The administrative staff initiative is in response to USM’s call to ensure a conducive and safe campus environment, especially in offices, to ensure the well-being of every member. Among the activities carried out are:
i. Separating necessary items from unnecessary ones.
ii. Organizing necessary items for easy access and use.
iii. Marking locations for each item and ensuring items are returned to their original places after use.
iv. Thoroughly cleaning the workplace.
v. Ensuring all equipment and work areas are clean.
vi. Selling used papers and using the proceeds for relevant purposes such as celebrating staff with a reception.
Through the implementation of these activities, the 5S process can help improve productivity, safety, and employee motivation in the workplace.
EDUNIVERSAL
This professional program has successfully created and developed a special program titled the Professional Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice. As part of our social responsibility, GSB USM is proud to collaborate with ADRC, an organization dedicated to providing alternative dispute resolution training and development programs to equip community leaders with relevant competencies in delivering alternative dispute resolution services.
Alternative dispute resolution, particularly mediation, is crucial in ensuring harmonious living within communities by resolving conflicts—whether big or small—before they escalate into damaging cases that may take a long time to resolve in courts. With mediators in the community such as ADRC, we empower community leaders to provide support and guidance in managing community interests where they reside. We at GSB USM are indeed proud and delighted to have formed a partnership with ADRC to offer community-focused programs that have a positive social impact and support national agendas.
This program has produced 73 graduates in the field of Professional Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice through collaboration with the non-governmental organization, Advanced Dispute Resolution Centre (ADRC).
The objective of this agreement is to focus on professional learning and training programs aimed at enhancing the competency and knowledge of students in facing challenges in their respective workplaces. The program was attended and the document was signed by Ybhg Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ir Abdul Rahman Mohamed, Vice-Chancellor of USM, and Mr. Lam Chee Hong, President of B. Braun Asia Pacific.
One of the GSB staff members has been tested with health issues affecting both of his children at the same time. At the same time, a cleaning staff member was also tested with health issues involving her child who was in a road accident. To demonstrate concern and to alleviate the burden on both of them and their families, GSB through iClub@GSB has taken the initiative to collect contributions from all staff to be extended to Mr. Shahir and Mrs. Misha. May this sincere effort and intention further strengthen the bond among all staff and employees at GSB.
This activity serves as an approach to strengthen the bonds between staff of various ethnicities. The targeted objective is to make cooking events a platform for fostering unity and goodwill among the diverse community. All staff members participate in preparing special meals every Ramadan. The porridge is then distributed to all staff members and some representatives from the top management of USM.
GSB also agreed to contribute in the form of refreshments as agreed at the university level. In 2023, GSB agreed to provide ice cream to the attending guests.
For the first time, the Raya feast at GSB was held by inviting guests from outside GSB. Various delicious dishes were prepared and attended by GSB staff as well as invited external guests. This program is a collaborative effort between the Academic Center with additional financial support from iClub@GSB.
The involvement of all USM staff in community work activities is one effort to contribute to green sustainability practices. GSB is also not left behind in participating in several activities such as cleaning and disposing of old materials that are deemed unnecessary. These activities indirectly foster awareness of the importance of maintaining environmental cleanliness in enhancing the department’s image. The activities have boosted team spirit, teamwork, and voluntary participation among participants as they were joined by all administrative and academic staff.
The idea proposed by the staff to use the vacant land behind the Dean’s Office has been well-received by everyone, especially the senior management of GSB. Chili plants have been planted and have yielded good results. The chilies were eaten during the reception on that day and also picked by staff whenever needed.
The Graduate School of Business (GSB) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 2018. Under this agreement, GSB began offering a Dual Degree Program and the first cohort of students commenced in the Academic Session 2018/2019. As an extension of this collaboration, students from both institutions are required to participate in cultural visits and undertake industrial visits in the partner country. For the year 2023, two cultural visits have been planned: one in June and another in November, involving a total of 11 students—three for June and eight for November.
These cultural visits, coupled with academic discussions, provide a platform for senior management of GSB to engage in dialogue and discuss fostering collaboration between the two universities through academic channels and research.
This program can be considered as an annual program organized by iClub@GSB that can be attended by all staff as a recreational and friendly activity, in addition to enjoying a meal together. The activity will strengthen the camaraderie among staff who rarely meet informally, often only encountering each other a few times during official academic center events. The objective of the program is to foster closer relationships among staff and celebrate the arrival of the fruit season, which is a cultural practice in Malaysia.
This program is a team-building activity between the Management and Administrative Staff of the Centre of Studies which aims to rejuvenate momentum in the management and administration of human resources, focusing on the effectiveness of team building to cultivate skilled, innovative, creative, competitive, and organizationally responsive staff.
Its objectives include boosting team spirit, fostering identity and motivation particularly among administrative staff and the outgoing EXCO members completing their final year of a three-year tenure. Indirectly, it aims to enhance the quality of GSB staff. The program also aims to build trust and understanding among colleagues, train and develop resilience in facing various challenges during their tenure.
Additionally, this activity is recommended in the GSB Strategic Plan 2023-2025.
The Program Engagement on Community Sustainovation is an international collaboration program involving (1) GSB@USM, Prince of Songkhla University (PSU), Thailand, and (3) Chung Hua University, Taiwan. The aim of this program is to provide opportunities for GSB@USM staff and students to experience international engagement in sustainability/SDG-related programs.
The program will be divided into three phases.
For the first phase, a five-day engagement program at PSU will be organized. During these five days, GSB@USM participants will attend short classes where they will be educated on global and local sustainability needs. Participants will be divided into teams and engage with PSU for more conducive conversations and community building. The tentative schedule for this 5-day program has been finalized to achieve the program’s objectives.
In the second phase, a direct event involving all three universities will be arranged. GSB@USM will select a beach and identify a community to participate in a beach cleaning event. This event aims to encourage individuals to take concrete steps in their daily lives to reduce environmental damage and promote sustainability. Initial discussions have been held between GSB@USM and the Southwest District Community Welfare Office to select this community.
To generate long-term impact from the program, the third phase involves close collaboration with the identified community. GSB@USM will facilitate a six-month program to empower the community in marine and coastal waste management.
The objectives of this program are:
i. To educate participants and the community about the impact of waste on marine and coastal environments.
ii. To exchange knowledge on social responsibility in addressing the urgent need for better waste management.
iii. To build international relationships and encourage dialogue on global environmental issues involving universities from different countries.
This activity is in response to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Call for Announcement Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Implementation and Empowerment of Sustainability Affairs at Universiti Sains Malaysia, announced on March 14, 2023. The announcement highlighted Article 6, which emphasizes greening office spaces. It is highly appropriate for GSB to take steps to utilize the land surrounding buildings for planting greenery. To ensure optimal land use, the proposal suggests planting vegetables or plants that can yield benefits for everyone. Flowering plants will also be potted for placement inside buildings as appropriate.
Program objectives:
1. Foster closer relationships among staff through activities.
2. Provide side activities that refresh the mind and provide rejuvenation.
3. Green the surroundings of the buildings.
4. Share experiences among staff related to planting and caring for plants.
The International Coastal Cleanup Program on September 26, 2023. This program offers a unique international opportunity with a focus on sustainability and SDGs, particularly for the Center for Studies and students of GSB@USM. Key stakeholders, including the Center for Global Sustainability Studies and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Office at Universiti Sains Malaysia, as well as endorsement from the Bayan Baru PKR Parliament Member YB Sim Tze Tzin, provide full support for this initiative. The program was concurrently held at three universities and broadcasted live for global participation and knowledge sharing. We are dedicated to ensuring sustained impact through close collaboration with the local community. This program is a collaboration among the Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia (GSB@USM), Prince of Songkla University Thailand, Chung Hua University Taiwan, supported by UNESCO-IHP Malaysia and USM’s Sustainable Campus.
GSB will continue to strive to move forward by strategically planning for the next five years, from 2024 to 2028. These five years will form a solid foundation for long-term planning to create space and opportunities, as well as a strategic framework for increasing GSB’s KPI (Key Performance Indicators) and KIP (Key Impact Projects) in the subsequent years.
In this regard, the GSB Direction Alignment Laboratory 2023 was held from October 6 to 8, 2023. One of the objectives of this workshop was to review and assess the current achievements of the Strategic Plan 2018-2022, and to outline a new strategic plan (2024-2028) in line with current needs and developments. This year, GSB also achieved prestigious international recognition/accreditation from AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). This accreditation is one of the criteria and requirements evaluated to determine GSB’s direction and goals as a globally renowned business school.
In addition to conducting workshops, GSB also visited the National University of Singapore (NUS). These workshops and visits have yielded positive outcomes and received excellent feedback from all participants. The satisfactory participation from all staff has had a significant impact and fostered close cooperation within the Academic Center.
GSB has received a visit from two representatives, Associate Professor Dr. Pensri Jaroenwanit, Dean of Khon Kaen Business School, and Assistant Professor D. Ploypailin Kijkasiwat, Assistant Dean for International and Communications Affairs at Khon Kaen Business School, Khon Kaen University. Both faculties have agreed to hold a brief ceremony as a symbol of sealing the agreement in efforts to promote, develop, and establish cooperation in research, education, and training programs in the following areas:
(a) student and/or staff exchange;
(b) joint academic programs;
(c) joint research and development programs;
(d) workshops and joint training programs; publication exchanges; and any other academic relationships and collaborations to be identified and jointly agreed upon from time to time.
As an appreciation for the services rendered by all staff members, GSB has agreed to provide each staff member with an umbrella. It is hoped that this early year gift will uplift the spirits of all its members to continue providing their best service to GSB.
The Dean, together with the MBA Program Manager and the Deputy Registrar of GSB, attended the General Meeting of The Alliance on Business Education and Scholarship for Tomorrow, A 21st Century Organization (ABEST21) and engaged in academic discussions and the signing ceremony of the MoU with Shizenkan University, as well as participation as a panel member in the Sustainability Leadership Forum from the Pan-Asian Network from 17th to 21st March 2024.
The Alliance on Business Education And Scholarship For Tomorrow, A 21st Century Organisation (ABEST21) is an accreditation body established in Japan under a consortium consisting of 54 members from business schools across various countries (and growing). ABEST21 is recognized by the Ministry of Education, Japan, for conducting audits of higher education institutions offering Management and Business programs worldwide. The Graduate School of Business (GSB) became a member of ABEST21 in 2011, and several academic staff from GSB have been appointed as audit panel members for academic programs, particularly the Master of Business Administration in the Asian region. The Dean of GSB has also been appointed as an International Advisor to ABEST21. This underscores the accreditation body’s recognition of the quality of USM’s academic programs.
GSB also agreed to contribute in the form of refreshments as agreed at the university level. In 2024, GSB agreed to provide sugarcane juice to the attending guests.
R Raya@GSB continues as it is done every year. This feast is attended by all staff and relevant guests, including former staff, GSB alumni (USM staff), instructors, ICAP members, department heads, and staff closely involved with GSB, who consistently cooperate and assist in daily tasks or GSB activities throughout the year. Typically, this program is a collaborative effort between GSB and iClub@GSB. It becomes more festive with food contributions from the staff, including a roasted whole lamb donated by Prof. Dr. Azlan Amran.
The management of GSB has agreed for GSB to carry out vegetable planting activities at the Centre for Studies as one of the activities to support sustainability programs at USM. This visit has been conducted twice and attended by 7 staff members with the aim of familiarizing, learning, and sharing knowledge related to vegetable cultivation, especially hydroponic or fertigation methods. With guidance from instructors and trainers at PPDK, the staff indirectly gained understanding of the methods and implementation of cultivation to be applied at GSB. GSB also agreed to collaborate with PPDK to obtain vegetable seeds and other necessary requirements to ensure the success of this activity at GSB.
This program is a team-building activity between the Management and Administrative Staff of the Faculty Centre aimed at revitalizing momentum in the management and administration of human resources, focusing on the effectiveness of team building with the goal of nurturing skilled, innovative, creative, competitive, and organizationally sensitive staff.
Its objectives include boosting team spirit, fostering identity and motivation, especially among administrative staff and the EXCO team entering their final year of a three-year appointment. Indirectly, it aims to enhance the quality of GSB staff. The program also aims to build trust and mutual understanding among colleagues, as well as to train and cultivate resilience in facing various challenges encountered during duty.
Furthermore, this initiative is recommended within the Strategic Plan of GSB 2023-2025.
The university is now moving towards sustainable development in its mission to achieve SDG (Sustainability Development Goal) through an action plan for a better and more sustainable future in addressing the global challenges we face. In support of the university’s mission to realize this sustainability campaign, the Graduate School of Business (GSB) Club i@GSB has initiated the design of a program called “Health Sustainability,” aligned with the elements outlined under SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being. This aims to assess the extent of university culture in the holistic health and well-being aspects of staff and students.
The involvement and engagement of the Wellness Center in this program demonstrate unwavering concern and support from all members of USM towards the university’s mission to realize this sustainability campaign, which is being actively pursued. This collaboration is an effort to ensure the cultivation of university elements as outlined under SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being in the holistic health and well-being aspects of staff and students.
The coastal mangrove planting activity at Sungai Aceh, Nibong Tebal recently, organized by the Postgraduate Students Association of the Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, successfully attracted 32 participants who planted 100 mangrove saplings. The program proceeded smoothly and achieved its objectives of raising awareness about the importance of mangrove conservation, understanding the positive effects of mangrove forests on the environment and coastal communities, and sharing current knowledge with the local fishing community. The support and dedication of the participants, including students and staff from GSB, made this activity successful and strengthened our collective commitment to preserve and restore the environment for a greener and more sustainable future.
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), in collaboration with the Graduate School of Business, will be organizing the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Engagement with Future Nation Builders Program on 30th May 2024 (Thursday) at 2:30 PM, located at Pes’eban Agung, School of Arts, USM.
The objective of this program is to promote financial literacy and awareness among youth, covering topics such as basic personal financial management and fraud awareness. Additionally, an economic discussion session will expose participants to several economic assessments and BNM’s research findings from the BNM Economic and Financial Review 2023. This program also serves as a platform for youth to inquire about BNM-related matters, the roles and responsibilities of BNM, and future career opportunities within BNM.
Targeted at youth participation, the program will be conducted by Mr. Fraziali Ismail, Deputy Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, and will consist of two sessions:
i. Session 1 – BNM Engagement with Future Nation Builders
ii. Session 2 – Economic Development and Inflation Outlook 2024
Session 1
A discussion session between the Graduate School of Business and the School of Health Sciences aimed to discuss the potential for transdisciplinary research among academics from both Schools at USM. This session was attended by the Dean; Associate Professor Dr. Fathyah Hashim from GSB and YBrs. Professor Dr. Wan Rosli Bin Wan Ishak from the School of Health Sciences along with the senior management of both Schools. It was a fruitful discussion and may lead to positive transdisciplinary research outcomes.
Session 2
A sharing session between the Graduate School of Business and the School of Medical Sciences, USM. This session was to further discuss best practices and experiences of the Joint Degree Program that will be offered by GSB in the future. The discussion was attended by the Senior Management of both the Graduate School of Business and the School of Medical Sciences, USM. GSB is very grateful to the School of Medical Sciences, USM, led by Prof. Dr. Irfan Mohammad and his team for their valuable input and contributions in this session.
The scheduled activity was attended by a large number of GSB staff. All participants were very excited and everyone took part in the planting. The activity began with a brief speech by the Dean, followed by a briefing from the GSB Sustainability Officer and a short briefing by the GSB Green Project Leader 2024. The planting session was also assisted by Mr. Muhamad Hamzah Bin Abdul Hamid, Program Manager of Economic Development, Unit for Social Innovation & Knowledge Transfer. He provided guidance and instructions to participants for effective planting. Among the vegetables successfully planted were water spinach, pennywort, water celery, Vietnamese coriander, mint, and Brazilian spinach. Pandan plants, chili peppers, and Coleus plants were also planted during this session.
This activity is a follow-up activity that needs to be conducted regularly to ensure orderliness, tidiness, and safety in the workplace. All staff are requested to ensure that they have carried out the 5S activities in their respective work areas. Documents that are no longer necessary and not in use are to be placed in the designated area for further action. Academic staff are also requested to identify documents that need to be sorted/disposed of and sent to the collection point. It is hoped that this 5S practice will be effective in creating a systematically and practically high-quality work environment.
All project members and administrative staff were requested to go to the field to treat and replant according to the current conditions of the plants. The plants that were being cultivated had experienced wilting, with some having dried out and died. During this session, the wilted plants were treated again using the same method, replacing the original wicks with batik fabric wicks. The project members also replanted kesum and Brazilian spinach using the same method and only soil planting. The treated plants were placed under sunlight, while the newly planted ones were placed in a shadier area. This session also focused on planting heart-shaped flowers in an open area (inside the pond circle). In addition to planting, the team also took the opportunity to clean the area together.
The GSB administration has taken the initiative to invite a representative from PPKT to give a briefing to all GSB staff regarding the above matters to ensure that the Outlook and OneDrive storage processes do not encounter any issues or difficulties. This session was attended by a large number of GSB staff to learn more about the appropriate methods to reduce storage according to the requirements of USM and KPT. At the end of the session, a Q&A session was held, and participants carried out cleaning with assistance from the instructor.
This session is a follow-up to the email announcement from PPKT regarding M365 Storage Clearing Days. The current status and efforts to reduce USM storage have been communicated. Storage cleaning for Outlook and OneDrive usage is still actively ongoing to ensure that the total storage for the USM organization is reduced to 350 TB before August 1, 2024. This is to enable Outlook email and OneDrive services to be used as usual on August 1, 2024.
The purpose of the program is to share knowledge, information, and skills related to: i. Library Services and Research Support ii. USM Community Article Supply Services & Pay Per View (PPV) Article Supply Services iii. Interlibrary Loan Services iv. Book Purchase Recommendation Services
This session will continue as one of the mandatory activities to be held. It was scheduled during the Council Meeting, which will be attended by all academic staff to ensure optimal use of time and full attendance by GSB staff. This time, we celebrated the birthdays of staff members who have birthdays from January to June 2024. The main event was the cake-cutting ceremony, followed by a meal and group photos as a keepsake.
Knowledge Sharing Session by Ms. Nazeerah who attended the course ‘Office & ICT Management Towards AI Sustainability’ from August 27 to 29, 2024, at De Baron Resort, Langkawi. The topics covered included:
i. Introduction to AI
ii. Introduction to Chat GPT
iii. Official Document Writing Format
iv. Filing Systems
v. Digital Document Management System (DDMS)
vi. Government Record Disposal
She presented a summary of the topics and shared documents for reference with other administrative staff. The session also included a Q&A segment between the staff and the presenter. This session was valuable for exposing and enhancing the knowledge and skills among staff at the Center for Studies, especially administrative staff.
This session was an initiative by the GSB Administration to ensure that functional courses are provided to administrative staff. With the agreement of the majority, the financial scope is an important and beneficial area to be exposed to and explained more clearly, especially by the relevant parties. The representatives from the USM Treasurer’s Office have agreed and appointed two of their officers to deliver lectures on the following topics:
a) Financial Payment Procedures for Staff
Introduction to Vote Breakdown
Staff Travel Claims
Staff Allowance Claims
b) Procurement Procedures via USM e-P System
Direct Purchases
University Quotation
Overall, this session was highly beneficial as a guide and reference for administrative staff and the GSB executive team, whether directly or indirectly involved in financial matters at the School of Studies. Each session concluded with a Q&A session and a special explanation for staff responsible for performing financial tasks.
