and lighting combined
filmed Walkers remaining scenes using
with savvy computer-generated
imagery (CGI) then produced
identical images of Walker so he
was able to appear inGames
the final development
tribute scene.
This is one of the many ways
computer technology
hasis
enabled
development using their knowledge
What
it?
and skill to develop the game
the entertainment
industry
in mathematics, physics, graphics and
industry. Students must have a preCurrently
valuedtoat more than
achieve bigger
and
better things
artificial intelligence, among others.
university qualification to enrol.
US$3bil
(RM337bil)
worldwide, the
in the past,
actors
wereis
often
Graduates can also go on to become
Asia Pacific University of
games
industry
vast and brimming
explicitlywith
replaced
on screen
project or production managers,
Technology & Innovation BSc (Hons)
potential.
The recent boost in
without explanation
or logical
plot yet another
game testers, level designers or sound
in Computer Games Development
mobile gaming
has created
adjustments.
engineers.
KDU University College
niche for developers. There is a lot of
Bachelor of Games Development
planning, designing and storytelling to
(Hons)
be done as a game developer.

Where can I study this?
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
Below are three-year undergraduate
(UTAR) Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
courses designed to create graduates

What can I do?
with the necessary technical knowledge Games Design
As visionaries of the scene, game
designers are responsible for conceiving
the rules and structure of a game. This
includes developing the narrative,
dialogue and plot across various
components such as game mechanics,
user interface and characters.
Game artists work in two- or threedimension orientations to produce
concept art, textures, backdrops, 3D
models, animation and cinematics of
the game.
Programmers are the tech-savvy
people who deal with software

Music production and scoring

What is it?

All I want to be able to do is to reach

out to people through music and connect
with them emotionally, says Fiz Singa,
a multimedia designer who has been
dabbling in music production since his
schooling years.
Easily one of the oldest forms of creative
expression, music today is a field where
beginners must learn to translate their
passion into hard work and dedication to
achieve their goals.
Music production consists of sound
engineering, composing, arranging
and designing. Film scoring is a music
production niche that involves creating
music to accompany a film. Composers in
this field must be able to match music with
visual media to aid in impactful storytelling.

What can I do?

Graduates looking to break into this

field often have a hand in many aspects
simultaneously, including music production
and promotion.
Young entrepreneurial minds with an
affinity for music find ways to turn their
passion into a career, as founder and chief
executive officer Madan Psytrus has done
with Pulse Soundworks, a record label that
provides a platform to showcase Malaysian
talent and monetise their work through
digital platforms.
Audio engineering taught me the basics,

but I really cut my teeth as I went on

to work in several studios, broadcast
facilities and rehearsal spaces, he says.
Real-world experience is the most
crucial element to honing ones skills.
Music graduates can go on to become
artistes, producers, sound engineers
and designers, composers, arrangers,
conductors, publishers or teachers.

Where can I study this?

Malaysian Institute of Art Diploma

in Music
Limkokwing University of Creative
Technology Foundation in Sound &
Music, Professional Diploma in Sound
& Music Design (two years), Diploma in
Sound & Music Technology (three years),
Bachelor (Hons) in Recording Arts (three
years)
International College of Music
(ICOM) Foundation in Music (one
year), Certificate in Audio Production
(16 months), Bachelor of Music (Hons),
extension programmes

technology plays in advancing several

other fields and, once in a while, a pop
culture example such as Walker in CGI
reminds us of the wonders of technology.
Today, there are various opportunities
and niche positions in the technology and
arts scene that are both exciting and in
demand.
Here are brief overviews of games
development, music production and
scoring, and programming, including
courses and job opportunities available in
the country.

Programming

What is it?

We are entering the era of pervasive

computing, where we are connected
to multiple devices at all times, says
Haw Wai Yee, acting head of the School
of Information Technology at SEGi
University.
All these products are able to
communicate with each other with
or without connection to a virtual
cloud. The growth of such Internet of
things has created a great demand for
computer science professionals and
programmers.
Programmers, specifically, create and
execute computer programmes through
analysis, generation, verification and
implementation of algorithms in
programming languages, also known as
coding.

What can I do?

Given the widespread use of the

Internet and technology in businesses
today, programmers play a role in all
types of organisations. A programming
graduate can even build a career
in games development or music
production and scoring.
Business systems design
Computing graduates can go on to
become analysts and consultants in
information communication technology
(ICT) and business sectors. Other

opportunities in this field include database,

web or multimedia developing.
Software engineering Many
programmers go on to pursue careers in
software engineering, where they can
become engineers, trainers, database
developers, systems analysts or architects,
project managers, or technical writers.

Where can I study this?

A variety of foundation, diploma and

undergraduate courses in information
technology, computer science and network
technology are offered at these universities:
SEGi University & Colleges
Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur
IACT College
Sunway University
Monash University Malaysia
UCSI University
Nilai University

StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

BU International Colleges
(KBU) School of Design
is a strong advocate of
integrating industry projects
into its curriculum to produce
industry-ready students.
As such, the colleges School
of Design partnered with GS1
Malaysia (an international
organisation that develops and
maintains standards for supply
and demand chains across
multiple sectors) to organise a
packaging design project with the
theme Improve the Product Image,
Enhance the Brand Value that was
held earlier this month.
GS1 Malaysia is a company
that develops and promotes GS1
standards on bar coding under
the aegis of the Federation of
Malaysian Manufacturers.
The project, which was
conducted for the ninth
consecutive year, was aimed at
offering small- and medium-sized
GS1 subscribers an upgrade on
their packaging design.
This project was intended to
improve the packaging design of
products from GS1 members and,
at the same time, expose the finalyear students of BA (Hons) Graphic
Design to the demands of the
corporate world, says Dr Debbie
Gan, deputy head of the School of
Design, KBU.
A total of 23 students took
part in this years packaging
design project. We also saw a
participation of 11 companies that
included product manufacturers
of various kinds, she says.
KBU principal Dr Chee Choong
Kooi, in his addressing speech,
said, The mere fact that GS1 is
joining hands with KBU for the
ninth year shows that KBUs

COURSE FOCUS 3

Cultivating design expertise

At KBU, students learn how to design packaging of products, hone their skills and deal with clients through collaborative
projects.
graphic design students are
capable of presenting their best
in their work.
This collaborative project
also provides an opportunity
for students to attune to the
expectations of the industry.
Students were given the project
brief on the first day by preappointed clients.
They were then given less
than three days to come up with
the interim designs and present it
to their clients for comments

and feedback.
Upon receiving feedback from
clients, students were given
another two days to come up
with the finished products to
be presented to their clients for
approval.
Collaborative projects are
not only limited to final-year
students. Recently, we also
engaged graphic design students
in their second year to work
with Rich Art Print and Pack
Sdn Bhd to develop a packaging

design for premium packaging

of mooncakes, bakery items and
jewellery, says Dr Gan.
She says that the projects build
the credibility of students in
managing clients and hone their
designing skills at the
same time.
Rich Art Print and Pack is
a one-stop integrated packaging
centre that provides graphic
design, digital depress, printing
and customised packaging
services.

KBUs School of Design

cultivates top and award-winning
designers through its industrybased teaching and learning.
These involve collaborative
projects such as BROS bottles
design, new product design for
Stainless Steel Industries and
designing for Ralph Laurens
The Big Pony Collection.
Besides that, the school is
equipped with everything a
design student needs. Facilities
include spacious studios,
advanced computer hardware
and software, a printing studio,
3D workshops and a range of
state-of-the-art equipment.
The school also holds an
excellent track record for
quality work, having clinched
numerous accolades such as the
RSA Genovasi Malaysia 2014
Awards, i-Print Malaysia Print
Awards 2014, Antalis Paper
Weight Awards 2014, MIID 8
Belas Competition and MIID Reka
Awards 2014.
KBUs School of Design
offers the BA (Hons) Interior
Architecture & Design (3+0), BA
(Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons)
Furniture & Product Design,
Foundation in Art & Design,
Diploma in Interior Design and
Diploma in Interactive Design.
n For more information, call
03-7727 3200 or e-mail
enquiry@kbu.edu.my or visit
www.kbu.edu.my

4 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

EACHING allows me to share

my experience and passion
with my students. In turn,
I too learn from them how to
approach, reach out and engage
with them, says Dr Chia Wai
Chong, senior lecturer of the
Department of Computer Science
and Networked Systems Faculty
of Science and Technology (FST),
Sunway University.
Dr Chia, who teaches digital
image processing, says, Most of
the assignments given to students
are open-ended, where students
are required to carry out research,
analysis and comparison on the
information they obtain.
This helps train their
analytical and critical thinking
skills as well as their capability in
extracting relevant information. In
addition, up-to-date knowledge in
the field is incorporated through
assignments and students are
required to carry out research on
existing or new information.
At last years international
invention, innovation and
technology exhibition, ITEX 2014,
Dr Chia collaborated with his

Collaborative learning
colleagues Dr Chng Sue Inn, Yeong
Lee Seng and Tsai Yao Cherng to
develop the QR Code Car Park
System.
The QR Code Car Park System
idea won the team a gold award.
Such collaborations on industrialrelevant projects help lecturers
such as Dr Chia gain further
experience.
At the same time, according
to Dr Chia, it encourages their
students to aim for a similar
rewarding experience.
In working together on
projects such as this, students
and lecturers not only benefit
from excellent industry and
business links but gain real-world
experience and exposure, which
are invaluable in todays
fast-paced information and
technology industry.
Last year, Dr Chia received

Dr Chia Wai Chong (second row, third from left) with other ITEX 2014 winners from Sunway University.
the Award for Achievement
in Research for Early Career
Researcher. His main research
interest is visual processing.
The aim is to develop novel
and practical algorithms that
can be used to reduce data
transmission in the network. In
addition to visual processing,
Im also involved in other types
of research projects such as
developing of a parking system,
brainwave analysis based on
EEG signal, a guidance system
for the visually impaired and
mobile applications. Each is
supported by at least one or two
publications, he explains.
Dr Chia is part of a team of
highly qualified academics at
Sunway Universitys Department
of Computer Science and
Networked Systems who
specialise in a variety of research
areas, including artificial
intelligence, computer vision,
human computer interface,
image or visual processing,
biometrics/multi-biometrics,
intelligent systems, embedded
systems, wireless sensor
networks and most aspects
of networking, and mobile
computing.
Research grants are acquired
from internal and external
agencies. Research outcomes
and experiences are integrated
into some of the lectures to keep
students up-to-date on the latest
technology.
Apart from teaching and
research, the department also
offers students an excellent
educational experience by
providing support services and
personalised attention through
its Peer Assisted Learning

Programme, a mentor-mentee
system.
Students are encouraged
to immerse themselves in an
open academic environment
where they grow intellectually
and socially, with emphasis
on building a strong lifelong
foundation for successful careers
and lasting friendships.
Sunway University is a
quality provider of information
and communication technology
development programmes.
The degree programmes
in information systems,
information technology and
computer science offered by the
FSTs Department of Computer
Science and Networked Systems
and Department of Information
Systems are validated by
Lancaster University, United
Kingdom.
Sunway Universitys
postgraduate programmes in
information systems, mobile
systems and computer science
are also validated by Lancaster
University. Students who
complete these programmes
graduate with two scrolls
one from Sunway University
and another from Lancaster
University.
The computing programmes
at Sunway University are
industry-relevant and the
curriculum provides students
with opportunities to be trained
by industry professionals
as well as hired by local
and international major
corporations.
n For more information, call
03-7491 8622 or visit
sunway.edu.my/university/fst

Dr Chia Wai
Chong (right)
receiving the
Award for
Achievement
in Research for
Early Career
Researcher from
Prof Graeme
Wilkinson,
vice-chancellor
of Sunway
University.

StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

COURSE FOCUS 5

Asst Prof Thong, Dr Murphy and School of Information Technology student Mok Yun Liu during the guest
lecture on the works of the late mathematician, George Boole, at UCSI University.

Education
for a lifetime

ANDS-ON learning that emphasises

the learning process and outcome
instead of mere rote learning is part of
UCSI Universitys (UCSI) Praxis approach.
To ensure its students are equipped with
the skills needed to achieve their dreams,
UCSI works closely with industry experts
for their insights. In the fast-changing
field of IT in particular, it is important that
education is not isolated from the realities
of the working world.
According to Asst Prof Chloe Thong,
head of the School of Information
Technology (SoIT) under the Faculty of
Business and Information Science, this is
achieved through an industry-relevant
curriculum, co-op placement and industry
collaboration.
Each programme is designed to
emphasise the learning process so that
students can thrive in times of change.
Whether it is the advancement of new
technologies or climbing the career ladder,
SoIT students are known among employers
for their flexibility, adaptability and talent.
The school works with numerous co-op
partners to provide students meaningful
work experience during their studies. With
its strong industry linkages, the school has
tremendous support from big names in the
IT world.
For example, its IT research and
development laboratory is fully sponsored
by Ricoh Malaysia. The laboratory contains
cutting-edge devices and solutions such
as iPhones, iPads, Macintosh computers
and Ricohs latest multifunctional printing
products.
The Multimedia Development
Corporation (MDeC) also participates in
the schools annual programme review.
Its input is invaluable as MDeC sets
breakthrough standards for multimedia
operations, oversees the development of the
Multimedia Super Corridor Malaysia and
advises the government on related matters.
Through advice from MDeC, the school
constantly revamps its programmes to meet
industry expectations. As a result, students
of the SoIT are in high demand.
Many of our students are offered
permanent jobs during their second
internship even before graduating, says
Asst Prof Thong.
Through site visits and lectures by
external speakers, input from people who
work in the industry helps students stay
abreast with the latest developments in the
IT industry.
Recently, students of the school had the
opportunity to listen to a guest lecture
on the works of the late mathematician,
George Boole, that are used for many
computer programming systems, including
Pascal and Java.

The lecture was delivered by Dr Michael

Murphy, president of University College
Cork, Ireland, where Boole was its first
professor of mathematics.
We want our students to be experts
in their fields and, at the same time,
well-rounded individuals. We connect
them to the people and opportunities
that can help them on their way, says
Asst Prof Thong.
One of the many students who has
benefited from the Praxis approach is Mok
Yun Liu. Inspired by how Apple products
transformed the computing and mobile
industry, Mok decided to pursue a degree in
computing.
He chose UCSI as it was one of the few
universities that included the Apple iOS
operating system in its curriculum.
Currently in his second year, the BSc
(Hons) Computing student has been on the
deans list almost every semester and has
won the UCSI University President Award for
his outstanding academic and co-curricular
achievements.
Besides being a computer enthusiast,
Mok is an outgoing all-rounder. He is the
president of the IT Student Association and
has posts in other clubs such as the UCSI
Scholars Club and the UCSI Photography
Club.
He chose to pursue computer science
because he believes that it is the most
available tool to make a difference in society.
Computing is like the magic of our
generation. You can use it to make your
ideas a reality, such as by creating a simple
mobile app, he explains.
Mok credits UCSIs Praxis approach for
giving him the avenue to garner industry
experience while he is still studying.
Through the Praxis approach, students
are required to complete a two-month
internship every academic year. Therefore,
students gain industry exposure even in
their first year.
In his first year, Mok worked for a global
insurance bank. Despite only doing minor
work in line with his basic knowledge, he
believes that the experience has changed
him.
I could observe how things were
executed in a global company and learnt
about their banking system. Not everyone
has the chance to experience that, he says.
Summing up his enthusiasm for
computer science, Mok points out that a
human being spends the first 20 years of his
life learning and the last 20 retired.
Time is limited, so you might as well
spend it doing something you love. For me,
its computer science.
n For more information, call 03-9101 8882
or visit www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my

6 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

Technology that
enhances studies
A

T Monash University
Malaysias School of
Information Technology,
students can expect interactive
and engaging classes as more
lecturers begin to increasingly
use mobile technologies in their
teaching.
Senior lecturer Dr Chew Esyin
says that academics from the
school are now encouraged to
incorporate various forms of
technologies into their teaching to
improve the learning process.
Students generally feel
that there is a lack of formative
feedback from the teaching staff
in regard to students work. There
are currently lots of research and
teaching initiatives to provide
richer assessment and feedback.
I think that is the same case
in Malaysia. We need to move
away from the ticking and grading
only culture to enhance students
learning experience, she says.
Dr Chew, who carries out
research on technologyenhanced learning, teaching and
assessment, says that one of the
learning technologies used at the
school is the Personal Response
System (PRS).
The PRS allows us to conduct
real-time question-and-answer

Students generally
feel that there is a
lack of formative
feedback from the
teaching staff in
regard to students
work. There are
currently lots of
research and teaching
initiatives to provide
richer assessment
and feedback.
- Dr Chew Esyin
sessions in classes through the
use of clickers (an interactive
technology) and Socrative.com
It allows us to pose questions
to our students and receive
immediate responses from the
entire class. We are able to see
how many students in a class
have responded to a question and
gauge their understanding. The
PRS can be used for competitions.
It also makes teaching sessions fun
and motivates students to learn
challenging topics together,

she says.
Both clickers and Socrative
collect feedback from students
and tabulate the results
immediately. The lecturer can
then view, assess and respond to
the feedback.
Dr Chew says students were
often asked multiple-choice or
open questions that would prompt
critical thinking during these
sessions.
There are no fixed answers to
these questions and the responses
from the class can be varied,
which always leads to a lively
class discussion that stimulates
students thinking, she says.
There has been positive
feedback from students who
have experienced this seamless
teaching method.
Students find the learning
process more interactive,
stimulating, engaging and more
meaningful, says Dr Chew.
The school also encourages
students to use other technologies
such as ScreenBeam to share their
work seamlessly and Turnitin to
perform originality checks on
their written projects.
In Dr Chews research on
online assessments and feedback,
she found that Turnitin enables

Dr Chew Esyin, senior lecturer of Monash University Malaysias School of

Information Technology, encourages the use of technology in the classroom.
students to conductself-service
and independent learning through
the pedagogical use of the
originalityreport.
Previously, tools such as
Turnitin were mainly used by
academics as a policing tool to
check for plagiarism, but these
days, we want our students to
take the initiative to utilise it so
that they can improve on their
assignments and other projects,
including their theses, she says.
She hopes that in the near
future, Grademark and Peermark,
two other features under Turnitin,
will also be used in Monash
University Malaysia.
Grademark is an online
marking system for academics
while Peermark allows students

to read, review and evaluate

the papers submitted by their
classmates.
With tools such as Grademark,
an environmental-friendly
paperless marking system,
academics can provide richer
feedback to students.
Peermark will help students
learn a subject from a fresh
perspective when they read other
peoples work and the comments
on their papers using the same
assessment criteria, she says.
Potential students are invited to
Discover Monash Day on April 25
to have a look around the campus
and check out its programmes.
n For more information, visit
www.monash.edu.my

World-changing art and design

ART and design shape the way we perceive
our world and ourselves, inform our
perceptions of beauty and aesthetics and
influence our choices.
Here are a few pieces of art or advertising
designs (some are a combination of both)
that changed the world.

World War I and World War II

recruitment posters
These posters remain examples of
some of the most effective use of direct
messaging combined with stark and
powerful illustrations in advertising design.
During WWI, the figures of Kitchener,
the British Secretary of War, and Uncle
Sam saying Your country needs you and
I want you with fingers pointing directly
outwards at the viewer were undeniably
persuasive.
During WWII, the Rosie the Riveter
posters focused on women in order to get
them to participate in the industrial and
agricultural effort.

Absolut Vodka
Before Absolut launched its Absolut
(something) marketing campaign in
the early 1980s, there was no premium
vodka industry and vodka had seldom
been advertised. The simple design of the
advertisements helped create a completely
new market.
The bottle design was inspired by 19th
century apothecary bottles and the unusual
packaging means the bottle does its own
advertising.
Today, special edition bottles continue to
push the boundaries of art and design and
have become collectors items.

The Che Guevara poster

Developed by artist Jim Fitzpatrick, the

simple design of this poster is based on

Special edition
Absolut Vodka
bottles.
Alberto Kordas photograph of the Argentine
Marxist revolutionary. Fitzpatrick meant it
to be a commemorative poster, creating it
by using a paper negative printed in black
and white with a hand-painted yellow star.
He also intended it to breed like rabbits,
allowing the image to be reproduced
without copyright. Since then, the stylised
image of Che Guevara has become an iconic
symbol of rebellion and counterculture
around the world.

The face of Muhammad cartoons

In September 2005, Danish newspaper
Jyllands-Posten published 12 editorial
cartoons, most of which depicted the
Prophet Muhammad. The most notorious of
them depicted the prophet with a bomb in
his turban.
Danish Muslim groups complained and
hundreds of thousands of Muslims around
the world took to the streets in protest.
The embassies in Denmark of three Islamic
states were shut down, Danish goods were
boycotted and the cartoonists had billionringgit bounties put on their heads, forcing
them to go into hiding.
These cartoons served as powerful
catalysts for conflicts that both tore
societies apart and brought strangers
together as well as for changes in the way
modern societies think about religion,
censorship and freedom of speech.

Tuesday 14 April 2014

StarSpecial 7

8 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

APPLIED to a number of
institutions after my STPM
for scholarships. I got a couple
of positive responses but I opted
for Nilai University because of
its location, says Ng Kang Wei,
who is in his final semester of the
Bachelor of Computer Science
(Hons) programme.
Having scored 3As in his STPM,
Ng was offered a High Achievers
Scholarship from Nilai University
(Nilai U), which covers his tuition
and accommodation fees.
I am thankful for the
scholarship as it greatly reduces
the financial burden on my retired
parents, says the former student
of SMJK Yu Hua, Kajang.
With the cost factor at the
forefront of his mind, Ng says it
made sense that he settled for an
institution located outside of the
big cities.
The cost of living in Putra Nilai
is very affordable. The campus
is also peaceful and conducive
to higher studies. Unlike big
city campuses, there are few
distractions here, he says.
After STPM, the 23-year-old
had initially narrowed down his
choices to actuarial science, civil
engineering and computer science.
As he felt that his mathematics
skill was not quite up to scratch to
tackle the first two fields of study
and that computing was his forte,
he decided to pursue computer
science studies.
Although he had heard about
reports of unemployed computing
graduates, Ng was undeterred.
I firmly believe that if you
do your best and achieve good
results, you will be able to find
a job, no matter how tough
the economic climate is and

Gaining invaluable skills

Students in Nilai Us computing programmes will gain professional certifications
from Novell, United States.

Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons) student Ng Kang Wei has chosen Nilai U
because of its suburban location, which means lower cost of living compared
to big city campuses.
how many graduates you are
competing with, he says.
In any field, employers are
always looking for the cream of
the crop.

Dedicated lecturers
Ng is certainly on track
academically as he is currently
maintaining a CGPA of 3.7, which,

if maintained till the end of his

course, will allow him to graduate
with first class honours. This is
something he hopes to achieve
as he is acutely aware that bluechip companies are on a constant
lookout for academic high
achievers.
He attributes his success thus
far to his lecturers whom he says
are very experienced.

More importantly, they are

always available to help students
who are unclear about the lessons.
Their guidance helps students
find their feet, he notes. Coupled
with smaller class sizes at Nilai U,
this means students get plenty of
guidance and attention from the
lecturers.
I noticed that Nilai U
computing students are very
good at programming. This is
because the lecturers here ensure
we are given a solid foundation
in this area. We are drilled in
the programming languages of
C++ and Java, allowing us to be
confident with our programming
skills, he says.
Having been accepted
into the Malaysian Institute
of Microelectronic Systems
(MIMOS) for an internship, he

is hoping he will be offered a

permanent position there upon his
graduation.
With his good grades and
firm grasp of the essentials of
programming language, Ng feels
he is poised to make an impact
and carve a lucrative career for
himself.
Students in Nilai Us computing
programmes will gain the Novell
Certified Linux Administrator
(NCLA) and Novell Certified Linux
Professional (NCLP) certifications.
They will sit for online
examinations and, upon successful
completion of the course, will
receive a certificate from Novell,
United States.
n For more information, call
06-850 2308 or 07-226 2336 or
visit www.nilai.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

COURSE FOCUS 9

SEGi University and Colleges provides a good head start for a career in ICT.

Obtain an edge in ICT

I

NFORMATION and
communication technology
(ICT) has become an integrated
part of our lives.
As a result, ICT has been
expanding by leaps and
bounds with new updates or
breakthroughs in the field every
few months.
ICT is transforming the way
people conduct business and
communicate as well as helping
them improve their quality of life.
This is the reason ICT
professionals play a crucial role
in every organisation. They
work mostly behind the scenes,
supporting the organisations
goals by ensuring the right ICT
infrastructure is in place or make
improvements to existing ICT
infrastructure.
SEGi University and Colleges
gives students who want to
pursue an ICT career a head start
at its School of Technology and
Innovation.
There are four programmes
available:
l Bachelor of Science (Hons)
(3+0) Computing (University of
Greenwich, UK)
Start your journey to become
an ICT specialist by learning
to utilise technology to solve
problems.
Students learn how to write
and programme software, create
applications for mobile devices
and develop network solutions for
people who require access to the
Internet.
Students graduate with the
skills and knowledge to logically
think through a problem and find
solutions.
l Bachelor of Science (Hons)
(3+0) Computing with Digital
Media (University of Greenwich,
UK)
Students learn about
the fundamentals of digital
media development, software
development and computer
systems.
They also develop skills in
related technologies such as
user interfaces, graphics and
audio-visual production
techniques, graphics, animation
and virtual reality.
The syllabus is tailored in such
a way that enables students to
critically analyse and discuss the
key issues associated with digital

Graduates of Segi University and Colleges gain a sound understanding of their

selected fields of study.
media and web technologies
as well as enable them to
communicate effectively with
business, computing and design
professionals.
l Bachelor of Science (Hons)
(3+0) Computer Systems and
Networking (University of
Greenwich, UK)
Modern computer systems
require people with the
knowledge and technical skills
to design, create, operate and
maintain network infrastructure.
Through this programme,
students learn issues and
concerns involving network
implementation and management,
and are supported in developing
personal and professional skills.
Students also undergo
examinations to obtain relevant
certifications, including Certified
Ethical Hacker, Microsoft and Java
certifications.
l Bachelor of Information
Technology (Hons) (dual degree
from SEGi University and
Abertay University, UK)
Not only do students graduate
with a degree from both SEGi
University and Abertay University,
but the programme also moulds
future ICT experts to develop

higher levels of entrepreneurial

and cognitive skills, particularly
analytic, synthesis, creative and
evaluative competency.
This programme is also
unique because second year
students can choose from
the following specialisations
business systems design,
computer networks or software
engineering.
Graduates of SEGi Universitys
ICT programmes gain a sound
knowledge and understanding
of the various disciplines and
become capable of implementing
ICT solutions in their selected
sphere of study.
Graduates can expect to be ICT
professionals who will contribute
to the ICT industry and perhaps
change and improve peoples lives
through creating more efficient
ICT technologies.
n For more information, call
03-6145 1777 or 1800 887 344
(SEGi University), 03-8600 1888
or 1800 888 622 (SEGi College
Subang Jaya), 03-2070 2078 or
1800 888 028 (SEGi College Kuala
Lumpur), 04-263 3888 (SEGi
College Penang) or e-mail
askme@segi.edu.my or visit
www.segi.edu.my

10 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

INCE the blue/black or white/

gold dress conundrum took
social media by storm, there
has been a lively debate among the
community of experts about its
interesting effect on human visual
perception.
Although the exact details of
what happens are not completely
understood yet, it seems clear that
this illusion is related to colour
constancy.
Everyone can see the spectrum
of visible light, even if only in a
rainbow. This shows that every
wavelength of light has its own
particular colour.
Many people also know that
the normally functioning human
eye has three different types of
receptors called cones, which are
sensitive to different ranges of
wavelength of light.
The connection between the
output of these cones is what
provide us with colour vision
in our daylight vision, whereas
our night-time vision, which is
mediated by only one type of
receptor called rods, is black
and white.

Visual phenomenon uncovered

The University of Nottingham Malaysia
Campus offers quality programmes in
psychology through its School of Psychology.

Dr David Keeble.

Although these facts explain

much about our colour vision for
small, isolated patches of light,
when we view a complicated
visual scene in normal everyday
life, the story becomes stranger.

Colour constancy
Surprisingly, it turns out that
in complex images, two patches
of colour with exactly the same
wavelength content can appear
to have completely different
colours and vice-versa.
Colour constancy is the
main reason for this. Humans
have evolved so that our visual
system provides us with
information about surfaces
and objects the sensitivity to
different wavelengths is simply
a means to this end.
When we take an object
from one lighting environment
to another, the colour that
we perceive does not usually
change very much, even though
the wavelengths of light being
reflected back to our eyes may
change substantially.
So if we view a green apple in
broad daylight and later under
a reddish sunset, it will appear
green in both cases. In the latter
case, though, there will be more
red light reflected from it.
This ability of the brain to
take the illuminating light
into account is called colour
constancy and seems to be
partly carried out in a region
of the brain called V4, which, if
damaged, can lead to problems
with this.
Colour constancy functions
well most of the time.
Occasionally it fails, particularly
if the illuminating light changes
a great deal.
Many people have had the
experience of buying a piece
of clothing that appeared to
be a perfect colour in the shop
lighting, only to be disappointed
by the apparent colour once
they view it at home.

Finding the difference

The dress seems to be an
example of colour constancy
not working properly. Almost
the entire picture frame is taken
up by the dress, so there is not
much view of the surrounding
background environment,
which in most photographs

would provide strong hints to a

viewer about the nature of the
illuminating light.
It seems that, in this
case, different viewers are
unconsciously making different
assumptions about how yellow
or blue the illuminating light is.
A common example of
disagreement about colours
would be when a colour blind
individual and a person with
normal colour vision view the
same coloured image. Many
colour-deficient individuals
are lacking one type of cone
receptor in their eyes and see a
reduced variety of colours. They
will often confuse colours that
the rest of us see as being quite
different.
It is unusual for an image
to produce such striking
disagreements between people.
Presumably, such photographs
have existed before and a few
individuals have differed in their
perception of it but social media
has allowed this one to go viral.
Our visual system is superbly
evolved to provide us with
information about objects and
scenes and people in the world
around us.
Because it usually works
so well and effortlessly, we
almost never think about how
remarkable this is until it goes
wrong, such as in a visual
illusion.
More than one-third of
our cortex, the largest part
of our brain, is involved with
processing the images of the
world formed on the back of
our eyes.
Such a large part of our brain
is required because it is an
intrinsically difficult problem to
work out from an image of what
objects in the world produced it.
Computer programmers have
laboured for more than half
a century to mimic what our
brain does effortlessly.
The dress is an example of
different people perceiving the
same image in different ways.
At the School of Psychology,
University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus, we have a
vision and attention research
group that uses a variety of
methods, including visual
illusions, to try and understand
the details of how our visual
system gives us information
about the world around us. By
Dr David Keeble
Dr David Keeble is the head
of the School of Psychology,
The University of Nottingham
Malaysia Campus.
n For more information, e-mail
study@nottingham.edu.my or
visit www.nottingham.edu.my

StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

COURSE FOCUS 11

Innovators
of tomorrow
The growing field of
information technology
and computer science
impacts our daily life in
many ways.

NFRASTRUCTURE University
Kuala Lumpur (IUKL),
through its Faculty of
Creative Media and Innovative
Technology (FCMIT), offers a
wide range of programmes
that focuses on the principles
and practical skills of IT to
establish a solid foundation
for a successful career in IT.

Computer science
Computer science is a
field that impacts everyday
life. Some of the products of
computer science are personal
computers, the Internet,
smartphones and social media.
At IUKL, the Bachelor of
Computer Science (Hons)
programme provides students
with a broad and fundamental
understanding of computer
science, programming
and software engineering.
Developed in consultation
with industry input, the
programme equips graduates
to be technically competent in
the analysis, development and
implementation of computer
systems.

Information systems
The world we live in today is
in the midst of an information
revolution.
To be successful, this
revolution requires the services
of information systems
professionals skilled in bringing
information and society
together.
The Bachelor of Information
Systems (Hons) aims to
produce graduates competent
in managing and developing
information systems in the
business context.
The programme also gives
them knowledge in information
management, enterprise
systems, e-commerce and
organisational behaviour.

Multimedia
Multimedia is an exciting
field for creative individuals
who are interested in game
design, graphic design,
interactive media design, 3D
modelling, Internet authoring
and animations.
Graduates of the Bachelor
of Multimedia (Hons) are
able to integrate various
digital and art technologies in
multimedia design, production,
management and evaluation

skills in their future careers.

Network technology
Professionals who know how
to design, implement, secure
and manage communication
networks are needed.
The Bachelor of Information
Technology (Hons) in Network
Technology programme
prepares students to operate
applications in a broad area of
usage, interface between public
and private networks, and
construct security resolutions
for local area networks.
In the Diploma in Network &
Mobile Technology programme,
students are enriched with an
understanding of the mobile
communication infrastructure
and networking concepts.

Software engineering
Software engineers design,
construct and maintain
computer programmes based
on the need of users. They can
develop a programme for just
one person or for many to use
separately.
In the Bachelor of
Information Technology (Hons)
in Software Engineering
programme, students gain
an understanding in problem
solving, mathematical
foundations of software
engineering, programming,
software development
methodologies and technical
documentation.
Students pursuing
the Diploma in Software
Engineering learn the skills
needed to design software that
is user-friendly, affordable and
easy to maintain.

Information technology
For those interested in
technology in general, the
Diploma in Information
Technology provides
the theoretical bases of
programming, computer
science, networking, software
project management and
databases.
Case study analyses and
problem-solving approaches
are adopted to enhance student
learning.
Registration for the June
intake is now open.
n For more information, call
1800 88 STUDY (78839) or
visit www.IUKL.edu.my

12 COURSE FOCUS StarSpecial, Tuesday 14 April 2015

Industry-ready
students in the making

At the forefront
of tech education

UTPs success stories

Muhammad Shafiq Shahrul Amar
Bachelor ofTechnology(Honours) in
Business Information Systems, 2006

The opening of the UTP-Huawei Communications Laboratory at UTP helps to further

expand learning opportunities for its IT students.

NIVERSITI Teknologi
Petronas (UTP) leading
degree programmes are
invaluable in preparing graduates
for the job market and global
playing field.
Keeping abreast with the
nations goal of becoming a highincome and knowledge-based
economy driven by information
technology, UTP offers two
premier degree programmes
through its Faculty of Science and
Information Technology.
The Bachelor of Technology
(Honours) Information &
Communication Technology
(ICT) is specially designed to help
students develop the necessary
skills in the vital areas of
information and communication,
in ensuring that ICT infrastructure
becomes more efficient.
This infrastructure includes
computer networks, software
engineering, programming and
multimedia.
Emphasis is also placed on
blending technical expertise
with management skills, which
supports decision-making and
enhances effective communication
in the business environment.
This degree offers two options
for students to major in software
engineering and sustainable
computing.
Students enrolled in the
Bachelor of Technology (Honours)
in Business Information
Systems (BIS) are exposed to a
wide range of knowledge and
practical applications in business
management, systems analysis
and design methods, database
management systems and
commercial applications.
Added to these are electives
such as financial and corporate
management, which prepare
students for their journey into the
working world.
Students armed with BIS
knowledge can run businesses
more efficiently by leveraging on
ICT infrastructure.
This degree offers two
options for students to major in
enterprise information systems
and knowledge management.

Internship
UTP undegraduates are
exposed to the real-world
environment as part of their
education. Under its sevenmonth industrial internship
programme (recognised by
TalentCorp), students are placed
with renowned multinational
companies, including Petronas,
Shell, Schlumberger, IBM, Intel
and KPMG.
This internship programme
trains and develops students
attributes and expertise required
by the industry as well as provide
them with industry experience.
Partnerships and collaboration
include ties with CyberSecurity
Malaysia, SAP, Huawei and Hitachi,
which provide more learning
opportunities for students.

Value-added programmes
UTP encourages and supports
students to participate in
numerous programmes and
competitions to enhance their
skills and knowledge.
ICT and BIS students have made
UTP proud at competitions such
as the ACM-ICPC Al-Khawarizmi
National Programming Contest,
UTP-HAX National Hacking
Competition, i-Inova, Global
Startup Youth, Dis.Rupt.Edu and
D-Code BootCamp, which are
organised by major organisers
such as Start Up Malaysia.
Apart from this, students
have the option to participate
in certification programmes to
enhance their employability.
These programmes are sponsored
by various organisations and
certification bodies, including
Huawei-HCDA, MTSB-CTFL,
MTSB-CRPE, Certified Ethical
Hacker and UNIX/LINUX.
UTP also encourages its
students to make a difference
in society, providing them
opportunities to be involved in
corporate social responsibility
programmes such as Young
Scientists @ Pengerang
2.0, RoboHOLIC 1.0, Little
Programmers and Mobile Apps

Active participation in experiental

learning at UTP led this graduate to an
internationally renowned company as a
technical service manager.
He has been a Robotic Eureka member
for the company, a judge for the World
Robotic Olympiad and the Energy Project for
the Conrad Foundation as well as coach for
the First Lego League in 2013.
Muhammad Shafiq is the creator of the
first robotic e-learning platform known as
Creative Minds, a certified robotic education
institution under the Ministry
of Education of Malaysia.
Creative Minds offers NXT and EV3
Robotic classes and Junior Engineer Classes
(WeDo).
UTP has nurtured my passion for
lifelong learning in the field that I am
passionate about, which is robotics.
The university gave me a holistic
educational experience that encouraged
innovation and creativity, which has led me
to success, says Muhammad Shafiq.

Ikhwan Efendi Nazaruddin

Bachelor ofTechnology(Honours) in
Information and Communication
Technology, 2004
Ikhwan is currently attached to Quintiq
as the team manager research and
development software testing.
He says that his time with UTP widened
his scope of learning and thinking.
The exposure to a multicultural,
multinational and multireligious
environment helped me understand myself
and the world around me.
I had the freedom and gained the
ability to promote ideas, learning to not
just attempt but to do things differently to
achieve optimum results, says Ikhwan.

Challenge, 1Mkids and the

Young Programmers Camp
2013.
These activities allow
them to hone their leadership,
communication and teamwork
skills at the same time.

Placement and career

opportunities
UTPs ICT and BIS
programmes create graduates
who successfully meet the
high demands of competitive
industries.
They are quickly absorbed
into the workplace and secure
strong and stable positions with
multinational companies both
locally and abroad.
The professional and career
path options are diverse and
varied and a degree from UTP
offers students an edge in
various fields.
Many graduates even set up
their own companies to fill in
the gaps of the low supply of
quality personnel.

Datuk Ir Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim (left) and SAP Malaysias managing director
Bernard Chiang at the memorandum of agreement signing ceremony between
Universiti Teknologi Petronas and SAP.
STUDENTS from Universiti
Teknologi Petronas (UTP) will
soon be able to gain a skillset that
will enhance their employment
prospects familiarity with
software systems from SAP,
a global technology leader in
enterprise software and softwarerelated services with more
than 282,000 customers in 190
countries.
SAPs software applications
are designed to help the running
of businesses in a variety of
industries to be simple and
efficient.
The opportunity
came as a result of UTP
joining the SAP University
Alliances (UA) programme,
which is made up of more
than2,000universities,8,000
professors andfour million
studentsworldwide.
Theprogrammegives members
access to resources from a market
leader in enterprise application
software and the opportunity
to engage with the wider SAP
community.
By joining the SAP UA
programme, students of UTP
can obtain hands-on experience
with SAP HANA(HAssos New
Architecture), an in-memory
computing platform that provides
libraries for predictions, planning,
text processings, spatial and
business analytics as well other
cloud technologies.
This partnership was
officially sealed onMarch 11
this year at UTPs campus in
Seri Iskandar, Malaysia.
The memorandum of
agreement (MoA) was
signed betweenUTP vicechancellorDatuk Ir Dr Abdul
Rahim Hashim and SAP Malaysias
managing director Bernard
Chiang.
The signing of this MoA is
another important milestone
in UTPs journey towards
becoming a recognised higher
learning institution. The MoA is a
collaborative effort between UTP
and SAP to upskill UTP Business

Information Systems graduates in

line with SAPs UA programme,
said Abdul Rahim.
He added that the MoA allows
UTP to adopt the UA materials
to conduct undergraduate
courses related to the latest SAP
technologies, including SAP
HANA, data analytics and cloud
technologies. This initiative
makes UTP the first university
in Malaysia to organise such a
programme.
Students can attend a wide
variety of open online courses to
learn about the latest technologies
from SAP. They will have access to
the HANA Cloud Platform where
student developers can build
applications on the real-time
in-memory computing platform.
Meanwhile, SAPs Chiang says
that the company is pleased to
have sealed this partnership
with UTP.
Education an the development
of skilled workforceare key
components that will fulfil
and sustain Malaysias goal of
becoming a high-income economy
in the near future, says Chiang.
He says that millennials
will take over 75% of the global
workforce in just a few years
and that they demand a very
different experienceas employees,
customers and citizens.
These bright young minds will
bring diversity and innovation to
the hyperconnected workplace of
the future.
The SAP University Alliances
programme focuses on building
early talents by preparing them
for a successful career or pathway
to entrepreneurship, he says.
A student with an SAP
certification can expect to be one
of the highest paid professionals
in the field, he adds, citing a
Robert Walters (a world-leading
specialist professional recruitment
consultancy) survey proving SAP
consultant is one of the highest
paid professions in the IT industry
with salaries ranging from
RM120,000 to RM250,000
per annum.
UTP vicechancellor Datuk
Ir Dr Abdul Rahim
Hashim (second
from right) with
SAP Malaysias
managing
director Bernard
Chiang (right)
with UTP
students.