UCSI on Expansion Drive

UNIVERSITY College Sedaya International (UCSI) is putting the money where its proverbial mouth is with heavy investments in building new campuses over the next few years.

Its major projects are to build a main campus on 64ha site in Seremban, Negri Sembilan by next year and a campus for its medical school is taking shape on a 22ha site in Marang, Terengganu.

The new facilities are part of UCSI’s expansion programmes to strengthen its position as one of the top private education providers in the country.

Its existing campus in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur will be renamed as UCSI City Campus when the two projects are completed.

UCSI president and vice-chancellor Peter T.S. Ng said investment in education should be a long-term plan as the returns could not be reaped immediately.

“Those who invest in the education sector should not expect to get quick returns as the industry requires a very focused management practice,” he said.

As an education provider, he said, it ran the risks of facing public disapproval if they started losing faith in the institution or the quality of the education it offered.

For example, students who encountered a bad experience with the college would not only lose their trust but might also advise others against enrolling in the institution altogether.

“The education industry is not just about selling commodities. The buyers of our service will come to us later for advanced studies if they are satisfied with our service,” he said.

UCSI comes under the UCSI Education Sdn Bhd, which also manages colleges, kindergartens, secondary and primary schools. Ng, who is the UCSI founder, started a small outfit known as Canadian Institute of Computer Science 20 years ago with “a few computers and a handful of students”.

Now, there are about 6,000 students, of whom 1,300 are foreign students pursuing various courses at its 13 schools in the RM80 million Cheras campus.

He said the students’ population would be increased to 15,000 in the next few years and UCSI had now started expanding its residential blocks to accommodate the surplus.

Of the total enrolment, foreign students would form up to 30 per cent, or 4,500.

He said the city campus would soon have a five-star hotel, residential hall for students and main corporate offices of the UCSI.

The campus in Terengganu, which was expected to be occupied by next May, would be the base to train medical students from the third to fifth year.

The students would undergo their clinical studies in the Kuala Terengganu Hospital.

He said a centre for the English language would also be established in Terengganu to cater to students from the east coast.

“It will be a major English learning centre offering a full range of courses with a greater focus on developing communicative English skills of the students.”

Ng said UCSI is different from other institutions as it emphasises “deep learning”, where graduates would be able to contribute effectively to their organisations.

“Our students should become lifelong learners who are able to acquire new skills as the technology and knowledge keep changing.” He said the teaching method used at UCSI is to guide students how to learn and cope well with studies besides honing their ability to be resourceful in obtaining study materials.

“They will not be spoon-fed by our professors but they will get tonnes of assignments as well as being taught the skills to analyse substantial information,” he said.

On the future of the industry, Ng foresees tougher competition ahead in the private education sector as institutions rival one another to attract students.

“I anticipate that the bigger institutions will survive better as they have formed a niche market to draw students. Besides, they have the momentum to grow,” he said.

However, the smaller colleges would be in danger of being wound up if the management failed to recognise the needs of the market and make adjustments to rise to the challenges.

“But, I have tremendous faith in this industry. For me, success breeds success,” he said.

* For more information, call 03-91018880, e-mail admit@ucsi.edu.my or visit www.ucsi.edu.my

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