Do you know that professors in the university have to do 60 jobs? Many are thinking professors in the university just teaching, supervising students, produce papers and conduct research.

 

Why incident in Cameron Highlands repeating? We need to analyse the history of incident, cause and action taken (short term or long term), who are the resposible authorities and what are their actions? May be we need to have a centre for highland research so that universities and research institution can do research and training activities to help the authority solve Cameron Highlands routine issues.

 

 

Many do not know what is professors job. Below are the list of duties. Thats why we need high qualifation of lecturers to teach in the uiversity, experience and active in reserach and publication. Then they deserve to get high pay. So why we pay them low?

Work directly related to classroom teaching: 

Prepare lectures for classes

Give public lectures

Prepare syllabi for classes

Prepare labs for classes

Grade class assignments

Prepare exams

Give make-up exams

Grade exams

Calculate grades

Meet with students outside class for help

Integrate new learning into existing classes

Develop new classes

Other work related to teaching: 

Supervise and evaluate graduate student teaching

Evaluate teaching by colleagues

Lead field trips

Attend department colloquia

Service to students:

Advise students regarding course selection

Counsel students on careers opportunities and choices

Write letters of recommendation for students seeking jobs

Write letters of recommendation for students applying to graduate schools

Teaching and supervision of graduate students:

Supervise graduate student research

Help graduate students with their research

Read, make suggestions to improve, and evaluate graduate student thesis proposals

Read, make suggestions to improve, and evaluate M.S. student theses

Read, make suggestions to improve, and evaluate Ph.D. student dissertations

Read and evalute written Ph.D. comprehensive exams

Participate in Ph.D. oral comprehensive exams

Participate in graduate student defenses

Research Activities:

Write grant proposals for submission to funding agencies

Do ground-breaking verifiable and publishable scholarly research

Monitor spending from grants obtained from funding agencies

Maintain laboratories for faculty and student research

Write papers for publication in academic journals

Present research at meetings of scholarly societies to promote the University

Give presentations at other institutions of higher education

Read scholarly journals to keep abreast of new developments

Service to one's field of study:

Edit academic journals

Review papers submitted to academic journals

Review grant proposals submitted to funding agencies

Serve on review committees of funding agencies

Serve on committees and in elected positions of scholarly societies

Service to one's college or university:

Participate in departmental faculty meetings

Serve on departmental committees

Participate in departmental retreats

Serve in departmental administrative positions

Participate in or host faculty searches

Serve in Faculty Senate

Serve in University Council

Respond to information requests from administrators

Serve on university committees

Participate in University convocations

Participate in Commencement exercises

Service to the public:

Respond to public queries in faculty areas of specialization

Perform public service in faculty areas of specialization

Are we improving our reading culture? may be smartphones, facebook and whatapps promoting reading culture in Malaysia, at least.

 

STEM is an acronym referring to the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The term is typically used when addressing education policy and curriculum choices in schools to improve competitiveness in science and technology development. It has implications for workforce development, national security concerns and immigration policy. Malaysia is gearing up to promote interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education among school children through the launching of the Kuala Lumpur Engineering and Science Fair 2014 (KLESF 2014). Since the 1970s, Malaysia has recognized STEM education as an impetus to nation building. A strong STEM education programme is also needed for Malaysia to achieve developed nation status by 2020. A successful STEM education programme can therefore be reflected by the birth of critical thinkers, increase in science literacy and enabling the next generation of innovators.

Percentage of total article output in the Physical Sciences & STEM versus the Health Sciences for sub-Saharan Africa regions and comparator countries, 2012. Source: Scopus.

Overall number of articles and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for SSA regions and comparator countries, 2003-2012. Source: Scopus.

Do you think all top management are fair in judging the performance of their staff? they just looking at what other people say. many do not read the CV and judge on the real things. For example one professor got everything from teaching, research, post graduates, publication, millions of grants and extension, international recognition etc. They still say that professor is not excellence enough. In fact some politician said the university do not see what is in that professor. Actually we have low quality leaders. Can we trust them in the way they judge people? Just work for satisfaction until we retire!

Sometime we need to bring top management and staff together to discuss about the direction of the university.