A Pursuit for Knowledge
At times, leaving the comforts of home for a personal quest could be rewarding. Da Jiaqi (Da Jackie) left his home in Shenzhen, China and travelled more than two thousand kilometres to Malaysia, where he pursued his Master’s degree in Finance and Banking at Nilai University. Jackie graduated with a degree in China and dreamt of living and studying abroad.
“A senior university fellow in China recommended Nilai University. I did some research online and was happy to discover a University sited on a natural green environment. In addition, the lifestyle in Nilai is more affordable compared to the bustling Kuala Lumpur city,” declared Jackie.
.JPG)
At Nilai University, he could enjoy the best of worlds. Besides being in a conducive learning environment, Nilai University is easily accessible via highways. The international airports are just 20 minutes from the University, so it is easy for his parents to visit. Also, the lures of KL city is just a mere 35 minutes' drive, or one could easily hop on the KTM commuter for a getaway in the city. Jackie laughed and shared; he would definitely prefer to shop in Kuala Lumpur.
On the other hand, Jackie prefers to spend his weekend on-campus, playing a game of basketball with his cohort or going for a swim at the nearby Nilai Springs Golf and Country club. Since Nilai Springs Gold and Country Club is a sister company, students from Nilai University could use the swimming pool or have a hand in a game of golf.
“Honestly, it is easy to adjust. Malaysia has the same time zone as my homeland, so I could always keep in touch with family and friends. The lectures here are accommodating and knowledgeable. Some of my lecturers have solid work experiences in banking and finance,” expressed Jackie.
Jackie felt his programme supervisor, Prof. Dr Sivakumar Velayutham, challenged him to think deeply and explore the Islamic concept in banking and finance. “The concepts and systems of Islamic Banking are new to me. In China, I only learned about conventional banking systems and operations. The exposure gave me a better perspective of alternative banking and financing concepts and systems. I am very grateful to Prof. Dr Siva for nudging me to research on Islamic Banking concepts,” explained Jackie.
Furthermore, the English language is widely used during lectures and within the University. It was a suitable environment for Jackie to sharpen his proficiency in the English language. His confidence in using the language grew over time, and it gave him a competitive advantage in moving up the corporate ladder.
Jackie graduated with a Master of Business Administration, Banking and Finance in 2016. After which, he returned to China and was ecstatic to receive a job offer within a month. Later, he was promoted to handle overseas customers from Indonesia. Besides, the knowledge gained, he had an advantage over his colleagues because of his flair in the English language.
After gaining the corporate experience, Jackie pursued his PhD, again in Malaysia. He is ever grateful, not only to his lecturers but also held the friendships fostered at Nilai University close to his heart. “My course mates were very hardworking and focused, a camaraderie of the like-minded which encouraged me to excel. Also, I have made friends from all over the world, namely Pakistan, Kenya and Vietnam,” said Jackie.
“Nilai University offers several MBA programmes, with specialisations in key business areas such as Human Resource Management, Banking and Finance, Management and Marketing. Almost 90% of the programme structure is based on coursework,” mentioned Prof. Dr Siva, Dean, Faculty of Business and Hospitality.
Under his belt, Prof. Dr Siva has over 30 years of lecturing Accounting and Finance courses overseas. He has taught in several established universities in New Zealand, Australia and Dubai, “In a coursework-based MBA, students will further sharpen their analytical, problem-solving and writing skills, giving them an advantage in mid-management positions,” clarified Prof. Dr Siva.
“Furthermore, we stringently select comprehensive research works and assist students to publish. It will be a testament to their achievement and students could fall back on their research done for future career progression” mentioned Prof. Dr Siva.
The entry requirement for a Master of Business Administration is a Bachelor’s Degree and five years of working experience. Full-time students could graduate within 1 year while part-time students may require 2 to 3 years to complete the programme.
For further enquiries on postgraduate programmes, please call 06-850 2308 for an appointment or click on www.nilai.edu.my or visit our campus in Nilai. Intake in progress for January 2020.
Read Online: PressReader.com
