Collaboration focuses on management systems standards and personnel competency
KUCHING: In line with the government initiative to create high skill employment opportunities to fulfill the needs of industries in Malaysia, Sirim and Open University Malaysia (OUM) recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU will see both parties collaborate in the areas of management systems standards and personnel competency through a Master of Quality Management Programme.
The MoU was signed by Sirim president and group chief executive, Prof Dr Ahmad Fadzil Mohamad Hani and Sirim STS Sdn Bhd managing director Dr Norlinda Mohd Zawawi; while OUM was represented by its president and vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mansor Fadzil and planning and strategy vice president Prof Ramli Bahroom. The MoU was signed at the university’s main campus in Kuala Lumpur.
Ahmad said the Master of Quality Management Programme is one the most successful collaborations between Sirim Berhad, through its subsidiary, Sirim STS Sdn Bhd and a higher learning institution.
“Through this programme, Sirim helps organisation and employer to further enhance the competency of personnel involved in the day-to-day managing the quality control and quality assurance matters, such as the Quality Engineers, Quality Inspectors, Quality Managers, Quality Management Representatives (QMRs), Document Controllers, Quality Auditors and Compliance Officers.
“The programme is further strengthened through collaboration with Sirim Berhad, which integrates both academics and industrial experts in the teaching and learning process,” he added.
Ahmad said the government is seriously looking into talent development in its efforts to address the current shortfalls within the workforce.
“Malaysia workforce will now have to equip themselves with the right tools and skills to remain relevant. In the recently launched policy, the Industry4WRD, by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), an agile framework that will remain relevant in the future has been set up. Industry4WRD is tailored to Malaysia’s context and needs of our industry to move forward, focusing on the manufacturing and manufacturing related services,” he said.
He emphasised the four overarching goals of the Industry4WRD are to drive continuous growth in manufacturing GDP; increase national productivity; create high skill employment opportunities; and raise innovation capabilities and competitiveness.
Besides obtaining Master of Quality Management (MQM) from OUM, graduates will be awarded with three additional certificates from Sirim, namely Certificate in Lead Auditor for ISO 9001:2015, Certified Quality Professional and Certified Quality Manager upon completion of additional modules introduced by SIRIM. The certification will be significantly useful to graduates who are currently managing quality management systems (QMS) or quality assurance and will enhance their career in quality management.
The MQM programme will provide graduates with a solid foundation in the theory and application of various concepts that form the basis of Total Quality Management (TQM). It covers the areas of TQM, Quality Improvement Tools and Methods, Standards-based Management Systems and other best practices.
Since its launch in September 2015, more than 155 students have enrolled in the programme with diverse backgrounds, such as the service, manufacturing and government sectors. A total of 36 students have been awarded with Certified Quality Professional or Certified Quality Manager.
More than 15 programmes have been introduced, which include Certified Quality Professional (CQP), Certified Quality Manager (CQM), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Quality Inspector (CQI).
