Biology need to be more agressive and systematic in promoting and attracting younger generations

We also need to have a strategy to attract good students and develop them to be first class biology graduate and comparable to those in top university in the world.

Are we serious in protecting Wildlife and Conservation. Federal and State Government must have same approach, stand and enforcement of all Laws

Professors and thesis like beach and sea, rivers, lakes and forest. Cannot be separated . It is continuous in life until they stop being a professor

Always in the same format even though different topics. Title of the thesis must represent the content of the thesis. Introduction, objectives, material and methods, results and discussion and conclusion must be in line or nice flow. In writing the thesis, must follow strictly all format set by the graduate school. Common mistakes on the references, quotation, references in text and list of bibliography must be avoided. Many students missed this because of many references. New technologies, internet and many references are online give the opportunity to students to cut and paste. Avoid this. Do not repeat the tables and figures and all tables and figures must be well discussed. Since many programmes have autocorrection systems, grammar check and word suggestion, please check all words and sentences again. Finally all students must be honest in writing their thesis and fully understand what have been written.

Obesity still an issues in many countries now. How to solve it? Diet, life style, health or awareness?

Hurricane: Where we can go? Can science help?

With new changes in climate in this region, we need to enhance/strengthen our knowledge, experts and technologies in the field of weather analysis and forecast. emergency response team, safe areas and skill personnel need to be prepared.

Intellectual Diversity in the University

How far we understand and respect the intellectual diversity in the university?
How do we assess the quality and the diversity of intellect in university?
Do we have enough experts to do the assessment? Or we just follow outsiders criteria without understand them.
May be at our level we should use our criteria at the time being and promote the intellectual diversity among us in the process of meeting the world standard. Without start we cannot move.
For further information please refer to my previous blog on "what Professor say about intellectual diversity?"

Adhoc university: how to measure the quality

For the university that are always looking at the ranking, champion in many things and leading in implementing certain issues promoted by the leaders or politician, always working at ad hoc basis. Sometimes the leaders cannot assess their staff quality when they achieve their short term mission. They always forgotten after happily celebrating the success. Easy reason why the leaders always forgotten because during the celebration and ceremonials only the managers are involved. The technicals and the professionals who working hard to fulfil the criteria are not there. By achieving the short term mission without training or input into the staff meaning that the university is ever ready having a quality staff. Therefore the relevant staff must be recognised. But it is not happened in the robotic systems.

Functional students

Functional students not just can work at their working place but linking their employer to the university where they earn the degree. This will support the alumni and industrial networking. With this networking university's function linking with industries, involving with economic growth of the country and development of human capital.

Long life learning and alumni

Teaching at the university not just to produce graduates and learning at a the university not just to earn the degree and get the job. It is beyond that. University in tertiary level of education and usually the students specialised in specific field which helping them to be a professionals.
Unfortunately the culture now still not fulfil the criteria of the university. Probably our university just like a technical college to train unqualified people or those do not have opportunity to get a place in the university. In addition to that our university administered like a factory to produce graduates similar to electrical goods. The students produced similar to robot with a specific programmed in it and ready to reformat when that are outside. The professors in the university similar to the supervisors in the factories.
What we expected that the students after graduated refer back to the university for life long learning or to improve the knowledge. If what we are practice now the CEO in the private sectors or head in the government agencies or may be the politicians are better than the professors. The robots that we produced in the university will be reformatted to suit their agencies.
No wonder now we found that the ex students do not remember their former lecturer. May be the education system now make the teachers, lecturers or the professors are not respected anymore by the public includingnthe students. WHY? Something need to be done in the university so that the lecturers are no longer acting like stamps dispatching officers but to show that the lecturers are not just teaching but the knowledge provider, human capital developer and sources of references or reference centre. That's why we need to do research.

Java Medaka as one of the Show Case for Coastal Marine Science Studies

How to measure marine science strong in the department

1. number of staff involve in teaching and research related to coastal marine science.
2. number of courses related to coastal marine science
3. number of students following the cources
4. number of research in the department
5. amount of research grants related to coastal marine science
6. number of postgraduate
7. number of publications
8. outside agencies recognise or joint research on coastal marine science
9. recognition by local authority, national level, reginal or/and international
10. show case on coastal marine science in the department for references, exhibition and research.

Why Coastal Marine Sciences are Important?

We need to have s strong marine coastal marine sciences. Human depending on coastal resources for food, recreation, place to stay and change coastal quality. A wide scope of research related to coastal marine sciences, not just in fisheries but all in the systems including pollution. therefore there are a lot of opportunities career on coastal Marine science.

Malaysian Professors depending to young lecturers just for publications eventhough they are not in the same field

Why this thing happened in Malaysia? And Recognised by the authority.
I think we are still dreaming to be a world class university BUT we do not know how to be the world class university. Unfortunately we hope for leadership and guidance from retired professors but they are just riders and showing bad example. Who are going to change?

Student Centered Learning: Student Questions and Teachers Knowledge

Today I found that a group of students arguing on why now rain water is not clear as before. The solution from the argument was because of our rivers are polluted and the colour of water yellowish. Therefore our rain water is not crystal clear like before. The students were congratulated by the teacher for having good discussion and made a good conclusion. Is this good example of SCL?

Wild world: Millions of unseen species fill Earth

Our world is a much wilder place than it looks. A new study estimates that Earth has almost 8.8 million species, but we've only discovered about a quarter of them. And some of yet-to-be-seen ones could be in our own backyards, scientists say.

So far, only 1.9 million species have been found. Recent discoveries have been small and weird: a psychedelic frogfish, a lizard the size of a dime and even a blind hairy mini-lobster at the bottom of the ocean.

We are really fairly ignorant of the complexity and colorfulness of this amazing planet. We need to expose more people to those wonders. It really makes you feel differently about this place we inhabit.
There are potential benefits from these undiscovered species, which need to be found before they disappear from the planet. Some of modern medicine comes from unusual plants and animals.

If Professors in Biology from Harvard and many top biologist support in biodiversity studies, WHY we ask many question on recruiting more scientists in biology, provide more funding and give the authority to the qualified one.

The role of academic community in higher learning: Alternatives to a drive-thru education

a sense of academic community is of fundamental importance in combating the effects of the neo-liberal economic discourse on higher education, and that the values of higher education are incongruent with those of economic rationalism. The discursive commodification of the student, and of education itself, works against the formation of community, both within the university environment and in the wider society. at present, the dominant discourse shaping the social practice of higher education is that of neo-liberal economics.Community values stand in opposition to the dominant discourse, and are integral to the long-term survival of a socially critical and socially responsive society. the importance of establishing a sense of academic community during the first year of university is justified by its ultimate value to society.It had become an education market… in which students and parents were consumers,teachers and academics were producers, and educational administrators had become managers and entrepreneurs’

Berbuka Puasa dengan Menteri: Mengadu, Politik, Upacara, Ibadat, Bersatu dan Kesempatan

Majlis Berbuka Puasa di Rumah Timbalan Perdana Menteri 22 Ogos 2011 Bersama Pemimpin NGO Malaysia. Bersama bersatu memajukan negara. Adunan pemikiran orang bahasa, sejarah, matematik, agama, pendidik, budaya, bangsa/kaum dan ahli sains akan memantapkan kefahaman, toleransi dan keamanan sejagat. Apa pun sains perlu sebagai asas untuk kesatuan.

Student Centred Learning (SCL), Modular Approach, Teaching Centered Learning

Caffeine and health

More studies on the coastal microbiology in relation to plastic contamination

Conflict between Supervisor and the students as the main authors and correspondence address

Leadership and succession

Are we following the above ideas OR we like to keep our leaders as long as the can stand, walk and breath. When they cannot functioning anymore then we realised that we do not have trained leaders. After that we realised that we do not have continuity, forgot the tradition and mis-direct the vision of institution. Later when we realised that then we have to learn the history again. By that time we might left behind with high skills and performance staff BUT no clear vision and mission for the people and the country. Therefore leadership and succession are very important in order to maintain leading in specific area.

3rd Global Business Submit 2011: How many years of work by the scientists on the Climate Change and Food Security can help business people.

Message Delivery, Effective and Positive Results

If we look at water flowing from head water to streams, rivers, water falls, flowing down streams to the estuaries . , the colour of surface water changes from brownish in colour, crystal clear, clear, cloudy, yellowish and brownish or blakish depending on the location of the river system and surrounding earth surface and human activities near the streams or rivers. The colour of surface water from head water to estuary similar to the message delivery systems changes according to the person receiving message, interpret them and transfer to others and the environment of the message delivery. Then we know why the message delivery systems are important and the messengers are important, the receivers of the message too are important. Sometimes we are Wonder why the messages are not well delivered and effective for implementation.

Ego, Defensive, Close, Less Exposure are among the attitude that make leaders failed to lead.

It is a trend now the university attracting good students. But HOW?

1. Equipt the university with good facilities, having good systems, good lecturers and facilities.
2. Good publicity on the programme, students quality, professors quality, recognition and popularity.
3. All academician must work together as a team to attract the good students.
4. Supporting staff must prepare to keep university at high stsndard at all time.
5. Establish target students
What the university should do?

Transformation in the university

1. Teaching and Learning
2. Teaching, learning and research
3. Teaching, learning, research and development
4. Teaching, learning, research, development, publication and extension
5. Teaching, Learning, research, development, publication, commercialisation and extension
6. Teaching, learning, research, development, innovation, publication, commercialisation, extension and industrial networking
7. Teaching, learning, research,, development, innovation, publication, commercialisation, extension, consultation, industrial networking and internationalisation

The transformation in the university was very aggressive increasing burden and time effort on the academic staff and putting stress which will affect the quality and productivity without taking care of the benefit to the academic staff. It is about time to review their salary allowances and show appreciation to the seniours who following the succession of the transformation processes.

"High Class Thinking and World Class Working" Kata Presiden Cuepacs. Untuk itu gaji mesti setimpal

Kebajikan pekerja perlu diberikan perhatian oleh majikan. Pencapaian tinggi pekerja mestilah dihargai dan diberikan ganjaran sepatutnya. Bayangkan pensyarah yang menghasilkan graduan yang berkualiti dan mempunyai gaji lebih besar dari pensyarah sendiri. Dimana penghargaan kepada pensyarah berkenaan.

Kenapa Gaji Pensyarah di Malaysia Rendah?

1. Pensyarah tak kisah.
2. Pensyarah tak pernah fikir skim gaji sendiri.
3. Pensyarah tak pernah perjuangkan skim gaji pensyarah.
4. Pentadbir yang aturkan skim gaji pensyarah dan pensyarah ikut saja.
5. Asas gaji pensyarah ikut pentadbir.
6. Budaya di Malaysia tak hormat ilmuan.
7. Cara pengiraan gaji pensyarah tidak berkadar dengan pencapaian pensyarah.
8. Pensyarah pun tak tau asas pengiraan gaji pensyarah sepatutnya.
9. Pensyarah tidak sedar yang pencapaian mereka seiring dengan negara seperti U.K., Amerika, Singapura dan Jepun.
10. Sekarang skim baharu diperkenalkan iaitu Skim Saraan Universiti (PU).

Marilah pensyarah semua bersatu, jangan sombong dan ego. Sokonglah perjuangan Persatuan Pegawai Akademik dan Majlis Persatuan Akademik Malaysia (MAAC). Kalau Ketua Pengarah JPT pun sokong perjuangan MAAC tak kan lah pula ada pensyarah yang masih sombong dan ego tak kisah perjuangan MAAC. Bila dapat hasil semua nak rasa. Misalnya pensyarah muda dengan PhD automatik berubah tangga gaji dari DS45 kepada DS51 adalah hasil perjuangan Persatuan Pegawai Akademik. Tapi berapa ramai pensyarah muda menjadi ahli PPA?

Small man syndrome

Small Man Syndrome (SMS) is a humorous or supposed condition affecting short men which makes them excessively competitive as a way of compensating their lack of stature. It is a rare and incurable disease. Symptoms :

In many cases these small men make humorous comments about others, that others don't find funny. They try to attract others to join in with their flow of insults and start laughing in order to attract attention. They often attempt to physically jump on people or physically attack people due to their lack of stature. People who suffer this disease often use abusive language such as - weedick, no balls, peetit, lil vagina, juggernoob and shitface. A common metaphor describing these people is 'a disease in which a midgets head is too big for his body.' Moreover these people try to promote their malnourished physique by showing off something they possess. These people often get into fights where they are in the wrong due to arguments that they claim to be right. This is a recurring problem as they always think that they are right even though it is vividly obvious that they are wrong. One could then imagine that such person with this attitude lead on to problems to others and mainly themselves. Moreover, people who suffer SMS often have restraints in their strength or physical ability so when they get into a fight, where they are the more vulnerable side they often carry out 'cheap shots' for example; hair-pulling, shouting insults, grabbing/squeezing people's body parts, pinching and biting. These people often enjoy showing-off and seeking attention, especially to a 'group of mates' by speaking loudly or shouting insults at people when on the phone. Others symptoms include over exaggerating points to people and lying to make them sound bigger. These people also make-up stories about themselves and 'mates', to further seek attention from friends that most likely dislike them.


Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_'Small_Man_syndrome'#ixzz1V72gkd7v

Dissatisfaction caused protest and riot: But usually riot will cause more problems. Very difficult to satisfy every body.

Bandingkan riot di Malaysia dan di London dan juga seluruh dunia. Kenapa dan mengapa? kalau tahu sebabnya eloklah kita berhati-hati cuba mengelakkan dari terjadi dan menyelesaikan masalah segera. Kefahaman, toleransi, betolak ansor dan bekerjasama adalah cara terbaik untuk kekalkan keharmonian rakyat.

What make people keep pet such as cat in their house? The problem is you cannot leave you house for long time.

Roles and resposibilities of thesis examiners

The examiners must fulfill the university regulations that are stated to them.
1. External examiner must be independent, recognised expert in the field. The external examiner examine the thesis, produce independent report, leading in questioning in the viva, make recommendation for award of degree or otherwise, specify corrections if required.
2. International examiners usually not directly connected with the student's work, but with knowledge of the general field. Their duties are examine the thesis, produce independent report, ask additional question in the viva, ensuring that the student has opportunities to positively demonstrate their knowledge, make recommendation for award of degree, or otherwise, specify corrections if required, check minor corrections have been made.
3. Chairman or exam advisor usually member of the department not connected with student's work. The duties are read examiners' independent reports, chair and introduce the viva, Act As Student's Supporter, advice on the university regulations and examination protocol, facilitate examiners deliberations in reaching decision, produce brief report of the viva

The purpose of the viva are;
1. To clarify any ambiguities in the thesis
2. To satisfy themselves that the thesis is the candidate's own work
3. To assess that the candidate is familiar with the relation of his/her work to the field of study
4. To acknowledge and appreciate the subject are up to the standard expected for the award of the appropriate degree.
5. To give the opportunity to the student to demonstrate their knowledge and celebrate his/her achievement BUT not certainly for the examiners to demonstrate their own knowledge. AND FOR SURE NOT TO CONDEMN AND ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUPERVISORS OF THE STUDENT.

How do we assess experts recognition and Impact of Contribution

Examples:
1. Own initiative doing survey, research and promoting ideas to public.
2. Convince government officers, government department, politician and public to participate.
3. Organise public awareness programme, government involvement to enhance public commitment, respect, appreciate and support.
4. Repeating and continuous activities to achieve the mission and getting public support.
5. Now the project success by assessing the public awareness and support. government agencies recognition, news coverage and results of the project.
6. This is the example of Public Support on Horn bills Conservation Programmes at Parit 13, Pasir panjang, Sabak Benam, Selangor.
7. How to make ROBOTIC Administrators to assess the success...By Filling Forms????

Teachers Directed Education

Student Centered Learning

Alumni and it's function

In my previous blogs I already discussed about the alumni and their functions for their alma mater. But how to create the culture of alumni and alma meter in Malaysia significantly? May be we need to look at the function of Alumni Centre, it's leadership, staff, their mission and vision, and what are their daily activities, communication and actions. At the department and faculty levels too must have a strategies and actions for establishing a good alumni. This must start from existing students. They must have relevant activities. In any culture, we must start with leader, trust and money. Then we can proceed after all are convinced. Not an easy task to convince people. Especially regarding getting people together such as alumni. Many will ask what benefit they can get. They are busy with their commitment and daily life activities. Since merdeka time we like to ask, receive and take rather than giving and develop. This kind of culture need to be changed if we are preparing for Malaysian develop country beyond 2020. We need more volunteers and some one willing to organise the meeting or action.

New challenges for future era: how to strategise

1. Understand our institution and it's functions
2. What are our short term and long term vision, mission and strategic plans
3. organise our human resourse, expertise, skills, current and future leaders (sucessor), organisation to meet the future challenges
4. Responsible and committed senior staff must advice the succession plans, and ready to go when the time comes
5. Top management must always assess the performance of all levels of head department so that inline and same momentum with the current mission and leadership.
6. Automatic renewal contract staff especially for the post like head of department may affect the succession and the mission of the institution except they are proven to be a good leaders and capable to bring the institution forward meeting the future challenges. But if they are good leaders there must be his or her successor in his or her department.
7. No position in government sectors is personal to holder. One day we have to accept that we will retire and some one will take our place. Good leaders usually will train a good successors.

Effective teaching in the university

1. University should have good lecturer and good students
2. Trust that teaching and learning between students and the lecturers is happening
3. Less interferences from outside between processes of teaching and learning
4. Good and effective systems
5. Respect of lecturers expertise

How to Grow University to be World Class University?

Refer to my previous blog.
1. High quality staff or Professors
2. Good facilities
3. High quality students
4. Good leadership
5. Good governance

Improving English in the University: Speaking, Writing, Reading and Communication skills

RIOT IN ENGLAND: A conflict of advance science, ICT, Creativity, Technology, Human and Applications

Promotion in the University: Is it based on merit, favouritism, application or contribution?

Research University

Research university was a category to indicate those universities that engaged in extensive research activity.

Research I universities were defined as those which:

1. Are committed to graduate education through the doctorate
2. Give high priority to research
3. Award 50 or more doctoral degrees each year
4. Receive annually high amount of reseach grant

We cannot employ others to do our research in our research university.
Research university (RU)status was given based on researchers capability, professors, post graduates, facilities and potential to developed further as a world class research university.
Research not just scientific research or academic research but RU must also doing research about their own university systems (administration, management and academic) so that not only high quality research, publications and findings but RU must have a good systems. All systems in RU must be good to help their staff conducting good research, teaching and publish research papers. Is the systems are not good, staff will be under pressure in producing high quality graduates and research.

More Strong Collaboration Needed on Natural and Social Sciences

Who make the decision? The profesionals just work?

One example, who run the clinic? the doctors usually want to make a through check on their patients, give good medicine and make sure they are healthy OR do not come back to see them.
when medical become a business entity, the doctors are reminded to spent less time with their patients so that you will have more patients in short period, treat them with confident and friendly, give low quality (or cheap) medicine and make sure they come back soon so that we can collect more money from them. We know every body will die BUT no body want to die.Now a days we have new concept on medical treatments; tourism medicine. People come for medical treatments, staying in resorts with families and entertaining. In general is more luxury services rather than medical treatments. Things become more expensive and the doctors and nurses become entertainers.
Similar thing probably in education which is core in life. But we produce As students, teaching in comfort and sophisticated high tech environment with stylist teachers. The quality of graduates too are stylists.
How we are going to meet the global challenges? Right person should run the right business with the right attitudes.

Many graduates work as paper cllipers or dispatch boy

Why we employ graduates at operational position? They should be able to think, write and deliver the task given. I have one experience this morning where one officer instructed me to prepare a simple paper to be submitted to the management. I advise him that actually his job to prepare the paper not me and he reply that I have to prepare because I know about the subject and his duty just to check my proposal according to format and procedures. I think this era this thing cannot happen anymore. We are practicing multitasking jobs. One officer must be able to search for materials, write and submit. What he suppose to do, he should discuss with me what to write in the paper and he finish it. Not asking me to do it and he just check. I think form five students can do dispatch and clipping jobs. Now we have to think hard on what quality of graduates that we produced. paper clippers, dispatch boy, or security guard.

Education development

Every time we talk about education development, we talk about infrastructure, building and facilities. These involve a lot of money and after infrastructure completed we cannot run or achieve our target because of not enough teachers, instructors and staff who qualified enough to teach or implementing the mission.

We Still Discuss about Teaching English in Schools BUT what really happening in schools is important

Review teaching of English in schools: Muhyiddin NST 2011-08-06 18:40

SEGAMAT, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has ordered the English Language Curriculum Division to have a relook at the learning of the language in schools to ensure students can master it as a second language.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said he had directed Education director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud to carry out a review on the learning of English Language in school.

"How the national education system involving 13 years, with five years of secondary school, is still unable to provide our students with a good grasp of the English Language, I, myself, am incapable of answering," he said in his speech during a visit to SMK Felda Maokil, Labis here today.

Muhyiddin said the review might determine if the weakness was due to a shortage of English Language teachers, equipment or due to other causes.

He said mastery of the English Language was important because it was the main language in international communication and the economy.

He also rejected the perception that implementing the 'Uphold Bahasa Melayu, Strengthen the English Language' policy had resulted in the Education Ministry neglecting the English Language.

Muhyiddin also said the ministry had carried out a comprehensive survey of the nation's educational infrastructure, in its effort to provide the infrastructural need of schools.

He said, although his ministry had received a development allocation of between RM5 billion and RM6 billion, the amount was not enough because of the large number of schools in the country and the rapid population growth which required the constructions of new schools.

Why Muslim Scientists are not Leading in Natural Sciences: Al Quran, Science and Nature are together to look for the Greatest and Oneness of GOD

Tsunami: Beyond Scientists Control

Research on natural products, healthy food and food security need to be focussed and continuous. No more adhoc and short term research

In Malaysia also have many colourful fruits, various tastes, high diversity of species. May be we can have another MONAVIE

Any good local menu for breakfast?