Providing students with practical experiences
TAYLOR’S University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a local strategic communications company, bzBee Consult Sdn Bhd for its School of Media and Communication.
The MoU seeks to explore opportunities and potential programmes that provide practical experience to the university’s students in the field of communication, explore opportunities in research and publications for its lecturers based on aspects related to public relations.
It will also provide developmental support to students through industry-based exposure and training and carry out intellectual discussions, to identify specific areas of focus to better prepare students for the job market.
“This MoU signifies our commitment in collaborating with industry players, to provide students with real-industry experience and encouraging lecturers to develop industry-driven projects on public relations.
“Perhaps, one day, we may be able to apply an ‘Open Loop’ approach where students will get the opportunity to work, as part of the course and return to the university to continue their studies and graduate,” said Taylor’s University deputy vice-chancellor and chief academic officer Prof Dr Pradeep Nair.
He hoped the collaboration with bzBee will be a start, where students no longer have to be in the classroom to continue to grow.
“We believe there is much they can learn from those in the outside world,” he added.
BzBee’s managing director Prof Mohd Said Bani CM Din said: “Time and time again, we have heard how students excel academically, yet find it difficult when they seek to be part of the workforce.”
“One thing for sure, there is a ‘gap’ that exists between the supply of potential workforce and the requirements of the job market.
“It is our hope that this collaboration will be able to contribute towards addressing the gap in this field, to develop holistic students who are ‘work-ready’,” he said.
The collaboration will offer students with real-world learning through consultancy projects, industry engagements and exposure, specifically in the areas of Public Relations, Issues and Crises and Stakeholder Management.
As part of this collaboration, the university will provide a space on campus, to be sponsored by bzBee as a Learning Centre. Known as “The Hive”, the centre will be used for practical industry-based exposure for students.
BzBee will collaborate with some of its clients, beginning with the Sarawak Tourism Board’s campaign – “Sarawak: More to Discover”, to better acquaint students with the promotional and communication aspects of tourism, contributing towards enhancing their overall practical experience in this area.
Some of the areas included in the MoU are the development of training and academic programmes, exchange of expertise, development of teaching and learning materials, research and publication, sharing of information and development of human capital.
The ceremony was held at the Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, where the MoU was signed by Pradeep and Mohd Said and witnessed by senior officials and personnel of both organisations.
Also present were Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management executive dean Prof Dr Neethiah Ari Ragavan and bzBee senior director Zalina Abdul Aziz.