Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the decision to appoint PKK UPM was made based on its performance, which clearly advances farther than other PKK IPT in carrying out activities to hone soft skills (KI).
“The realization of Finishing School, Starting School and of recent, Intermediate School is indeed a wise move made by PKK UPM in propagating KI to UPM students.
“The Ministry sees PKK UPM as an established leading centre to carry out KI for instance the hosting of Seminar on A Day of Good Deeds held today,” he said during the officiating ceremony.
He also mentioned that PKK UPM’s achievement should inspire PKK in other universities as it is also active in on KI publication.
“Congratulations to PKK UPM for publishing 30 books on KI for everyone’s reference including the recent publication titled, ‘Tujuh Kemahiran Insaniah Pelajar : Huraian dan Pengukuran’.
“The book, apart from describing the seven soft skills; communication, critical thinking, teamwork, entrepreneurship, values and ethics, and lifelong learning, it also discusses the KI measuring technique to determine the value needed by potential employer,” he said.
Dato’ Seri Khaled said the Ministry through the Department Higher Education (JPT) has taken an initiative to develop an instrument that is able to rate students’ proficiency in the KI elements known as Malaysian Soft Skills Scale – My3S.
In addition, Director of PKK UPM, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohammad Shatar Sabran aid in his speech that the seminar is aimed to enhance one’s knowledge on the seven soft skills and to know in depth on KI practice at the University.
He highly welcomes the involvement of other IPT to contribute ideas and knowledge on KI, aligned with its appointment as the Operational Management Centre for TOT KKB.
Vice Chancellor of UPM, Prof. Datuk Dr. Nik Mustapha R. Abdullah said the University’s management hopes that PKK UPM will make great effort to add international element as one of KKB course.
“The element of internationalization could be in short term of mobility abroad in order to produce competitive UPM graduates in the national and international employment market,” he said.
The seminar garnered directors of PKK, student development officers, KKB facilitators and student representatives from all IPT.
Among the presenters were Special Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Raduan Che Rose; General Manager, Corporate Affairs of Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Datin Saadiah Badrudin; Director of Student Affairs and Development in JPT, Prof. Dr. Mohd Fauzi Hj. Ramlan and Director of PKK Universiti Sains Malaysia, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Tajudin Othman.
