Private university gains recognition
AT HELP University’s 31st Convocation 2019, its president and vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Paul Chan announced that HELP had been awarded Premier Digital Tech status by MDEC, thus solidifying the university’s efforts to transform itself into an analytics-driven university.
Recently, 19 students from the Faculty of Computing and Digital Technology decided to set up an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Club so they could gain exposure in working with the industry on AI projects.
Currently, the AI Club students are working with Celebrus tech adviser Fabian Bouhier, a blockchain advisory industry partner on a waste management project that would allow the AI Club students to utilise artificial intelligence and develop a recycling prototype that would enable all types of waste to be composted.
Still in its early stages, HELP IT senior lecturer and AI Club adviser Dr Fong Pui Kwan hopes the AI Club students could eventually develop the concept into a real business model thus transforming the project into a profitable venture.
Recently, four Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) students won fourth place in the nationwide SAS FinTech Challenge 2017-2018, competing against students from 200 institutions of higher learning, including finalists; Asia Pacific University (APU), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UniTen), Nottingham and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR).
Amraj Singh, who won a UQ scholarship to complete his Bachelor of Information Technology in Australia, is the first HELP Diploma in Information Technology student to be awarded a UQ scholarship.
Currently, the Faculty of Computing and Digital Technology (FCDT), HU offers a total of four programmes – the Diploma in Information Technology and three degree programmes.
The diploma is a two-year programme, which opens up pathways to two top Australian universities, UQ, Australian National University and Cardiff University in the UK.
The three degree programmes are the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) as well as the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Data Analytics and also Mobile Computing.
The Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) (Hons), encompasses the Work-Based Learning (WBL) component.
WBL is a platform that provides students with the opportunities to undertake units of academic study for which credit is awarded through work placements.
The FCDT also enjoys a popular credit transfer arrangement with UQ, which allows students to transfer to UQ for the Bachelor of Engineering, BIT and BIT (Hons), Bachelor in Computer Science programmes.
HELP Diploma in IT students can progress to UQ to complete the BIT in one and half years, and the Bachelor in Computer Science in two years.
For BIT, there is a 2+1 credit transfer arrangement with UQ and a 2+1.5 credit-transfer arrangement for the Bachelor in Computer Science.
Students can also pursue their Master in Computer Science under this credit transfer arrangement with UQ.
In January 2018, the FCDT introduced a completely new programme, the Postgraduate Certificate in Software Engineering (PGCSE) in collaboration with the International Technological University (ITU), a Western Association Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredited non-profit graduate university in San Jose, California, located close to hi-tech companies such as Apple, Google and Cisco.
This unique one-and-a-half-year Master of Science in Software Engineering programme enables students to gain a full year of working experience in the United States, where they are paid a salary and gain work experience at the same time.
The pathway requires students to spend six months at HELP University and complete five modules before being accepted at ITU. The next intake is on May 23.