Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publisher
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia in association with Khon Kaen University, Thailand and Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Thailand.
Abstract
In many cultures and countries including Malaysia, the issue of incorporating generic skills into the curriculum taught to students in higher learning institutions has gained momentum in recent years. The raison d'être to inculcate generic skills among students is to enable the country to meet human resource requirements which will be more competitive in the advent of a borderless world. Growing concerns of the employability of graduates and the expansion in the size and diversity of student populations also form the basis to implement the generic skills program in universities. All undergraduate programs offered in public higher learning institutions in Malaysia are now required to incorporate generic skills in the curricula. This generic skill requirement is subject to reviews when programs are accredited and rated for quality assurance by the Ministry of Higher Education. In order to satisfy this requirement, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) as a new university has been proactive in redesigning the existing curriculum to be more competitive and marketable by integrating and implementing generic skills in the curriculum. This paper will discuss the approaches taken by UMT in integrating elements of generic skills in the teaching and learning activities. The experiences and challenges in the planning, implementing and assessing generic skills components are also elaborated. Finally, this paper ends with suggestions and recommendations with respect to further initiatives to enhance the employability of the graduates.
Comments
EDU-COM 2008 International Conference. Sustainability in Higher Education: Directions for Change, Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia, 19-21 November 2008.