Having been in the education industry for nearly 25 years, INTI International University’s Director of Teaching and Learning, Subashini A/P K. Rajanthran, has been a long-time advocate for lifelong learning and instilling civic, moral and social skills. To her, these are pillars to being a successful teacher and learner, and is the key to staying ahead of any challenge life throws at us – COVID included.
Subashini A/P K. Rajanthran is currently the Director of Teaching and Learning at INTI International University and has nearly 25 years of experience in the education industry.
Known as Suba to her peers, she started off her career as an educator teaching English in both secondary and tertiary institutions for a decade before taking on bigger roles that gave her greater access to advocating for educational reform.
As a result, the superpower mother of three has worked as a pedagogy trainer, served as Dean and Head of Departments for various schools including for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, is currently completing her PhD in Education with University of Nottingham, and has involved herself in various educational committees, boards and projects prior to taking on her current role at INTI.
In her capacity as Director of Teaching and Learning at INTI, Suba is responsible for developing teaching and learning webinars and trainings across all INTI campuses where she co-trains new faculty members on 21st-century learning methodologies emphasising on online learning tools such as Blackboard. She also oversees the operations and academic research outputs for INTI International University and ensures that INTI’s thousand over programmes complies with the latest Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF 2.0) and Outcome-Based Education (OBE).
Suba shared that the highlight of her career was having the opportunity to validate educational institutions abroad for potential franchise partnerships where she had to conduct inspections and engage with fellow academicians across Asia and Africa. Under this task, she was also responsible for observing global teaching and learning best practices, and developing internal educational transformative strategies based on her findings across the different continents.
Suba’s proudest moment of her career was when she travelled across the Global South to learn global teaching and learning strategies and best practices, and implement it in Malaysia
“It was truly an eye-opening experience for me because I was able to gather valuable information, some of which, I believe are immensely helpful in building new academic programmes in Malaysia,” she expressed.
Having been in the shoes of a student and an educator, Suba brings a holistic point of view to teaching and learning.
“I understand teaching and learning to be two sides of the same coin. To teach is to learn.
“Just like any other profession, educators need to continuously keep up with the times and accept that learning is a lifelong process and that it is tremendously valuable and necessary,” she said.
She added that the difference between educators and other professionals is that the former also has a civic responsibility to instil values that are pertinent to building a stronger, brighter and kinder generation.
“While teaching, I often make it a point to engage with students on a personal level too. I understand learning to be a nuanced experience shaped by numerous factors including personalities, individual struggles, and motivations. There cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach.
“Understanding this, it is the responsibility of educators to help nurture and enhance our students’ strengths, so that they do not just become thriving professionals, but better human beings too,” explained Suba.
On how teaching and learning has evolved in Malaysia in the last three decades, including the pandemic’s disruption to it, Suba is well aware that educating and studying today is no easy feat.
Suba is also a proud mother of three.
“I think it is important to remember that in our current times, students can learn in the absence of teachers, thus the importance of lifelong learning through upskilling and reskilling ourselves as educators.
“The epidemic and impact of IR 4.0 has also made technology more present in our lives more than ever before, hence creating different expectations and demands for our students. More and more employers are emphasising the need for “soft skills” from fresh graduates such as interpersonal, critical thinking and collaborative skills, and machines cannot teach these skills. This is where educational institutions, curriculum and staff, play a greater role,” she said.
She expounds that in order to stay ahead of the pandemic, institutions need to incorporate elements of lifelong learning and enhance individualised curricula that speaks to the strengths of each student.
“At INTI, we help students develop an awareness of the career paths available including building a deeper understanding on what it takes personally and professionally to succeed in their chosen fields. We have curricula that develop the technical and human aspects of our graduates.
“The pandemic has presented tremendous challenges, but it has also brought about wonderful opportunities and innovative methodologies to enhance the teaching and learning experience, so why not incorporate them?” concludes Suba.