New conditions for MUET to be set by universities' senate

SINTOK: Higher learning institutions (IPTA) in the country will be given flexibility in implementing the new qualifying conditions for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) which will start next year.

Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the intake of students to these institutions was subject to approval by the senate of the respective universities, therefore, implementing the new conditions could be to the discretion of the senate.

"Actually, the statement made by the prime minister when tabling Budget 2015 (on the new qualifying conditions for MUET) recently, was well received by all the universities.

"However, allowance can be given to their senate because based on the Universities and University Colleges Act, the university senate has the power to determine the entry of students into the university," he said after a working visit to Universiti Utara Malaysia, here, today.

Idris said the implementation would go on, but flexibility given now considering the current situation (short period for implementation).

When tabling Budget 2015, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced that beginning next year, the general condition for student intake to the IPTA of at least Band 1 in MUET would be raised so as to increase their self-confidence and skills to communicate in the English language.

The new minimum qualification for Arts and Social Science studies is raised to Band 2 (and Band 3 to graduate) while for studies in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), it is raised to Band 3 (Band 4 to graduate) and Band 4 for Law and Medicine (Band 5 to graduate).

On another development, Idris said the ministry would meet with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute of Malay World and Civilisation lecturer, Prof Dr Teo Kok Seong who disclosed that 604 Chinese and Indian participants of the National Service (NS) Training Programme could not speak Malay.

Idris said the ministry would thoroughly investigate why this situation happened and would take action to overcome the problem.

According to Teo, the study was made on 14,000 trainees at 79 NS training camps in 2010.

He said the inability of some trainees to communicate in nor understand Bahasa Melayu, resulted in the NS trainers being unable to deliver to them the module on nationhood and citizenship. – Bernama

- See more at: http://m.thesundaily.my/node/278252#sthash.ZJsPxApI.dpuf

Manyin: State govt to seek more funds for roads in rural areas

SERIAN: The state government will source for more funds for the construction of more roads in the rural areas of Sarawak, said Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong.

Manyin (middle) cuts the ribbon to launch the new bridge and access road.

He revealed that Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem had told him during the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) meeting on Sunday morning, that more rural roads are needed to accelerate rural development and to further narrow the rural-urban gap.

“All the PBB ministers and elected representatives were at the meeting. He spoke to all of us, and he specifically told me – ‘Michael, our focus is now on rural development and therefore we need to seek more funds to build more roads in the rural areas’.

“He also told all of us in the meeting that in the coming years, Sarawak government must work on narrowing the development gap between the rural and urban areas, because we are still lagging behind in infrastructure development and the rural-urban divide is still very wide,” he said.

Manyin, who is also Tebedu assemblyman, mentioned these during the ‘Leader-Meet-The-People’ session at Kampung Lanchang Sijo near here on Sunday night.

He went on to say that the chief minister has a vision that with good road connectivity, rural areas will be developed and the rural folks in Sarawak can enjoy good infrastructure just like their urban counterparts.

“Ask your children who had been overseas either London or New York, they would say what is found there can also be found in Kuala Lumpur which gives impression that Malaysia is already developed.

“If you go outside London, what is found in the city can be found also in the rural areas. But what you can find in Kuala Lumpur, you don’t find in Serian – there are good roads there, but not here,” he said.

On another note, Manyin advised the Bidayuh community to be ready to embrace changes brought by development into their areas.

He advised Bidayuh parents to encourage their children to do well in their studies, or to enrol them for skills certification, so that once they have graduated they can participate in opportunities created by development instead of being mere spectators.

“I also hope those Bidayuh who are already successful in their respective fields do not forget their kampung but help their kampung and fellow kampung folks,” he added.

He also called on the Bidayuh community, being a small community of just over 200,000 people, to remain politically united so that they can move forward.

Even Bidayuh intellectuals, he cautioned, would agree that there would be a split in the community if another party were to win a Bidayuh-majority seat.

“If ‘Party A’ wins one or two seats, but the other Bidayuh-majority seats are won by ‘Party B’, it is hard for the Bidayuh community to speak in one voice and one heart. Therefore, it is better that all Bidayuh seats are under one party,” he said.

Also present at the function were Serian district officer Sinde Muling, Serian District Council deputy chairman Dr Simon Sindang Bada, former state minister Nelson Kundai Ngareng and community leaders.

Prior to the function, Manyin officiated at the launch of a new bridge and access road and declared open the Rela and village committee operations centre at neighbouring Kampung Lanchang Sabai.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/08/26/manyin-state-govt-to-seek-more-funds-for-roads-in-rural-areas/#ixzz3BTkkCp9T

Graduan Doktor Perubatan Veterinar

Sekiranya anda bercita-cita hendak menjadi seorang doktor Veterinar (DVM atau BscVet)  yang diiktiraf anda perlu mempunyai keputusan akademik yang cemerlang dan sanggup belajar 5 hingga 6 tahun. 

Oleh kerana hanya 2 universiti sahaja yang menawarkan program ini di Malaysia (UPM, Serdang dan UMK Kelantan) dan diiktiraf oleh JPA maka tempat adalah terhad dan anda terpaksa bersaing dengan pemohon lain yang mempunyai keputusan sekurang-kurangnya 3.8. 

Perkara berikut perlu diambil perhatian sekiranya anda benar-benar mahu impian menjadi kenyataan.

1. CGPA sekurangnya 3.8 untuk matrikulasi, asasi atau foundation, kerana  ramai yang memohon. You are lucky if you get an offer if your result is 3.5.

2. MUET atleast 4.0 band. You are lucky to get an offer if u only getting 3.0

3. Sekiranya tidak mendapat tawaran, sila tulis surat rayuan dengan dokumen sokongan. Walau sukar untuk dipertimbangan kerana tempat adalah terhad.

Dalam masa yang sama, boleh juga memohon ke Universiti Gajah Mada, Universiti Bogor dan Universiti Airlangga. Ketiga-tiga universiti ini diiktiraf oleh JPA Malaysia dan Majlis Veterinar Malaysia dan yuran kursus adalah jauh lebih murah (dianggarkan RM10,000 setahun) berbanding di UK, Australia dan New Zealand. Saya tidak berapa pasti syarat kemasukkan tetapi sekiranya keputusan asasi/matrikulasi dan STPM sekurangnya B dalam semua matapelajaran saya rasa tiada masalah. 

Sebaiknya mohonlah serentak kelima-lima universiti ini selepas mendapat keputusan akhir semester atau tamat kursus asasi/matrikulasi atau STPM, kerana pengambilan hanya sekali setahun iaitu 1 September. Anda kena download borang dan informasi penting melalui laman web universiti masing-masing.

Universiti terkemuka lain di UK, Australia dan New Zealand juga banyak menawarkan Doktor Perubatan Veterinar yang diiktiraf MRCVS dimana anda boleh dimana-mana tetapi kos adalah mahal sekitar RM500,000.00.

Peluang pekerjaan graduan veterinar ini amat luas, mencabar dan exciting iaitu; pegawai veterinar, pensyarah, penyelidik, klinik swasta, usahawan, guru dan pegawai tadbir. Dan yang paling seronok adalah mendapat gelaran Dr. didepan nama anda. Gelaran ini kekal sepanjang hayat selagi anda berdaftar dengan Majlis Veterinar Malaysia (MVC).

Sekian semoga anda berjaya dalam karier anda dan berjaya mengejar impian sebagai seorang doktor veterinar.

Why Study Veterinary Medicine in Bogor?

Seats to public universities are  limited and even more narrowed down for universities that offer animal science and veterinary medicine. Currently, there are only 4 public universities offering this course – Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, and Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin. UPM only offers 80 seats while UMK has 50 seats. With that said, more and more students are venturing overseas to carry on their education in this discipline.

Despite the high demand for veterinary and animal scientists as well as educational funding from government, the number of seats offered in public universities is quite limited in the country. In 2009, Malaysia reported a shortage of 1,600 veterinarians.

To aggravate the situation, graduates of unaccredited courses from foreign universities could not practice as licensed veterinary doctors and are forced to take other jobs.

To practice veterinary medicine in Malaysia, a student must take a JPA-accredited course. Among the foreign universities JPA granted recognition are Bogor Agricultural University (BAU) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) of Indonesia.

Letter of appeal for Veterinary Medicine Course

University of Guelph Academic requirements

High School

In high school, choose the academic stream and take all the science, math and English prerequisites necessary.

University

Complete at least two years (4 semesters) of full-time studies in university. Full-time is a minimum five one-semester courses, for example 2.5 credits at the University of Guelph or 15 credit hours at a US school. Prerequisite courses are listed below. 

All prerequisite courses must be completed in acceptable full-time semesters in any year of their university studies. Courses should be completed within a university undergraduate program - courses taken during graduate programs, professional programs, and certificate programs are not acceptable.

A full-time semester (full course load) is minimum 2.50 credits at the University of Guelph. This is typically five courses at 0.50 credits each per semester. While 2.00 credits may still be considered full-time status, 2.50 credits are required for DVM purposes.  For universities that use the 3.00/6.00 credit system, students must have five courses weighted at least 3.00 credits each for a minimum total of 15.00 credits per semester. (International students from the US should take a minimum of 15.00 credit hours per semester). Courses must be taken/studied at the same time to ensure an appropriate work load. Field courses or any courses that are pursued over one semester and credited in another semester do not count towards the latter semester's courses for this purpose.

You can study at any accredited university and take any major that interests you, but you cannot take college-level courses for the science prerequisites. You can apply to the DVM program in your third year, after finishing two years of university. If accepted, you do not need to finish your four-year degree program and can simply transfer to the DVM.

Candidates from institutions other than the University of Guelph may submit one semester of four one-semester courses for consideration provided that the other semester in the same academic year has a course load of six one-semester courses, or the equivalent. At least three of the four courses must be at the third or fourth year level (or four of the six). Candidates must provide a letter of support from their academic advisor stating that this is the normal structure of the program.  “Normal structure” means that all students in this program take this schedule of studies.

A course that runs the full year will have the credit weight divided equally and half applied to each of the two semesters the course is taken. 

Please note that the GPA from your last two full-time semesters, and the average from your 8 prerequisite courses must both be 75% or higher in order for you to be considered further for entry to the DVM program.

Prerequisite Courses

2 Biological Sciences = 1 credit (with recommended emphasis on animal biology) 
Cell biology = 0.5 credit
Genetics = 0.5 credit
Biochemistry = 0.5 credit
Statistics = 0.5 credit
2 Humanities/social sciences = 1.0 credit (Consider topics such as ethics, logic, critical thinking, determinants of human behaviour and human social interaction.)

Download the list of University of Guelph courses acceptable as prerequisites here.

If you are a mature student, or changing your career path but are lacking some of the prerequisites, downland our Changing Career Path document. 

Important Regulations Regarding Acceptable Courses

• The specific course requirements listed below must have been completed at the university level before admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program will be considered. Courses do not need to be completed in a designated Pre-Veterinary program.

  Courses will not be acceptable if they are repeats of previously passed courses, or if they are taken at the same level or a lower level in a subject area than previously passed courses in the same subject area. This includes courses with significant overlap in content. Students should consider their institution's course sequencing in determining if a course is considered the same level.

• The DVM Admissions Committee cannot evaluate Honours, Pass-Fail, and Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory grading systems. Applicants should obtain a numerical or letter grade for all required courses and the grades should be certified by the Registrar of the university attended.
• A maximum of TWO acceptable distance education, online courses (0.50 credit) may be included in a semester. The semester must include a minimum of 2.50 acceptable credits total.
• A person's semester/year level is determined by the number of credits that have been completed successfully in his or her degree program plus those that are in progress. Once a person has reached twenty half-year courses (10.00 credits at the University of Guelph), he or she is considered a third-year student.
• For students in science programs with more than 10 credits, 60% percent of credits in each full-time semester must be taken at a 3000 level (third year level) or above.  However, 40% of the credits in a full-time semester may be taken at the level of the applicant’s choice.
• Candidates who hold a non-science bachelor’s degree in which they did not take some of the prerequisite courses because they were not part of their program may return to university as part of a non-degree semester(s) to gain the prerequisites for DVM. These courses must be assessed by the University of Guelph Admissions Office to ensure they are being taken at the maximum appropriate year level.

• Applicants with a degree who have a documented commitment, such as work or family responsibility, can present their case to the Admission Committee requesting the option of completing their academic requirements on a part-time basis. This should be done before starting the return to classes. See below for the process.              

• Failure to comply with the course level rules will result in the exclusion of all coursework from the ineligible semester(s) toward a DVM application.

Course Evaluation Request

If you are not studying at the University of Guelph, you must submit up to two options for the courses that you want to use as prerequisites for approval prior to application. Click here for more on making a course evaluation request.

Requests must include:

• A transcript of university courses completed to date  - a photocopy is fine.  Please know that schools such as Trent, York, Brock, Nipissing and Laurentian report courses by year only on their transcripts so a breakdown of which were done in which semesters must also be included
• A list of proposed courses for any future semesters you are planning
• A list of the eight courses to be presented as prerequisite courses and detailed course descriptions/syllabus for each. You may present one or two choices (no more) for each of the eight.  Please ensure to include course codes, titles and to identify which course is being presented as which prerequisite
• your email address and contact information

THIS PROCESS IS NOT FOR UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH COURSES. Please do not email course evaluation requests.  Submit by fax or mail only to:

Deanna Lundmark
Admission Services UC L3 
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Fax: 519-766-9481

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in Monash University

The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the Malaysia campus is a five-year undergraduate medical course. The medical program at the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Monash University Malaysia is designed to deliver an equivalent program to that of the Australia based MBBS degree. The entry criteria, learning outcomes and the assessments including marking standards are the same as those in the Clayton campus in Australia. The MBBS course has received accreditation from the Australian Medical Council (AMC), making it the first medical course fully conducted in Malaysia to be accredited by a foreign medical accreditation council. The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program is also the first medical course taught fully outside Australia & New Zealand to be accredited by the AMC. This means that its graduates will be recognised to practice in Australia without having to take an additional examination. After completing the program, students will be awarded the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree by Monash University.   At a glance ■■ The program is a highly integrated course with the objective of developing skills in critical thinking, self-directed learning, reflection and professionalism. ■■ Basic medical sciences are introduced in the early years while clinical exposure and skills training occurs in the later years. ■■ There is a strong emphasis on clinical communication skills and early clinical contact visits to medical practices, community care facilities and hospitals.   Ranking and recognition Monash University Malaysia has been given Self Accreditation Status by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) through the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) is accredited by:   ■■ The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) ■■ The Australian Medical Council (AMC) ■■ The Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) ■■ The Medical Council of Thailand Monash is ranked: ■■ 29th in the world for Medicine by the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2013) ■■ 34th in the world for Clinical, Pre-Clinical and Health by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012 – 2013. For more information on rankings please refer to the Monash University website: www.monash.edu/study/rankings/rankings.html   For Future Students  The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) All students will undertake Years one and two at the 12-acre campus in Bandar Sunway. Years three to five will be based at the Clinical School in Johor, with clinical studies centred at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, a tertiary and referral hospital in Johor Bahru, the southern-most point of the Malaysian Peninsula located just across the causeway from Singapore. In the early years of study, the basic medical sciences are taught in the context of their relevance to patient care. Later in the course, clinical teaching builds upon and reinforces this strong scientific foundation. An emphasis on clinical communication skills and early clinical contact visits to medical practices, community care facilities and hospitals, is a feature of the Monash course. Students enrolled in the five-year medical course may also have the opportunity of studying for an extra year for an Honours degree of Bachelor of Medical Science. During the 12-month period required to complete the BMedSc(Hons), students undertake research activities and complete a minor thesis. They may then graduate with both the MBBS and the Honours degree of Bachelor of Medical Science degrees after six years of study. More information  Admission Procedures  Entry Requirements  Course Outline  Themes and Structure  Housemanship and registration  Career Paths  Problem Based Learning (PBL)  Compulsory additional subjects  Student Clubs  Accreditation  View/download MBBS course brochure (PDF)

JPA 2013 Scholarship to Study Medicine in Perdana University

JPA offers scholarships to interested Malaysians who wish to study medicine in the prestigious Perdana University. The university offers 2 medical programs;

1. Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM)
Doctor of Medicine (MD) 4+0 in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

2. Perdana University – Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (UP-RCSI)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of the Arts of Obstetrics in collaboration with Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (5 years)

Deadline

May 17, 2013

Criteria

1. Bachelors in Science in science discipline for those who are interested to pursue the 4 years medical program offered by Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM) 

2. STPM, Matriculation, Asasi, A-Levels, International Baccalaureate (IB) or any other pre-university qualifications accepted by Perdana University for the 5 years Perdana University – Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (UP-RCSI) program. 

Preferred Discipline

Medicine

Amount

Full Scholarship

How to Apply

Interested students should apply online on Perdana University website before applying for this scholarship. Following are the websites.

1. Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM) program - apply here

2. Perdana University – Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (UP-RCSI) program - apply here

Once you have applied directly on the university website, then apply the scholarship on JPA website here 

 

Application is open from 7 May 2013 to 17 May 2013

Contact Info

For details you can call 03-8885 3436/ 3560/ 3562/ 3564/ 3892 on working days from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Newcastle University UK has established an international branch campus in EduCity, Nusajaya, Johor

Newcastle University UK has established an international branch campus in EduCity, Nusajaya, Johor, to provide undergraduate degrees in Medicine (MBBS) and the Biomedical Sciences (BSc), and opportunities for postgraduate study. The branch campus is known as Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed).

The NUMed branch campus is an integral component of Newcastle University, which is a founder member of the UK 'Russell Group'. Newcastle is a long established world-class research intensive university, delivering teaching and research externally confirmed as of the highest international quality. Newcastle University is proud of its heritage; the parent campus in the North East of England was founded in 1871 but the University's history goes back to 1834 when a School of Medicine and Surgery was established in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

NUMed's Mission
To deliver cost-effective medical programmes of the highest quality in order to meet the needs of both our students and the regional health economy, and to translate the benefits of our research, development and lifelong education for the societal benefit of Malaysia and the greater Asian region.

Quality remains the essential reason for Newcastle University's prime market position as an international medical education provider. All quality-related activities are inextricably linked to contribute to the overall high-end product and service: well-designed innovative programmes are delivered to students by excellent, highly motivated and well-qualified faculty complemented by carefully considered student support strategies and underpinned by a firm ethic of scholarship.

Malaysian students have been benefiting from Newcastle University's quality programmes for many years. The first time a Malaysian student graduated from Newcastle was in 1965 and there are currently hundreds of Malaysian students studying at Newcastle University, UK across both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The establishment of NUMed here in Malaysia means that future students will now have the advantage of a 'value package' which comprises the respected Newcastle 'brand' delivering quality UK-preferred medical education in Malaysia at an affordable price.

Programmes of Study

The academic concept underpinning NUMed Malaysia is for the transnational delivery in Malaysia of a range of undergraduate biomedical and medical degree programmes, equivalent and of identical standard to those of Newcastle University's UK-based provision but contextualised to Malaysian circumstance and taking into account the cultural differences. The programmes of study lead to the award of the same degrees as those studied at the parent campus in the UK. Many of our programmes offer opportunities for periods of study in the UK.

The first and core undergraduate programme, upon which NUMed Malaysia is founded, is Newcastle's five-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme. The programme offered will lead to the award of the same degrees from Newcastle University.

About the MBBS Programme 
The MBBS programme is split into two phases: Phase I - extending over two academic years, emphasises the integrated nature of medical education. Phase II - provides clinical training in a range of primary, secondary and tertiary care settings.

The student-selected choice strand of the curriculum runs throughout the programme and provides students with the opportunity to study topics of their own choosing. This enables them to develop key skills and pursue individualised areas of interest.

Teaching and learning
Our MBBS programme is designed to develop the skills students' need to become independent self-learners and to prepare them for postgraduate study and a lifetime of medical learning. At first, our structured learning environment provides students' with clearly defined goals and direction, and new material is introduced and explained by teachers who are skilled at delivering and explaining information to large groups of students. However, as the students' experience and confidence develops and the programme progresses, our teaching and learning strategies encourage and ultimately require students to adopt increasing self-reliance and independence in their study and learning, helping them to prepare for their career ahead.

While teaching in lectures and in a variety of clinical settings remains of pivotal importance, a variety of other innovative methods are used, with the choice of method being carefully chosen to match our particular educational objectives.

Assessment
Students' are assessed in a variety of ways. The learning outcomes for the programme are defined in terms of :

• Clinical and communication skills
• Knowledge and critical thought
• Professional behaviour

and students' are expected to demonstrate the appropriate level of attainment in each of these three domains. The assessment process is designed to encourage and reward transfer of learning from one Stage to the next, and equal emphasis is placed on in-course assessment and end-of-Stage examinations.

Upon successful completion of the entire programme students will be awarded Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), which will be conferred by Newcastle University.

Other Provision
It is planned to introduce selected BSc programmes from Newcastle University's undergraduate biomedical sciences portfolio in Malaysia from 2013.

Facilities & Resources

NUMed Malaysia is a brand new campus which is secure, 'green', and pedestrian-friendly. It has the following state-of-the-art facilities :

Learning Resource Centre
Our signature building which represents the student-centric ethos of NUMed, lies at the academic and social heart of the campus and includes social learning space, the library /information centre, the student Wellbeing Centre, a cafeteria and student common room.

The design of the Learning Resource Centre has been informed by a number of emerging, ground-breaking facilities at UK higher education institutions and recognises the social origins of learning and the need for interaction between learners on different levels and in different forms. It is also a self-regulating environment which places discussion on an equal footing with solitary learning – it is the policy of NUMed Malaysia to give students responsibility over their learning environment as well as over the way they learn.

Administration Complex & Academic Staff Facilities
Comprises a mix of open-plan and cellular work space for the resident and visiting academic faculty, and the managerial and administrative staff.

Central Teaching Facilities
These include two 200-seat presentation lecture theatres, one 100-seat 'Harvard Style' demonstration theatre, 20 classrooms / breakout rooms, and two 50-place ICT classrooms.

Laboratory Complex 
Comprises three well-equipped teaching laboratories and the postgraduate Continuing Professional Development suite.

Student Residences & Other Amenities
Based on a site adjacent to the academic complex, together with communal social and recreational amenities, high-quality, secure residential accommodation is provided for students.

Physical Recreation & Sports Facilities
From 2012 NUMed Malaysia students will have access to the world-class physical recreation and sports facilities of EduCity. The sports complex will feature stadium, aquatic centre and indoor arena. The stadium in the RM95.32 million complex will have a seating capacity of 14,000, a soccer / rugby pitch and a 400-metre athletic track complying with the Association of Athletics Federation standards. The aquatic centre will come complete with Olympic-size swimming and diving pools which meet the Federation Internationale' de Natalion (Fina), or the International Swimming Federation's standards for water polo and synchronised swimming. For those who enjoy team sports, there will be a choice of indoor or outdoor courts for basketball, badminton, volleyball and futsal, while for those who like squash there will be three squash courts.

Computers, Information Technology & Telecommunication
The NUMed Malaysia campus incorporates the innovations in teaching and learning offered by modern information and communications technology (ICT). All learning spaces (e.g. lecture theatres, teaching rooms, laboratories, social learning spaces) have been developed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the use of advanced learning technologies. In addition to the normal networking and digital projection facilities, all teaching rooms are equipped with video capture systems. These systems will be used to capture key teaching episodes, allow students to watch other teaching and also to support assessment in the laboratory and clinical skills arena.

Student Support

Newcastle University's pre-eminence in the provision of student support and guidance is evidenced by it being ranked consistently highly in the National Satisfaction Survey. Newcastle's excellent model and approach to the provision of both the pastoral and academic support of students is mirrored at NUMed Malaysia.

Our strategy for student support and guidance is based on the provision of clear and timely information, academic guidance and individual tutorial support, backed up through the Student Wellbeing Service with specialist academic and welfare services.

A member of staff is allocated to students as their personal tutor to offer general academic guidance and pastoral support. In addition, our students operate their own 'peer-parenting' system whereby every new student is attached to several more senior students who are available to offer advice and guidance.

We take full advantage of communication and information technology to provide additional support throughout the learning process.

Newcastle University UK has established an international branch campus in EduCity, Nusajaya, Johor

Newcastle University UK has established an international branch campus in EduCity, Nusajaya, Johor, to provide undergraduate degrees in Medicine (MBBS) and the Biomedical Sciences (BSc), and opportunities for postgraduate study. The branch campus is known as Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed).

The NUMed branch campus is an integral component of Newcastle University, which is a founder member of the UK 'Russell Group'. Newcastle is a long established world-class research intensive university, delivering teaching and research externally confirmed as of the highest international quality. Newcastle University is proud of its heritage; the parent campus in the North East of England was founded in 1871 but the University's history goes back to 1834 when a School of Medicine and Surgery was established in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

NUMed's Mission
To deliver cost-effective medical programmes of the highest quality in order to meet the needs of both our students and the regional health economy, and to translate the benefits of our research, development and lifelong education for the societal benefit of Malaysia and the greater Asian region.

Quality remains the essential reason for Newcastle University's prime market position as an international medical education provider. All quality-related activities are inextricably linked to contribute to the overall high-end product and service: well-designed innovative programmes are delivered to students by excellent, highly motivated and well-qualified faculty complemented by carefully considered student support strategies and underpinned by a firm ethic of scholarship.

Malaysian students have been benefiting from Newcastle University's quality programmes for many years. The first time a Malaysian student graduated from Newcastle was in 1965 and there are currently hundreds of Malaysian students studying at Newcastle University, UK across both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The establishment of NUMed here in Malaysia means that future students will now have the advantage of a 'value package' which comprises the respected Newcastle 'brand' delivering quality UK-preferred medical education in Malaysia at an affordable price.

Programmes of Study

The academic concept underpinning NUMed Malaysia is for the transnational delivery in Malaysia of a range of undergraduate biomedical and medical degree programmes, equivalent and of identical standard to those of Newcastle University's UK-based provision but contextualised to Malaysian circumstance and taking into account the cultural differences. The programmes of study lead to the award of the same degrees as those studied at the parent campus in the UK. Many of our programmes offer opportunities for periods of study in the UK.

The first and core undergraduate programme, upon which NUMed Malaysia is founded, is Newcastle's five-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme. The programme offered will lead to the award of the same degrees from Newcastle University.

About the MBBS Programme 
The MBBS programme is split into two phases: Phase I - extending over two academic years, emphasises the integrated nature of medical education. Phase II - provides clinical training in a range of primary, secondary and tertiary care settings.

The student-selected choice strand of the curriculum runs throughout the programme and provides students with the opportunity to study topics of their own choosing. This enables them to develop key skills and pursue individualised areas of interest.

Teaching and learning
Our MBBS programme is designed to develop the skills students' need to become independent self-learners and to prepare them for postgraduate study and a lifetime of medical learning. At first, our structured learning environment provides students' with clearly defined goals and direction, and new material is introduced and explained by teachers who are skilled at delivering and explaining information to large groups of students. However, as the students' experience and confidence develops and the programme progresses, our teaching and learning strategies encourage and ultimately require students to adopt increasing self-reliance and independence in their study and learning, helping them to prepare for their career ahead.

While teaching in lectures and in a variety of clinical settings remains of pivotal importance, a variety of other innovative methods are used, with the choice of method being carefully chosen to match our particular educational objectives.

Assessment
Students' are assessed in a variety of ways. The learning outcomes for the programme are defined in terms of :

• Clinical and communication skills
• Knowledge and critical thought
• Professional behaviour

and students' are expected to demonstrate the appropriate level of attainment in each of these three domains. The assessment process is designed to encourage and reward transfer of learning from one Stage to the next, and equal emphasis is placed on in-course assessment and end-of-Stage examinations.

Upon successful completion of the entire programme students will be awarded Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), which will be conferred by Newcastle University.

Other Provision
It is planned to introduce selected BSc programmes from Newcastle University's undergraduate biomedical sciences portfolio in Malaysia from 2013.

Facilities & Resources

NUMed Malaysia is a brand new campus which is secure, 'green', and pedestrian-friendly. It has the following state-of-the-art facilities :

Learning Resource Centre
Our signature building which represents the student-centric ethos of NUMed, lies at the academic and social heart of the campus and includes social learning space, the library /information centre, the student Wellbeing Centre, a cafeteria and student common room.

The design of the Learning Resource Centre has been informed by a number of emerging, ground-breaking facilities at UK higher education institutions and recognises the social origins of learning and the need for interaction between learners on different levels and in different forms. It is also a self-regulating environment which places discussion on an equal footing with solitary learning – it is the policy of NUMed Malaysia to give students responsibility over their learning environment as well as over the way they learn.

Administration Complex & Academic Staff Facilities
Comprises a mix of open-plan and cellular work space for the resident and visiting academic faculty, and the managerial and administrative staff.

Central Teaching Facilities
These include two 200-seat presentation lecture theatres, one 100-seat 'Harvard Style' demonstration theatre, 20 classrooms / breakout rooms, and two 50-place ICT classrooms.

Laboratory Complex 
Comprises three well-equipped teaching laboratories and the postgraduate Continuing Professional Development suite.

Student Residences & Other Amenities
Based on a site adjacent to the academic complex, together with communal social and recreational amenities, high-quality, secure residential accommodation is provided for students.

Physical Recreation & Sports Facilities
From 2012 NUMed Malaysia students will have access to the world-class physical recreation and sports facilities of EduCity. The sports complex will feature stadium, aquatic centre and indoor arena. The stadium in the RM95.32 million complex will have a seating capacity of 14,000, a soccer / rugby pitch and a 400-metre athletic track complying with the Association of Athletics Federation standards. The aquatic centre will come complete with Olympic-size swimming and diving pools which meet the Federation Internationale' de Natalion (Fina), or the International Swimming Federation's standards for water polo and synchronised swimming. For those who enjoy team sports, there will be a choice of indoor or outdoor courts for basketball, badminton, volleyball and futsal, while for those who like squash there will be three squash courts.

Computers, Information Technology & Telecommunication
The NUMed Malaysia campus incorporates the innovations in teaching and learning offered by modern information and communications technology (ICT). All learning spaces (e.g. lecture theatres, teaching rooms, laboratories, social learning spaces) have been developed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the use of advanced learning technologies. In addition to the normal networking and digital projection facilities, all teaching rooms are equipped with video capture systems. These systems will be used to capture key teaching episodes, allow students to watch other teaching and also to support assessment in the laboratory and clinical skills arena.

Student Support

Newcastle University's pre-eminence in the provision of student support and guidance is evidenced by it being ranked consistently highly in the National Satisfaction Survey. Newcastle's excellent model and approach to the provision of both the pastoral and academic support of students is mirrored at NUMed Malaysia.

Our strategy for student support and guidance is based on the provision of clear and timely information, academic guidance and individual tutorial support, backed up through the Student Wellbeing Service with specialist academic and welfare services.

A member of staff is allocated to students as their personal tutor to offer general academic guidance and pastoral support. In addition, our students operate their own 'peer-parenting' system whereby every new student is attached to several more senior students who are available to offer advice and guidance.

We take full advantage of communication and information technology to provide additional support throughout the learning process.