UMP, SME Corporation Malaysia collaborate with TUBE@IPT Programme to produce entrepreneurial graduates

PUTRAJAYA, 30 September 2021 - Entrepreneurship would be one of the career options for graduates when the collaboration between Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and SME Corporation Malaysia (SME Corp) was signed through the implementation of the Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera (TUBE@IPT) programme 8.0 launched recently.

This pilot programme is a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) in producing graduate entrepreneurs in line with the country’s increasingly challenging economic situation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this programme, graduates and undergraduates will be given exposure and learn the steps needed to become successful entrepreneurs.

The collaboration is seen to encourage creative thinking among graduates and undergraduates, including providing exposure to the real business world.

Present to virtually sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student and Alumni Affairs), Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin who acts as the Vice-Chancellor of UMP witnessed by the Chairman of the Board of UMP, Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman in conjunction with the TUBE 8.0 and the TUBE@IPT MoU Opening Ceremony.

The programme was officiated by the Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (MEDAC), Tan Sri Noh Omar and also attended by the Minister of Higher Education (MoHE), Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad.

Also present were the Chairman of SME Corp Malaysia, Datuk Seri Syed Hussien Al-Habshee and the Chief Executive Officer of SME Corp Malaysia, Rizal Nainy.

Apart from UMP, it also involved Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) ), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp).

In his speech, Tan Sri Noh said, under the TUBE 8.0 programme, they aimed to make 600 participants including 160 university graduates as entrepreneurs involving a fund allocation of RM9 million including grants to each participant reaching RM15,000.

“It will also be assisted with the support of other agencies including under Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB), National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (TEKUN), Bank Rakyat Malaysia Berhad and others in providing loan assistance.

“A monitoring committee will be set up to ensure that all assistance is channelled easily, especially in easing the burden of entrepreneurs.

“Starting with RM15,000, it is expected that with additional government allocation in the future, more entrepreneurs can be born,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Dr. Noraini Ahmad said, this programme would train a total of 160 Bumiputera graduates from eight institutions of higher learning (IHL).

“Participants of this programme will be given entrepreneurial skills training covering the areas of management, finance, and digital marketing, including the provision of BISS Counselor that provides business expert advice.

“In addition, a total of 32 IHL residents will also be given training in the form of Training of Trainers (TOT) to become BISS Counselors.

“I believe that through the synergies formed, these programs will be able to be implemented more orderly, fast, at minimal cost and more importantly, give a greater impact to graduates.

“It is hoped that this programme can be expanded to other IHLs in the future,” she said, thanking MEDAC and SME Corp Malaysia for making this effort a success.

She was confident that the programme would produce young entrepreneurs who are more viable and highly resilient in competitive markets.

It is hoped that the collaboration between the ministry, MEDAC, SME Corp Malaysia and IHLs can ease the financial burden of student entrepreneurs and graduates.

Meanwhile, according to Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie, university graduates and undergraduates need to take advantage of this opportunity especially in facing the uncertain economic conditions impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The entrepreneurship field not only has great potential in offering income generation but also offering jobs to other individuals or becoming a job creator if the business is successful.

“At the university level, a total of 20 selected participants will follow the programme and then they will be guided and monitored for 12 months.

“The special thing about this programme is that a grant of RM15,000 is provided to each participant for them to start a business,” he said.

The programme will be coordinated by the UMP Entrepreneurship Centre in collaboration with the Graduate Development Department.

To date, various collaborations have been implemented by MoHE involving several agencies under MEDAC, such as the National Entrepreneurship Institute (INSKEN), to implement the Ministry of Higher Education’s Entrepreneurship Award programme and the i-ProCom programme which trains and guides student entrepreneurs from product development to commercialisation.

Apart from that, KPT also works with the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission (SKM) to implement social entrepreneurship programmes such as University to Community for the sustainability of national entrepreneurship.

By: Mimi Rabita Abdul Wahit, Corporate Communications Unit, The Office of The Vice-Chancellor
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology