Today I had the privilege to serve as a Board of Studies member for a program review at Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UNIKL), focusing on the Engineering Technology in Electronics Manufacturing field. The session brought together academics and industry experts to discuss and deliberate how future technologists can thrive in Malaysia’s fast-evolving manufacturing landscape.
Engineeting tech is a forward-thinking approach to curriculum formulation — one that balances practical skills and theoretical foundations in a 50:50 model. The discussion centered on ensuring that graduates are not only technically competent, but also digitally fluent, able to work with modern manufacturing systems that increasingly rely on automation, data analytics, and smart technologies.
In today’s factories, the shift from Excel-based monitoring to Power BI dashboards and AI-driven process insights is transforming how production decisions are made. Embedding data analytics and smart manufacturing concepts into the academic structure will empower future graduates to serve effectively in backend operations, process optimization, and industrial transformation initiatives — areas crucial to Malaysia’s ambition under Industry 4.0.
I found the review process deeply inspiring — a reflection of how universities like UNIKL are proactively aligning their programs with national and global needs, preparing graduates to be creative, adaptable, and industry-ready. This is indeed the way forward: designing curriculum not just for today’s jobs, but for tomorrow’s challenges.
All the best 🙂
