By: Noor Eszereen Juferi
Photo By: Mohammad Izrul bin Abdul Jabar
SERDANG - 200 participants from 20 public universities participated in the National University Co-curricular Conference 2019 (NUCC) that acts as a platform for the participants to share experiences, expertise and innovation in managing credited co-curricular courses in Malaysian public universities. The conference was held from July 10 till July 11.
The conference included working paper presentations and competition on innovations related to the teaching and learning of co-curricular courses at universities with an emphasis on the importance of soft skills elements that should be instilled among students in order for them to become excellent graduates, holistically.
A total of 42 working papers were presented, and 30 participations competed in the innovation competition on the teaching and learning of co-curricular courses. Universiti Utara Malaysia won the first place in the innovation competition while the second and third places went to Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, respectively.
The conference was organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the Malaysian Universities Co‑curricular Council (UniCC) in collaboration with the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
The plenary speeches were given by the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mohamad Shatar Sabran, with the title “Credited Co-Curricular: Evolution & Transformation” and Prof. Dr. Mohd Zaki Kamsah from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, with the title “Developing Sustainable Communities Through SULAM Embedded Co-Curriculum”.
When opening the conference, Deputy Director General (International Research) Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Professor Dr. Mohd Cairul Iqbal Mohd Amin, said that equal emphasis of strengthening curriculum courses should be given to both co-curricular courses in the higher education system and other core curriculum courses as co-curriculum serves to complement the curriculum cycle which put emphasis on psychomotor and affective components.
"Institutions of higher learning are encouraged to develop their own credited co-curricular courses with learning outcomes based on soft skills elements that extend beyond the courses and campus activities," he said.
UniCC chairman, Prof. Dato Dr. Saharuddin Abdul Hamid, said he was pleased to collaborate with UPM and to receive supports from the Holistic Student Division (BMH), Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education.
He said UNiCC, established in 2010, is a council consisting of Directors, Deans or Heads of Co-curriculum Centres at Public Universities, and the Director of the BMH Department of Higher Education (JPT) is the Advisor of UniCC.
He said the council was a key platform for curriculum centres at public universities to share best practices in implementing Credited Co Curriculum Courses. UniCC also plays a role as a medium for the Ministry of Education in disseminating information related to Soft Skills development.
Director of the conference, Prof. Dr. Paramasivam Muthusamy, said it was the first conference that provided insights into the implementation of courses that instill elements of Soft Skills introduced in 2007.
"Seminar participants learned the importance of the elements of Soft Skills needed to be instilled in every course of study so that students will excel not only academically, but also spiritually," he said.
He said the conference provided a venue for school curriculum experts, teachers, coaches and co-curricular teachers to share their perspectives for the development of co-curricular activities in universities and schools.
"This is to understand the importance of instilling soft skills elements into students in order to produce students who excel holistically and to enable the concept of "Giving Back to Communities" and volunteerism to be applied to Credited Curriculum Courses," he said.
Also present at the opening ceremony was UPM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman | - UPM
