In commemorating a long standing international partnership of more than 25 years with UK’s leading business-facing university, the University of Hertfordshire (UH), INTI International University & Colleges (INTI) recently renewed its partnership agreement for the provision of UH Programmes at INTI’s campuses nationwide.
The event was officiated by Yang Berusaha Encik Razeman bin Kamarulzaman from the Private Universities Standards Division (Bahagian Standard Swasta), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Malaysia. INTI also welcomed Julie Newlan, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and International Development); Stuart Smith, Director of International; and Joel Carlton, Associate Dean (International), Hertfordshire Business School from UH to its Subang campus for the official signing ceremony last Friday. The event was also attended by faculty and students from INTI International College Subang and INTI International College Kuala Lumpur.
A partnership which started in the early 1990s that introduced the 2+1 degree module for Malaysian students to spend their final year of degree abroad in the UK, grew tremendously in seeing thousands of graduates earn their degrees and gain employment all over the world, with some even becoming successful entrepreneurs. The programme today has evolved into a 3+0 module with options remaining for students to pursue their final year or even a semester abroad in the UK.
From the onset of the collaboration, INTI’s enterprising founders, Datuk Tan Yew Sing and the late Emeritus Professor Lee Fah Onn, were propulsive in ensuring the collaboration promoted cross-cultural interactions and immersion to help develop a globalized generation of graduates.
Sharing the same vision as the founders, INTI’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Tan Lin Nah said, “One of the greatest testaments to this meaningful partnership between INTI and UH are the opportunities it has afforded to students from various backgrounds to pursue an international education.
“Whether studying in the UK or in Malaysia, UH students gain unique insights and perspectives into the world of global business, coupled with early exposure to leading organisations thanks to our shared vision on employability. This is at the core of our programmes and processes – preparing students to succeed in and beyond the classroom through the integration of practical experiences throughout their time with us,” Lin Nah explained.
The event also featured a sharing session by Fathimath Zooshaan, a student from the Maldives who had just finished her degree in Mass Communications, who highlighted her experiences and the positive outcomes she had gained during her time at INTI. The student shared how life at INTI had prepared her with the necessary skills to excel in her future career.
Fathimath shared, “To have been part of the UH programme is something that I am proud of. I learned one very valuable and important lesson: to always go back to the basics. As a Mass Communication student, it is important to always check the facts. The research module in my course helped me to be grounded in the way I obtain my information and how I make judgements. I am now more proactive, resourceful and creative, especially when it comes to problem-solving.
“During my studies, I also had the opportunity to work with USJ 1 Regalia Business Centre, to create a corporate video for the businesses in the area. This employer project challenged me to be creative, to understand the needs of the business, and to be a part of their corporate storytelling. It was a very humbling experience to work with, and to have my work evaluated by the business centre, a very real reflection of the work we will be tasked with when dealing with stakeholders and clients.”
Echoing the value of early hands-on exposure, Julie Newlan said, “There is a truly dynamic shift in the way universities should teach students today. Leveraging industry collaborations whether through research, employment, or doing business means our students get the best support and advice, so that they are highly employable. We work in partnership with our students, international partners and industry to co-create their education, and to ensure our graduates are fit for tomorrow’s world. Working alongside INTI these last 25 years has enabled us to empower students with the skills to be adaptive and creative so that they still benefit from the skills they learned even after five to 10 years.”
With over 25 years of collaboration, INTI and UH continue to be a force to be reckoned with in providing quality education for young Malaysians and international students who are now sought after by some of today’s leading multinational companies. This is further demonstrated through INTI’s strong industry linkage with over 450 companies which has resulted in INTI’s high employability rate in 2017 as validated by BDO, with 99% of INTI graduates being employed within six months of graduation, 91% earning incomes higher than the minimum market average, and 60% of graduates receiving job offers even before they graduate.