Build a strong Foundation

WHEN Rachel Lai began her Foundation programme at HELP University (HU), she never imagined the pathway would one day lead her to Cambridge University in Britain.

Currently, Lai is pursuing her Master of Philosophy in Education, having completed her undergraduate degree at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) – one of the top universities in Britain – with a Bachelor in Music (Hons).

Lai attributed her overall academic and professional development to her experience in the Foundation programme at HU.

During a recent visit back to Malaysia, she caught up with HELP University Faculty of University Foundation Studies dean Dhanesh Balakrishnan.

“HELP’s Foundation programme played a vital role in facilitating my smooth transition from high school to tertiary education. The programme is akin to a liberal arts education – it trained me to think and learn across various disciplines.

“I was provided with tools to think critically, write and reason cautiously, as well as communicate confidently – skills that have been essential throughout both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies,” said Lai, who with the aid of HELP’s senior management secured a scholarship worth £20,000 (RM111,320) for her postgraduate studies at Cambridge.

Lai also shared that during her time at Royal Holloway, she was the only student from her faculty to be awarded the International Excellence Scholarship, which undoubtedly put her on the path to be selected to complete her Master’s at Cambridge.

Lai has high hopes for coming back to Malaysia and sharing her knowledge in her endeavour to improve the quality of education in Malaysia.

Dhanesh said the HELP Matriculation Programme (HMC), which offers the Foundation programme, aims to provide students with an internationally recognised pre-university programme, widely accepted for entry into top universities.

This is evident from the number of top HMC achievers who have gained entry into well-ranked universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Apart from academic qualifications, Dhanesh said subjects such as Critical Thinking Skills, Study Skills, Personal Development and Leadership and Culture, Arts and Politics help students develop soft skills for employability.

He strongly feels that students should take the time to choose the right profession.

“The quality and scope of the Foundation not only provides sound preparation for university admittance, it also fosters characteristics of personal responsibility, perseverance and leadership that will serve the students throughout university and well into their professional life,” he added.

HELP Foundation’s programme structure

With two branches, the HELP Foundation focuses on both Arts and Science. A wide range of subjects are offered to give students the opportunity to try out different disciplines at the foundation level before making an informed decision on which degree to choose.

English is an important component of both the Science and Arts Foundation – with an Intermediate and Advanced level, both are core subjects that focus on building written skills for employability.

Within the Foundation programme, various divisions have been established such as Personal Development and Leadership, Events and Project Management and HMC L.E.A.D.S, which stands for Leadership and Development Sphere.

Dhanesh also believes in the importance of community engagement. Accordingly, an annual School Magazine Workshop as well as Public Speaking Workshops are organised for the benefit of schools. The School Magazine Workshop is well attended as it provides a tool of communication in schools.

The intake for the Foundation Programme is currently ongoing. Students with excellent results are encouraged to apply for merit scholarships.

For more details, call 03-2094 2000, e-mail marketing@help.edu.my or log on to