Curtin Sarawak Appoints New Director of Business

MIRI, APRIL 3, 2006 – Keling Stevenson Boniface Ancheh, a Senior Lecturer – Accounting at Curtin University of Technology Sarawak (Curtin Sarawak) is appointed the new Director of Business effective 1 April 2006.

Mr Keling Stevenson said, “With this new appointment I hope to expand the courses offered by the School of Business, particularly in the areas of post graduate studies, to meet the needs of the community and other stakeholders.

At the same time, I plan to enhance the reputation of the School of Business for excellence and innovation. This is to be reflected in the Teaching and Learning activities as well as Research and Development projects conducted through collaboration with the university’s strategic partners, both local and international. A local Sarawakian, Mr Keling Stevenson joined Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Campus in February 1999 and lectures Costing & Managerial Accounting and Marketing. In July 2000, he was appointed as the Acting Head of the School of Business and helped to establish the School of Business.

In May 2004, Mr Keling Stevenson was appointed the Manager for Curtin Consultancy Services (M) Sdn Bhd, a wholly own commercial arm of the university. In February 2005, he was appointed the General Manager of Curtin Consultancy Services (M) Sdn Bhd.

Mr Keling Stevenson is also a Strategic Planning workshop facilitator and trainer. His areas of training include Train the Trainer, Influencing Skills, Customer Services Skills, Managerial Leadership Skills and Performance Management. He also conducts market research for various companies and his current market research is for the Miri Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry entitled, “Miri Business Confidence Survey”.

A Member of Malaysian Institute Management (MIM), Australia, New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM) Mr Keling Stevenson is due to complete his Doctorate in Business Administration in 2006.

Mr Keling Stevenson is actively involved in research, especially in the areas of Marketing of Higher Education Institutions, International Education, Application of the Balanced Scorecard as well as in the areas of Urban Indigenous Entrepreneurship. His current research is entitled “Factors influencing Students’ Choice of Malaysian private Institutions of Higher Education”.

He said, “This research aims to identify the characteristics of the Malaysian private higher education institutions that are used by students to select the institutions of choice. I hope that the results of this research can help Malaysia strengthen its position as the regional center for education excellence.” Two of his articles related to this study have been accepted for publication by two international journals. “The changing Landscape of the Globalization International Higher education” will be published in the forthcoming special issue of the World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development (WREMSD). “Institutional factors attracting Students to Malaysian institutions of Higher education” will be published in the forthcoming April issue of International Review of Business Research Papers (IRBRP).”

Keling Stevenson Boniface Ancheh, Director of School of Business