End 2009 by interesting field work

I managed to visit Pulau Kalumpang near Kuala Gula, Taiping, A Heaven For Migratory Birds on 29&30 December 2009. Thousands of migratory shore birds and over 120 species of birds can be observed in the island. How ever there will be a conflict later between human and birds, intergovernmental agencies such as Forest Department, Wildlife Department, Fisheries Department, Drainage Department and Local Authorities if no immediate actions taken. Even within the departments sections may have conflict opinion and implementations between conservation and recreation, ecotourisms and educations, security and economic, poverty and development, etc. An urgent discussion and planning needed. Universiti Putra Malaysia, Forest Department and Wildlife Department have long history of collaborations in conservation, rehabilitation, training, research and sustainable use of this world popular Matang Forest Reserve. Further effective collaboration including many other departments is urgently needed before it is too late. Increasing of interest among public, business, conservationist, naturalist and others, nationally and internationally, will invite a lot of inconsistency ideas with conservation and forest protection.

Beside intergovernmental agencies agreement in managing and conserve this island and whole Matang Forest Reserve, an urgent integrated, organised and systematic research are needed. A lot more information needed not only on the list of flora and fauna but the ecology of the forests, balance ecosystems and use the information in managing the forest reserve. The authorities such as Forest Department, Wildlife Department especially need to lead in this idea and probably Universiti Putra Malaysia can help and Fisheries Deparment, Drainage Department and Local Authorities can support the activities.

Happy New Year 2010 with more active participation for science

Raptor Watch 2009 with UPM students From Faculty of Environmental Studies at Tanjung Tuan, Port Dickson, Malaysia.

We will have four meetings soon!!

1. Annual Alumni Seminar. All Alumni from Biology Department UPM who involve in research will meet and present their findings. The actual dates will be determined soon. There are many alumni are now in research institutes, post graduate students, teachers and others who can present their opinion and results of their research that can be shared for our future besides meeting each others and having cup of tea or talking about past story.
2. Seminar and workshop on "vertebrates in coastal environment of Peninsular Malaysia". This seminar and workshop is close to those actively involve in the subject. The objectives of this meeting are for biodiversity, management and conservation of coastal wildlife in Peninsular Malaysia.
3. Next is seminar on "heavy metals pollution in coastal environment of Malaysia". This is also a close meeting for those who are active in the subject.
4. Raptor watch 2010 in Port Dickson from mid-February until mid-April. The peak period will be 13-14 March 2010. This is an annual event. Students should participate. Be there at Tanjung Tuan or UPM Marine Station. Bring your binocular for the best time at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. because the birds need warm air to go high.

I really hope for those related will support and participate in the activities planned for future sciences.

Thank you.
Ahmad Ismail

Why We Need to Collaborate with Ocean Research Institute (ORI) The Tokyo University?

UPM already signed MoU with ORI the Tokyo University, Japan in May 2009.
The Tokyo University is one of the top universities in Asia and top 20 in the world for many years.They have very good research culture and technology. They are leading in marine science studies in Asia and among the top in the world. Among their research focus are related to Malaysian marine ecosystems. If Malaysian scientists like to collaborate with their marine scientists there will be a lot of common interests. There fore institution such as ORI is good to collaborate with.

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Internationalisation of University

How to produce effective and active MoU?

1. Focus on our objectives and strength that we like to develop in line with our vision of the university.
2. Looking for our counterpart (experts, laboratory, institutions) that may help us to achieve our mission and vision.
3. Provide relevant facilities and research grants to attract our identified counterpart.
4. Make a plan/strategies for MoU; research topics, collaboration, budget, visits, exchange experts,symposium, workshops, etc.
5. Develop our expertise and position them at an international level with a proper branding suitable with related university. Eg. Since Malaysia as one of the top mega biodiversity in the world, biodiversity can be one of the attraction. Strategic activities, publicity, promotion and branding needed such as tropical wildlife, tropical ecology, tropical rain forest, best mangrove forest management, fisheries products and technologies.
6. Provide a specific budget for promotion and marketing strategies through visits, symposium & workshops, research attachment, academic exchange, student exchange, etc.
7. Monitor established MoU and its success.

Malaysia Comitment in Climate Change II

(Pictures of Kuala Gula and V-Point Ipoh, Perak)

Malaysia is adopting a voluntary national reduction indicator of up to 40% in terms of GDP emission intensity by 2020 compared with 2005 levels. The Kyoto Protocol has set emissions reductions targets for the period 2008 to 2012. New greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets for subsequent years is negotiated in Copenhagen now.
Malaysia was committed to doing its best to combat climate change.
But how?
Is it enough by reducing greenhouse emission gas, maintaining 75% green forested areas, transfer of technology from advance research and practice from developed countries and adequate financing?
More actions needed. Including country's ambition to increase scientists and engineers in the country either by training locals or import from outside (?), identify climate change related items and focus in administration, governance, training, research and financial allocation. It is not an easy task for the country if not seriously conducted and managed.

Malaysia Commitment in Climate Change Issues

COP15 among the largest summits ever
The 119 heads of state and government participating at the climate summit in Copenhagen represent countries that account for 89 percent of the world's GDP.

A UN report said that Malaysia’s carbon emissions in 2006 stood at 187 million tonnes or 7.2 tonnes from each Malaysian, compared to Indonesia, the world’s third largest emitter with 2.3 billion tonnes. Malaysia has seen a temperature rise of between 0.5 degrees and 1.5 degrees Celsius while its coastal line has been narrowed due to a rise the sea level.

A strong political commitment needed from the heads of state and government in order to help reducing the effects of global warming which is threatening mankind.

Two main issues need to be tackled are the reduction of greenhouse emissions and providing financial aid to developing nations to shift to greener growth and adapt to a warmer world.

Malaysia had already made the global climate a priority in the national budget for 2010, pledging a RM1.5bil fund to promote green technology besides several incentives to encourage the construction of green buildings.

Internalisation of University

Internationalisation has become a catchword of the times in higher education. Its wider use is due to an increasing interest in the international dimension of higher education, particularly during the past few years, which in turn has led to its emergence as a research area in its own right.
Later crate confusion between modern university, nationalisation, regionalisation, internationalisation and Internalisation. All these can be blended together for the internationalisation.
The present world is becoming more multi-polarised, so too is academia. This provides some universities in developing countries with more possibilities to avoid marginalisation
English language, which has been regarded as an obstacle to university development in developing countries. More and more academic research papers written in English are published in international journals.
Internationalisation and university development are linked to each other. Nowadays, the institutional standing of the chair, department and institute have become one of the main tests of a university as a research and teaching organisation.

The Internationalisation Strategy may cover:

Research and partnerships
Curriculum
The student experience
Staff development
Transnational programs
Standards and quality assurance

Copenhagen Summit On Climate Change 2009 Updates

United Nations’ Climate Summit, which has started from December 7, 2009 and will continue till December 19, 2009, will have a great significance for the entire world. Climate researchers from different nations have attended this summit to find some effective measures that will help in reducing the effects of greenhouse gas and carbon emission.

Will Salary Encourage Us to Work Harder and Achieve More?

Above are the example of professor's salary in several countries. How much Malaysian Professor earned? Equal to France, Sweden, Germany? We have to look at their culture, job specification, facilities, working environment, achievement, research grants, etc. and compare to ours. Or we compare to USA, Switzerland, Japan or UK Top Universities. We have brain gain programme, mobility programme, academic exchange programme, sandwich programme and many other programmes. How to go about it?

Together we aspire, together we achieve

One bed, one pillow, one dream then we can excell together!!

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Night heron only produce 2 to 3 eggs and 2 or three will hatch BUT their survival rates no body know depending to many environmental factors including human being.


Every year we are assessing our self or our company or our institution achievement. During the assessment and reporting our achievement we usually celebrate by giving awards and some entertaiment similar to our encestors celebrating their hardwork after harvesting season. They are many ways to assess our achievement. How many letters we typed, how many envelops were posted, how many meeting reports we write, how may papers we published, how many lectures and seminars were presented, how many students we produced, how much money we bring to the company. how many people we satisfied, etc..... But how to tell people about our achievement. We need to quantify them according to where we are, our position, responsibility, duties, etc. May be this items may help us;
1.What Are Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
2.Key Performance Indicators Reflect The Organizational Goals
3.Key Performance Indicators Must Be Quantifiable
4.Key Performance Indicators Must be Key To Organizational Success
5.What Do I Do With Key Performance Indicators?
6.How Do We Manage Our Key Performance Indicators?

A lot more we need to do before we adopt any KPI systems and effectively measure our achievement.