Towards Global Knowledge Society: A SWOT Analysis of Pakistan Higher Education in Context of Internationalization

Internationalization has emerged as one of the central issues of higher education in the global knowledge economy. Developing countries like Pakistan are in the struggle to develop their higher education system in the globalized means to survive in the 21st fast pace global competitive industry. The efforts of Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan towards evolving international education settings are appreciable but still there is a need to identify basic mechanism and practices through which transformation of higher education to internationalization is possible. Current study is an overview of the trends of higher education globally, within Asia Pacific Region and specially in Pakistan. The aim of the study is to highlights the strengths and opportunities as well as weakness and threads of Pakistan’s higher education system by proposing a SWOT analysis of higher education internationalization. Pakistan is facing a number of challenges on the way towards globalization and modernization of educational institutes. The study highlights those issues and challenges and suggest a set of practical recommendations to speed up the internationalization process. Keywords: Internationalization, higher education, student mobility, globalizatio

Internationalization as Investment for Higher Education Institutions: Introducing a Framework to Enhance Investment in Internalization practices

Prior research has reflected various conceptualizations of internationalization in higher education and offered various perspectives on its activities and practices which in result have produced different pragmatic outcomes. In the 21st century, higher education institutions (HEIs) are progressively mobile as well as globally competitive and in response practices and strategies adopted by HEIs needed to reshape in global context. We advance research on the factors influencing internationalization practices and illustrate a conceptual framework to enhance the investment in internationalization activities by HEIs. It is argued that effectiveness of internationalization depend on the rise of internationalization at home activities, student/staff exchange programs, expanding ventures and institutional networks and alliances. The study, finally, suggests some practices that universities can adopt to speed up internationalization process. Keywords: Internationalization, investment, globalization, higher education, international student

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY : SPECIAL SOCIAL-ENTREPRENEURS @HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN MALAYSIA

Social entrepreneurship is defined as activities created by an innovative social value to achieve societal needs and financial sustainability. It is a business concept that involve conducting business that does not emphasis much on profit but for the benefit of mankind. Special Social Entrepreneur @Higher Education (SSEHE) is a programme mastered by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) that collaborated with four other universities in Malaysia. The aim of SSEHE is to get handicapped youths to get together and follow talks and discussion in order to create awareness on how they can stand on their own to make a living. The main objectives of SSEHE are transforming the mindset of the disabled youths that they can be independent by involving in entrepreneurial activities, introducing the basic entrepreneurial knowledge to the disabled youths, opening job opportunities to the disabled youths and helping the disabled youths to start and/or expand their business. SSEHE has high hope to continue this programme in the future so that disabled youths are aware that they can use their skills to make a living for themselves and their loved ones

An autonomous image-guided robotic system simulating industrial applications

This paper presents a robotic system based on a serial manipulator. The robot is a vertical articulated arm with 5 revolute joints having 6 Degree Of Freedom. Actuated with six precise servo motors, the system offers positional accuracy of ±0.5mm with a movement speed of 100mm/s. Forward and Inverse Kinematic model of the robot has been developed and its workspace has been analyzed to facilitate the use of robotic arm as a simulated industrial manipulator. Image processing has been done to make system more autonomous. Followed by a user's commands, the system acquires image of the environment using on-board camera. This image is processed to extract information about object's coordinates. Based on these coordinates, Inverse Kinematic model computes the required joint angles for the end-effector to reach at desired position and orientation thus enabling it to manipulate the object. The proposed system can be used in wide range of industrial applications involving pick and place, sorting and other object manipulation tasks. The system can also be potentially useful for heavy and 'giant' industrial applications after scaling up i.e. using huge robotic arm, employing multiple and better cameras and optimizing algorithms. © 2012 IEEE

Level I nodal positivity as a factor for involvement of the submandibular gland in oral cavity carcinoma: A case series report

Introduction: The routine practice of neck dissection in the surgical management of oral carcinoma has evolved into a more functionally conservative approach. Over time, the rationale for removal of the submandibular gland has been questioned. Routine extirpation of the submandibular gland can aggravate the xerostomia experienced by many patients, significantly affecting their quality of life. Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of submandibular gland metastases in oral cavity carcinoma and to identify possible factors that may affect their involvement. Methods: A total of 149 cases of oral carcinoma presenting at a private tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, over the course of 1 year were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Histopathological data showed that the submandibular gland was involved in 7 (4.7%) cases. Involvement of level I lymph nodes was found in all of the cases. Direct extension of primary tumor was noted in two cases when the primary tumor was in the floor of the mouth. Conclusion: The results suggest that preservation of the submandibular gland during neck dissection for oral carcinoma can be practiced safely when there is no evidence of direct extension of the primary tumor toward the submandibular gland or when there is no clinical or radiological evidence of neck disease in level I. Presence of pathological lymph nodes in level I requires caution when contemplating preservation of the submandibular gland

An Empirical Study of Food Safety, Food Handling, and Food Poisoning Awareness Among Foreign Students in Penang, Malaysia

These foreign students are highly concerned with food safety and food handling knowledge as they are presumably involved in perilous eating behaviours, which exposes them to the risk of foodborne diseases. The present cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the awareness and practices regarding food safety and food handling among the foreign students of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect demographic information and to assess awareness of food safety and food handling among foreign students. Questionnaires were distributed into five sections that concealed key food safety apprehensions. A total of 328 students received the questionnaires, and 203 (61.89%) responded. Cleanliness of eating tables, food temperature, smoke-free environment and food handler appearance are the key food safety considerations for the respondents. The results showed that a high percentage of male respondents (57.98%) experienced food poisoning, and considered food from restaurants is the cause of foodborne diseases. Respondents have utmost awareness about the cleanliness of utensils and kitchen surfaces, hand hygiene, and preclusion of cross-contamination, however, described a poor knowledge concerning the temperature and heat treatment of the food. Good understanding regarding food poisoning symptoms was observed among the respondents, especially in a female group. The outcome revealed that foreign students, irrespective of gender, demonstrated comparable food safety and food handling knowledge. The study laid emphasis on education and training as an optimum way to foster awareness and encourage students’ food safety knowledge and practices

The impact of psychological distance to climate change and urban informality on adaptation planning

Climate change adaptation planning involves adjusting to the impacts of climate change and taking action to mitigate its adverse effects. Psychological distance, the separation between one's self-perception and actual events, can play a significant role in an individual's readiness to adapt to climate change impacts. This study aims to investigate the socioeconomic factors associated with psychological distance to climate change in formal and informal settlements of Lahore, Pakistan. Using a literature review, data indicators were selected and grouped into the psychological distance dimensions of spatial, temporal, social, and hypothetical. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the study area, resulting in a total of 400 responses. Descriptive statistics and sampled paired t-tests were used to measure differences between responses from formal and informal communities, and multivariate regression models were developed to identify socioeconomic factors associated with psychological distance to climate change. The results of the study indicate a significant difference between formal and informal settlements in spatial distance and hypothetical dimensions. Additionally, household size, average household income, number of children, and past experiences with extreme weather conditions were found to be significant factors. The study recommends that these factors be taken into account when engaging with the public, communicating risks, and devising relevant policies for effective adaptation planning

Understanding and perceptions of final-year Doctor of Pharmacy students about generic medicines in Karachi, Pakistan: a quantitative insight

General objective: To evaluate the understanding and perceptions of generic medicines among final-year Doctor of Pharmacy students in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: A 23-item survey instrument that included a question on the bioequivalence limits and Likert-type scale questions regarding the understanding and perceptions of generic medicines among the students was executed. Cronbach’s alpha was found to be 0.62. Results: Responses were obtained from 236 final-year Doctor of Pharmacy students (n=85 from a publicly funded institute; n=151 from a privately funded institute). When comparing a brand-name medicine to a generic medicine, pharmacy students scored poorly on bioequivalence limits. More than 80% of the students incorrectly answered that all the products that are rated as generic equivalents are therapeutically equivalent to each other (P<0.04). Half of the students agreed that a generic medicine is bioequivalent to the brand-name medicine (P<0.001). With regard to quality, effectiveness, and safety, more than 75% of the students disagreed that generic medicines are of inferior quality and are less effective than brand-name medicines (P<0.001). More than 50% of the students disagreed that generic medicines produce more side effects than brand-name medicines (P<0.001). Conclusion: The current study identified a positive perception toward generic medicines but also gaps in the understanding of generic medicines. Pharmacy students lacked a thorough understanding of the concepts of bioequivalence. Pharmacy academia should address these issues, which will help build confidence in generic medicines and increase the generic medicine use in Pakistan

AFLES’s Inspirations and Its ASEAN Youth Community Development (ASEAN Future Leaders Summit)

This article is discussing about experiences of conducting AFLES (ASEAN Future Leaders Summit), which started in 2013 with the collaboration between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Prince of Songkla University, Thailand (PSU). AFLES is an action-packed summit meant for ASEAN youth with exciting forums, discussions, lectures, team-work, outdoor activities, community work, services, sight-seeing and cultural events. With the main objectives of developing ASEAN youth community in terms of their leadership skills and to serve as a platform for ASEAN youth to get together and connected to each other, AFLES for the last sixth term (2013-2018), has evolved to be a looking after summit to participate by ASEAN university student leaders. Over the years AFLES has developed and progressed with a few more collaborators, namely AKEPT (Malaysia Higher Education Leadership Academy), UiTM (Universiti Teknologi MARA), UUM (Universiti Utara Malaysia) and UKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia). Community development, ASEAN unity and harmonization, and Internationalization of Higher Education Institutions in ASEAN are discussed regarding to the sustainability of AFLES in conducting an international program for youth across ASEAN region