It has been a tough year for Malaysian businesses. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has caused entrepreneurs to rethink their business strategies to adapt to the constantly changing business environment just to stay afloat. The crisis has taught them that with a positive mindset, any situation can be turned into an opportunity, especially in this era of digitalization.
As the global battle against the pandemic continues, leading technology firm Alibaba Group has risen to the occasion to help local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and existing and budding entrepreneurs to accelerate their recovery during the crucial post-pandemic phase.
“As part of Alibaba’s continued commitment to empower businesses around the world, including those in Malaysia, the organization has helped local entrepreneurs meet the needs of the rapidly evolving digital economy through its various platforms,” said Hew Fui Mun, Dean of School of Business & Communication at INTI International College Subang.
Mr. Zhou Yong, Serial Entrepreneur & Secretary-General of the Alibaba GDT Network, during a recently conducted live training.
This includes introducing the Global Digital Talent (GDT) Network which was established by the GDT Programme. The network is an inclusive organization that enables educational institutes and students around the world to access insights, skills and opportunities within the current and future digital era .
INTI International University & Colleges (INTI) and Alibaba have collaborated to imbed the Alibaba GDT syllabus into the Diploma in Business programme. Students who are enrolled in this course will be introduced to the basics of the e-commerce environment and will experience the real deal via unconventional methods.
“The programme allows trained academicians an opportunity to foster a generation of talented and passionate young entrepreneurs who can help bring new innovation and transform the e-commerce landscape of their countries,” added Fui Mun about the curriculum designed by Alibaba GDT.
Meanwhile, lecturers are required to go for training and obtain certification from Alibaba before they are able to deliver topics under the Digital Transformation and Digital Entrepreneurship programmes. The certificate, which is valid for two years, will be automatically renewed on the expiry date provided that the lecturer continues to teach the programmes within the period of validity .
Fui Mun also shared, “The GDT network aims to continuously follow the talent development of each student within the network and offer certification opportunities to students who demonstrate extraordinary GDT talent capabilities and full comprehension of GDT content.”
A virtual poster of the Alibaba GDT Network Online Train the Trainer session. A total of 40 lecturers from all INTI campuses participated in the training provided by Alibaba.
Students will learn entrepreneurship through real-life business projects, simulation platforms, case studies and field trips besides acquiring skills to integrate cross-disciplinary knowledge and apply holistic thinking in their learning process.
Dr Jane, Chief Executive of INTI International College Subang affirmed that the Alibaba GDT syllabus will further sharpen the skills of Malaysian entrepreneurs, strengthen their existing businesses and empower the future makers of Malaysia’s Digital Economy.
“The digital economy is now a major source of economic growth for not only Malaysia but also the world. I believe that through this collaboration with Alibaba, our graduates will be well equipped with the right skills to help them thrive in this space,” she said.