Research & Innovation

UMP introduces Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Science (Data Analytics)

In response to the increasing demand for data scientists and analysts, the Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology (FIST) at Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) recently announced the inauguration of a new degree programme called Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) in Data Analytics. 

According to the Dean of FIST, Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Hasbi Ab Rahim, the new degree programme was developed in line with UMP’s vision, mission and educational goals of becoming a distinguished technological university. 

With a tagline, ‘Powered by Data, Insight by Analytics’, Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Hasbi said the three-and-a-half year programme – two-and-a-half years at the university and the balance one year at the industry (2u2i) – was designed to produce highly-skilled and competent graduates in the field of Data Science and Analytics, who are capable of gaining insights into available data and make effective decisions. 

“Implemented in the 2u2i mode, UMP graduates of Data Analytics programme will be equipped with in-depth knowledge of Data Science and Analytics to become an expert analyst, capable of using the latest data management and analytics tools,” said the Dean. 

“They will learn how to apply mathematical programming; data preparation and visualization skills; statistical modelling; machine-learning algorithm; advanced analytical and managerial; and research and practical skills in real world industrial applications,” he added. 

Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Hasbi explained that the new degree programme will focus on two key roles of data science teams in career development, which are data analyst and data scientist. “Data Analytics degree graduates from UMP will subsequently build a career as data science professionals in various sectors and industries.”

In a report published in October 2012, Harvard Business Review described the profession of data scientist and data analyst as the ‘Sexiest Job of the 21st Century’. 

“Data analyst plays an important role in deriving value and seeking patterns from data to assist organisations in the development of their predictive capabilities. Data scientist will use analytical techniques combined with data skills to develop scalable and robust analytical models,” the Dean of FIST highlighted, adding that other promising careers include Data Technopreneur, Programmer, Digital Data Analyst, Statistician and Business & Marketing Analyst.

Prior to the new degree programme inauguration, FIST approached 21 companies from various industries – with potentials to be appointed as its 2u2i Strategic Industry Partners – such as Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the Department of Statistics, Talent Corporation Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Telekom Malaysia Bhd., Petronas Gas Bhd, Neu Zenith Sdn. Bhd. and Abyres Sdn. Bhd. 

“These strategic industry partners will now accept UMP undergraduates of Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) Data Analytics to experience work-based learning (WBL) at their company premises,” said Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Hasbi. 

He further explained that Data Science and Analytics is a new exponentially growing field consisting of a set of tools, techniques and integrated skills-set from statistics, mathematics, computer science and the use of current technology in computer software and programming language. 

“The Data Science and Analytics elements are part of the main pillars of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), which gives birth to new emerging technologies – including automation, digitilazation and artificial intelligence (AI).

“In turn, these new technologies will bring forward new challenges in data science, especially with the discovery of information from large volumes of data.” 

In a keynote speech at the ‘International Conference on Industrial and Applied Mathematics & Statistics 2019’ (ICoAIMS 2019), the Chief Statistician from the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin, stated that statistics and mathematics can help build new knowledge from data of various resources, and they can have an enormous effect on industrial revolutions. 

“Living in the era of big data, our daily life is surrounded by statistics. It can provide useful information on what is happening around us, in the past, present and future,” said Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir.

MDEC, as the country’s regulator of digital economy, also emphasizes the importance of Data Science, saying industries nowadays require the expertise of data scientists and analysts to cope with the rapid pace of IR4.0 evolvement in Malaysia – circa 20,000 data professionals are in demand by the next year.

Academic & International

Global Village UMP promotes better command of English among secondary school students

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), in collaboration with its Association of International Economic & Commercial Science Student Club (AIESEC), Department of Student Affairs & Alumni (JHEPA) and UMP International Office, recently organized a programme to promote better command of the English language among secondary school students.

Vide its Global Village UMP 2019, some 200 students from five secondary schools from the towns of Pekan and Kuantan took part in the programme to learn communicating in English.

Among the participating secondary schools were Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sungai Soi, SMK Ubai, SMK Mat Kilau, SMK Paya Besar and SMK Seri Mahkota. 

Held at the UMP Holdings Hall in UMP Gambang Campus on July 26, 2019, the programme was officially closed by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Fuziah Salleh, who is also Kuantan’s Member of Parliament (MP).

In her official address, Fuziah congratulated UMP for its efforts, saying such programme helped promote better command of the English language among secondary school students.

“With the presence of seven international volunteers from India, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and Pakistan, it is certainly hoped that such programme will have a positive impact on the participants.

“I was made to understand that one of the main programme activities, called “Speak Up”, is slotted to help secondary school students utilize English as their daily communication tool,” said the Deputy Minister.

Fuziah expressed her hope that such programme could also help eradicate the negative perception of English as a difficult language to master and a confusing subject to learn.

“To better communicate in English, students have to read a lot more English books,” the MP emphasized, adding that teachers also have a pivotal role to play to encourage students to master the language.

Meanwhile, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Professor Dato’ Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin expressed his appreciation to the international volunteers who spared their time to come to Malaysia and made the six-weeks Speak Up programme among secondary schools in Pekan and Kuantan a success.

“The international volunteers not only helped with the programme, but also shared with the participants their diverse culture, traditional food and music,” said Professor Dato’ Dr. Yuserrie.

“The volunteers played an important role of bridging the differences of culture and strengthening the bond. They also helped the participants keep abreast with the current state of world affairs,” he added.

Among those present at the closing of the programme were Director of UMP International Office, Dr. Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi; Dean of Students Development (JHEPA), Dr. Ahmad Johari Mohamad; AIESEC UMP Advisor and Lecturer at the Centre for Modern Languages & Human Sciences (CMLHS), Haslinda Robita Hashim; and Programme Director, Celine Hing.

At the event, there was also an exhibition by the international students at UMP, who also showcased various international cuisines – among them from countries like Algeria, Pakistan, Yaman, Egypt, India, and Kyrgyzstan.

AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-run organization – an international non-governmental and not-for-profit that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and volunteer exchange experience.