New schools session opened with new hope

FUTURE GENERATION FROM UPPERMIDDLE CLASS SOCIETY. ARE THEY FOLLOWING THEIR PARENTS AND ARE THEY TREATED ACCORDINGLY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE BETTER THAN THEIR PARENTS?

Some of parents exited observe their year one children in class on the day 1 at school.

How far we are ready to educate the children in schools now for the future Malaysia.
The infrastructures are ready, enough and suitable?
The teachers are ready in term of spirit, knowledge, commitment and skills?
The curriculum is well designed and applied to accomplish the mission?
The parent and community cooperate and support the application of curriculum and country's mission?
Hopefully they are not like current generation with over 3.0 CGPA is still not performed in the university as our Prime Minister want future generation must be brave, knowledgeable, creative, innovative and glocal.

The children are our future!

Continous Commited, Patient and Integrity

Are they still boxing? Can they fight now? Not like scientists young and old have equal chance to compete for the same medals except age become the condition.

What is our direction in 2010

Under 10 seconds 100 metre sprinters

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.