Postgraduate colloquium contributes to the advancement of postgraduate research

Miri – 19 December 2011 – As part of its continuing efforts to support postgraduate students by research, the School of Business at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) recently held its first Curtin Postgraduate Colloquium.

Organised in a collaborative, open and friendly environment, the 2-day colloquium provided opportunities for research students to present the progress of their work and, at the same time, obtain constructive feedback and comments on their projects from a panel of regional researchers, research reviewers, examiners and supervisors.

“It was also an opportunity for the participants to engage in stimulating and thought-provoking dialogues, discover critical success factors for postgraduate thesis, discuss theories, and connect to individual research interests” said Dr. Gomathi Shanmuganathan, organising chairperson for the colloquium.

The keynote speaker for the event was Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Ghauth Jasmon (Vice Chancellor, University of Malaya), while the plenary speakers were Associate Professor Dr. Ernest Cyril De Run (Deputy Dean, Centre for Graduate Studies, Faculty of Economics and Business, University Malaysia Sarawak) and Associate Professor Zaharom Nain (Head of Postgraduate Studies and Research, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, The University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus).

In addition to the keynote and plenary papers, a total of 28 concurrent papers were presented by academics from local and international institutions of higher learning, including Curtin Sarawak, Sunway University, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, University Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia, Xiamen University, China, and Islamic Azad University, Bonab Branch, Iran.

A variety of issues and topics were presented, including Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Ghauth’s keynote address entitled ‘Impact of Organisational Environment (Support, Resources, Strategy, Leadership and others) for a Rich Output in Academic Research’, and Associate Professor Dr. Ernest Cyril De Run’s and Associate Professor Zaharom Nain’s plenary papers entitled ‘How to Establish and Maintain a Constructive Supervisor-Student Relationship’ and ‘New Media, Old Media and Contemporary Malaysian Politics’ respectively.

Organising Joint Secretaries Chan Kwok Mow remarked that the Curtin Postgraduate Colloquium helps foster a culture of research in universities and could be organised more regularly.

“A colloquium, like any academic discourse, attracts like-minded research activists and renowned academics like our keynote and plenary speakers to come together for knowledge sharing. This has a long term knock-on effect in promoting Curtin Sarawak, particularly its School of Business, as a research-focused institution”, said Chan.

The colloquium was supported by Sarawak Convention Bureau and Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

For more information on Curtin Sarawak, visit its website at www.curtin.edu.my or e-mail enquiries@curtin.edu.my.

(L-R) Dr. Francois Therin, Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Ghauth Jasmon and Professor Alistair Inglis at colloquium dinner.

Staff of School of Business with Associate Professor Dr. Ernest Cyril De Run (right) at the colloquium dinner.

Dean of School of Business Dr. Francois Therin delivering his speech.