| Universiti Putra Malaysia

Pesyuma Module for students’ human development in the cards

By Azman Zakaria
Photo by Noor Azreen Awang



SERDANG, August 18 - A module named Universiti Putra Malaysia Students’ Syumul Development, in short UPM Pesyuma, will be launched soon for Year Two and Year Three students for holistic self-development.

Among other things, the programme aims to inculcate in the students the aspect of spirituality, self-esteem, their ability to debate and think, their grasp of the information and communication technology (ICT) and their knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship.

UPM Co-curriculum and Student Development Centre Director, Associate Professor Dr Abdul  Rasid Jamian said the students will have to undergo the UPM Pesyuma Module for a total of 72 credit hours.



“The UPM Pesyuma Module which is being analysed, is expected to be endorsed in due course,” he said in an interview.

Among the topics proposed to be featured in the UPM Pesyuma Module were Competency in Making A Submission, Citra Siswa, Language Competency, ICT Dynamics, Sharp Thinking and Patriotism, Self-Identification and Spirituality, he said.

He added that the UPM Pesyuma Module will complement the existing two programmes - Graduates’ Starting School and Finishing School.

The Starting School programme, he said was introduced in 2007 as a compulsory subject for new students with seven credit hours.



The programme, among others, focuses on matters relating to self-adaptation, fun learning, etiquettes and students’ way of making a presentation, English Fear No More and towering graduates.

The Finishing School programme, meanwhile, which started in 2006 and specifically for Final Year students, is to prepare students early upon graduating so that they will be ready for the world of employment such as exposure in writing a resume.

For foreign students, they are encouraged to undergo the “International Students Assimilation Programme” which will expose them to the culture of the local people and basic yet important Bahasa Melayu words they need to know and speak.

Dr Abdul Rasid added that the Co-curriculum and Student Development Centre also carried out community programmes such as the University Community Engagement (UCE).

Under this programme, he said students will go to rural areas and villages to carry out various activities relating to education, environment, entrepreneurship and agriculture, including getting involved in the Urban Agriculture programme which is carried out together with the Universiti Community Transformation Centre (UCTC). About 3,000 student participate in UCE programme every year.

Among the activities held recently in Kampung Bukit Lintang, Kota Tinggi, Johor, involved 60 students who carried out a gotong royong to clean up several spots in the village and “GerakUshawan” where they were provided with agriculture produce such as potato chips and kuih siput to be sold around the Kota Tinggi town.

Another programme, the siswa@kampung programme was held with the cooperation of the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry, featuring clusters, including education, environment, entrepreneurship and care for the elderly.

He said the programme which was introduced in 2013 normally lasted for three days and two nights in the villages involved. – UPM.


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