On 30th June 2012, TAR College's Lee Zhi Jun, a second year Diploma in Business Studies (Accounting) student from the School of Business Studies emerged the winner of the state level Pertandingan Pidato 1Malaysia (Bukan Melayu) 2012 held at the Auditorium Arkib Negara, Kuala Lumpur. TAR College students have won in this competition for two years in a row. Lee Zhi Jun delivered his piece on the appreciation of 1Malaysia with poise and confidence before a packed auditorium. He swayed the hall with his convincing points that were delivered in great style. Furthermore his strong command of the national language was a good testimony to the thriving spirit of 1Malaysia within him.

There were altogether ten participants taking part in the finals and five of them were from TAR College.

The 2nd runner-up was clinched by Saranya a/p Muniandy, a third year Diploma in Technology (Telecommunications) student from the School of Technology. Her soulful presentation on the three principles of 1Malaysia touched the hearts of many. Saranya also trumpeted a call to the audience to strive forward together as one nation.

Three other students from the College also took part in the competition. Ooi Kim Huat (DAC2) and Viveniswaran a/l Raja Gopal (DEC1) from the School of Business Studies and Eveline Michelle Spykerman (DPR2) from the School of Social Science and Humanities made the College proud with their courage in coming forward to participate in this meaningful event.

The champion received a Challenge Trophy and a cash prize of RM1500, whereas the 2nd runner-up received a cash prize of RM500. The other three students received RM100 each. All of them were also presented, a plaque, a certificate and some books.

All the students were guided by the Nation Building and Unity Studies Division lecturers in preparing the texts of the speech, the audio-visual aids and delivering the speeches.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Lee Zhi Jun articulating his ideas on 1Malaysia.

Photo 2: From left to right: Viveniswaran, Lee Zhi Jun, Saranya Muniandy, Eveline Michelle Spykerman and Ooi Kim Huat with their prizes.

Three external examiners paid a visit to TAR College from 27 - 30 June 2012, as part of their tour of duty during their term of appointment to review and perform work sampling and also to meet the School of Arts & Science ('SAS') faculty. During the visit, Assoc. Prof Dr. Scott Paulson (External Examiner for Physics from James Madison University, USA), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Leong Hon Wai (External Examiner for Computer Science from National University of Singapore) and Dr. Yap Moi Hoon (External Examiner for Computer Science from Manchester Metropolitan University, UK) had the opportunity to meet 519 Advanced Diploma Year 1 cum Bachelor of Science Degree students at the briefing session by Campbell University’s visitors, Dr Greene and Dr Hammond, and also visited the TAR College campus grounds.

Photo Captions:

The External Examiners with Campbell University Visitors and SAS Head of School and Heads of Division. Front row, from left to right: Assoc Prof Dr Leong, Assoc Prof Dr Scott Paulson, Dr Ng, Dr Greene, Dr Hammond and Dr Yap. Second row: SAS Heads of Division.

Every year, students leave behind what they would call their alma mater after years of being taught, tested, nurtured and even pushed to the edge. Yet with every batch that leaves their journey is not merely over, but is the beginning to a new chapter in life.

On 30 June 2012, the 32nd Campbell University Convocation took place in the College Hall, TAR College to commemorate this new chapter for students from the School of Arts & Science (‘SAS’) as they graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree.

Thanks to the collaboration between Campbell University and TAR College, the Campbell University BS Degree programmes conducted in the College offer an innovative way for students to obtain an American degree on top of the TAR College qualification without leaving Malaysia, all at an affordable fee. In the end of last year, the School had gained its 3rd 10-year of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS COC) on conducting Campbell University Bachelor Programme at TAR College, KL Main Campus. This successful accreditation signifies the consistent quality of the BS degree conducted in the School since 1979, and the School is entrusted to run the programmes for another 10 years.

As the event commenced, the faculty procession followed by the main procession took their seats in the hall. Dr Dwaine Greene, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost from Campbell University gave his address and spoke of the importance of character. He said “Character, moral strength, self-discipline and quality of behaviour are the fundamental principles of morality”. He added by saying “The world needs strength, courage, generosity and honesty. I hope you do that with great pride.”

After his speech ended to exuberant applause, the 408 students were then handed their scrolls as their names were called by the SAS Head of School, Dr Ng Swee Chin.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of the Excellence Awards. Dr Tan Chik Heok, Principal of TAR College presented the first award, the ‘Samuel Martin Brown Prize’ for Biology to Low Kim Hwo, followed by the ‘Matthew Baillie Prize’ for Chemistry to Kenneth Lau E-Ming. The next two prizes which were the ‘Wallace Ewart Prize’ for Computer Science and the ‘Dwight Lamar Norwood Prize’ for Mathematics were handed to Lim Jeong Sheng. The ‘James Alexander Magowan Prize’ for Physics was received by Lydia Chai Li Yia, while the Prize for Information Systems went to Liang Piau Suk and the Prize for Microelectronics to Teo Kwee Kim. The most anticipated prize was the Perpetual Cup, which landed in the hands of Fah Pui Wan.

The event ended with the procession leaving the hall and students stayed back with members of family and friends to take photographs with now former classmates as they prepare to embark on a new journey on their own.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Dr Dwaine Greene, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Campbell University giving his graduation address during the event.

Photo 2: Graduands calmly waiting for the procession to be seated on the stage.

Photo 3: Dr Greene handing out scrolls to 408 new graduates that day.

Photo 4: Winners of the Excellence Awards 2011/12 proudly displaying their prizes. From left to right (back row); Kenneth Lau E-Ming, Low Kim Hwo, Lim Jeong Sheng and Liang Piau Suk. From left to right (front row); Teo Kwee Kim, Lydia Chai Li Yia and Fah Pui Wan.

Teachers, past teachers, alumni, staff and guests from far and wide, came together for a ‘double’ celebration at the Sunway Putra Hotel on the 30 June 2012. The School of Arts & Science (‘SAS’) Alumni’s 30^th Anniversary Dinner and the SAS 40^th Anniversary Dinner were both celebrated in a grand style at the ballroom with alumni coming from as far as US, New Zealand, China and other countries just to attend the dinner.

The atmosphere was one of bustling excitement even before the start of the dinner. At the cocktail reception, peals of laughter and chatting could be heard from every corner of the foyer. People were catching up, going down memory lane, striking up conversations, networking, making it a most lively atmosphere in which to delight in.

The night started with messages from various key people such as Ms Yong Sheau Ling, the Organizing Chairperson SAS alumni, Dr Ng Swee Chin, the Head of School of Arts and Science, Mr Gerald Loh, Chairman of SAS Alumni Society, Dr Tan Chik Heok, Principal of TAR College and Dr Michael D. Greene, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost Campbell University.

Dr Greene reiterated that the forty-year mark was indeed a significant milestone for SAS. He said: “It was additional satisfaction in knowing that the close relationship between Campbell University and TAR College has existed for thirty-three of the forty years. Indeed, the congruity of purpose in educational preparation for productive careers and responsible citizenship is a hallmark which has closely bound our two institutions.”

This partnership has certainly brought about many notable accomplishments, especially when one considers the success of so many of its students. It is certainly a well-deserved celebration for SAS fortieth year!

During the night, 14 alumni who contributed their services in the past were rewarded. They were called up on stage to receive mementoes for their help. Apart from the good food that was served throughout dinner, the guests were also entertained with a number of performances, games and lucky draws. Andrew Tan, a lecturer from SAS, strummed his guitar and sang “Flying without Wings” by Westlife. Kua Mei Yan gave a GuZheng performance and Michelle Loh, a student who just graduated that morning, sang a song by Teresa Teng while playing the piano.

It was certainly a night to remember judging by the fact that there were 50 tables in all and that they were all filled, which means that there were many ‘connections’ made. Everybody enjoyed the get-together and would hopefully bring back fond memories of this dinner with them wherever they may be.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, TAR College Principal, giving a speech.

Photo 2: Dr Michael D. Greene, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost Campbell University, addressing the audience.

Photo 3: Mr Andrew Tan, SAS lecturer, striking a chord with the audience before rendering a song.

Photo 4: Helpful alumni, special guests and SAS senior College officials taking a group photo up on stage.

Photo 5: Guests mingling at the cocktail reception.

Photo 6: Confetti popping out during the Opening Ceremony, adding to the festive atmosphere.

It was a significant and momentous day in the history of TAR College when our Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, made an announcement on 27 June 2012 that 74 TAR College Diploma and Advanced Diploma programmes were accorded the retrospective recognition by the Public Service Department. The announcement will have a far-reaching effect and provide a welcome relief to the graduates of the programmes as it will allow them to use the TAR College qualifications to enter the public sector, Government-linked Companies (‘GLC’) as well as pursue their further studies at public universities.

The announcement drew thunderous applause from the students and guests, making it one of the most unforgettable moments for all present. Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib light-heartedly said: “Ah Jib Gor has given students here good news.” With the retrospective recognition, TAR College qualifications have been elevated to a new level and it lends credence to the standards and quality.

Apart from the announcement, another highlight on this day was the official launch of the Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM)’s Innovating Malaysia Tour 2012 in which the Prime Minister officiated the opening of the expo and witnessed the signing of a strategic alliance agreement between AIM and 26 of Malaysia’s top public and private universities, research institutes and companies to collaborate in bringing innovative products to the market.

The Tour was a 2-day event featuring fun interactive games, workshops and performances aimed at creating awareness of the importance of innovation and creativity to propel the country towards high income nation.

On the second day of the Innovating Malaysia Tour 2012, special performances and activities were held for the students and visitors. Deric Wee, a student pursuing his Diploma in Broadcasting, gave an energetic ‘beatbox’ performance. This was followed by a dance routine by the group Floor Fever who also entertained the crowd with their modern dance styles. After that, a special performance and workshop by Steve Thornton and his percussion group got the students involved when the audience was invited to participate. Beatbox sensation Deric Wee also joined in to lend his unique sound to the unorthodox performance. Johnny Chin, a lecturer from the School of Social Science and Humanities taught students how to make paper origami. Throughout the day, a lucky draw called ‘Learn and Win’ was held and several iPods and an iPad were up for grabs by lucky students who were able to answer questions on general knowledge.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: A sea of red-shirt students welcoming the arrival of Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak as he walks into the College Hall.

Photo 2: The Prime Minister making the announcement on the Retrospective Recognition of TAR College programmes.

Photo 3: The Prime Minister, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib (far right) signing a plaque as a symbolic gesture to initiate the strategic alliance agreement between AIM and 26 of Malaysia’s top public and private universities while Dr Tan Chik Heok (2nd from left) and Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn (3rd from left) looks on.

Photo 4: Deric Wee (left) performs with Steve Thornton (right) and students (behind) using the percussion instruments.

Photo 5: Mr Johnny Chin, a lecturer from the School of Social Science and Humanities, demonstrates how he makes various kinds of origami animals. Here, he shows a finished antelope.

In the recent Nokia Knight Program 2012 initiated by Nokia Ecosystem Developer Experience South East Asia (SEA) which began in early February 2012, TAR College won and was represented by Team CyberWarrior, which comprised Cheah Eng Soon from the Advanced Diploma in Science cum Bachelor of Science (Information Systems Engineering) programme.

At this event, various selected educational institutions in close collaboration with Nokia in Singapore and Malaysia participated in the competition. There were 6 Nokia Lumia 710 up for grabs in the Nokia Knight Starters category for participants who developed mobile applications using the Windows Mobile Phone platform and three USD1,000 cash prizes for the Nokia Knight Achievers category.

Cheah, who is passionate to learn more about mobile application development, was ecstatic when informed he was one of the winners of the Nokia Knight Starters and Achievers Category 2012. According to Cheah, it all started with the Windows Phone 7 workshop held at TAR College in January 2012 which was organized in collaboration with Microsoft Malaysia to provide opportunities for TAR College students to learn about mobile application development using Windows Phone 7 Software Development Kit (SDK). Cheah, who was one of the participants at this workshop, had no prior knowledge of mobile application development. The workshop was instrumental in giving him a head start in the Nokia Knight Challenge as Cheah developed the following 13 mobile applications in approximately three months. They were Airport Search, Counter Strike Radio, IP Calculator, KLIA Time Table, Life Calculate, Meeting Planner, MessageSummary, Penang Travel, PenangLocalFood, Piggy Bank, Reaction Time, SudokuSeven and World Karate Federation (WKF).

All of Cheah's mobile applications were subsequently submitted as entries in the Nokia Knight Challenge. Considering that there were a total of 77 mobile applications submitted by participants in Malaysia and Singapore to the Nokia Knight Challenge, Cheah's work and effort is indeed an impressive achievement by a new mobile application developer.

Congratulations again to Cheah Eng Soon!

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Cheah Eng Soon (right) from the Advanced Diploma in Science cum Bachelor of Science (Information Systems Engineering), TAR College receiving prizes and award from Ms Huang Sze Jia, Business Development Executive, Nokia Ecosystem Developer Experience, SEA (left).

TAR College has signed cooperative agreements with Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) from Ireland which will give TAR College students from the School of Business Studies an option to further their studies in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Students with a Diploma in Business Studies (Accounting) are eligible to transfer to the final year of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Accounting at the Business School in AIT. For the postgraduate programme, Advanced Diploma holders in Business Studies (Accounting), Commerce (Financial Accounting) and Commerce (Management Accounting) are eligible to enroll in the Master of Arts in Accounting.

This co-operation marks another milestone in creating innovative pathways and study options abroad as the result of the strong alliance TAR College has created with the reputable institutions of higher learning worldwide.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 : From left to right; Prof. Ciarán O Catháin (President of AIT) and Dr Tan Chik Heok (Principal of TAR College) exchanging signed agreements that will open the door to further studies in Ireland.

TAR College made yet another successful industry collaboration with KPMG, one of Big Four global accounting firms, and ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) through the KPMG – TARC BEST Soft Skills Development Programme.

This programme was started in 2010 with the purpose of developing and enhancing students’ soft skills in aspects such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership and public speaking. It consists of five modules conducted over twelve months, offering students training in developing a diverse spectrum of core competencies. The acronym BEST was chosen for its representation of the core elements of the programme which are Build, Educate, Success and Talent.

On 19 June 2012, TAR College hosted the programme’s final presentation and certificate presentation ceremony. Apart from senior College officials, the guests included Ms Jennifer Lopez, Country Head of ACCA Malaysia, Ms Leanne Koh, Staff Partner at KPMG, Mr. Khoo Chin Guan, Executive Director and Head of Tax Services at KPMG, Mr Abdullah Abd Samad, Audit Partner at KPMG, and external examiners for the Internally Assessed ACCA Programme, Mr Simon Parry and Mr Robert Arthur Thompson.

The participants, who were divided into five groups, made a presentation on their Corporate Social Responsibility project where they immersed themselves in charitable volunteerism.

Firstly, Team ‘Loud Outrageous Leaders’ or ‘LOL’ made a visit to a home for the mentally disabled, Team ‘Marshals’ organised a telematch at an orphanage, Team ‘One United’ helped out at an animal shelter, Team ‘Hercules’ visited a home for the elderly and finally Team ‘Daredevils’ brought smiles to a children’s home.

Team ‘Daredevils’ was declared the winner for the presentation and all the participants were presented with their certificate of completion.

Such industry collaboration serves as an excellent training ground to develop desirable qualities and skills within TAR College students to meet the demands of the working world.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1 : Winning team “Daredevils” giving their presentation.

Photo 2 : Senior College officials, staff from KPMG, staff from ACCA and external examiners in a group photo with the programme participants.

Photo 3 : The participants proudly displaying their certificate of completion.

TAR College recently signed an agreement with University College Birmingham (UCB) to provide options for Postgraduate studies to the students. The Agreement will operate for a five-year period commencing 1^st September 2012.

The Executive Development Programme (EDP) operated through the Centre of Continuing Professional Education enables TAR College students to do the M.Sc Hospitality with Tourism Management where they do a two-semester version of the programme. One third is done at TAR College and two thirds in UCB, UK.

Students successfully completing the mentioned course taught at UCB will be awarded the corresponding official British university qualification by the University of Birmingham.

Photo captions:

Photo 1: From left: Dr Tan Chik Heok (TAR College Principal) exchanging the signed MoU with Professor Melvyn Pryer (Head of the School of Recreation, Sport & Tourism and Head of the School of Business and Marketing, UCB).

Photo 2: TAR College senior College officials with Professor Melvyn Pryer, Head of School of Recreation, Sport & Tourism and Head of the School of Business and Marketing UCB (5^th from right), Dr Sarah Chiu, Overseas Student Admissions Manager UCB (4^th from right), Mr Cliff Condell, Director – Academic Development, UCB Asia Pacific Representative Office (3^rd from right), Mr Winston Ningkan, Director – Corporate Development, UCB Asia Pacific Representative Office (2^nd from right) and Ms Sherry Cheong, Manager, UCB Asia Pacific Representative Office (far right).

TAR College played host to the 8^th Malaysia Festival of the Mind, jointly organised with the Malaysian Mental Literacy Movement (MMLM) and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). It took place on 16 and 17 June 2012 at the TAR College Main Campus in Kuala Lumpur.

The objectives of the event are to increase national consciousness on the importance of mental literacy, to create awareness about the human mind and to introduce and promote various techniques pertaining to the improvement of mental literacy.

The Festival featured special informative talks, exhibitions, workshops and mind-stimulating games aiming to boost capabilities in creativity, brain power, emotional intelligence, mind power, mind mapping and thinking skills.

Special guests for the event launch on 16 June were Y A Bhg Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik (UTAR Council Chairman and MMLM Chairman) and YB Dato’ Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen (Minister of Tourism Malaysia). YB Dato’ Sri Dr Ng was also an invited speaker and delivered a riveting talk on the importance of Emotional Quotient (EQ) and soft skills in life.

The topics of other scheduled talks ranged from mind maps, memory, unlocking the capability of the mind, self-hypnosis to brain development.

Visitors who wanted a chance at the Lucky Draw participated in puzzles and games prepared by the exhibitors, which proved to be quite a challenging task for some. Nonetheless, visitors of all age groups ranging from school children to the elderly had a great time participating in the activities.

At the event, TAR College set up a special booth to provide information on the College to the public and to assist with enquiries on programmes. Staff from TAR College prepared a special Pop Quiz for the visitors to participate in and it attracted a large number of people, many of whom were curious about the College courses. Door gifts were also offered to those who visited the booth.

The Perak edition of the event was held on 23 and 24 June 2012 in UTAR, Kampar.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: From left to right: Dr Tan Chik Heok (Principal of TAR College), YB Dato’ Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen (Minister of Tourism Malaysia), YABhg Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik (Chairman of UTAR Council and Chairman of Malaysia Mental Literacy Movement) and YBhg Ir Prof. Academician Dato’ Dr. Chuah Hean Teik (President of UTAR) launching the 8^th Malaysia Festival of the Mind on 16 June 2012.

Photo 2: Visitors trying their hand at the puzzles at the TAR College booth during the two-day event.

Four enthusiastic teams of students from TAR College participated in the state level of Pertandingan Pengisahan Kenegaraan 1Malaysia 2012 organised by Jabatan Penerangan Wilayah Persekutuan. This year, TAR College students have broken the record again by winning for the sixth time in this competition. The competition was held on 16 June 2012 at the auditorium of the National Library. The students made the College proud when they took home the champion, 1st runner-up and two consolation prizes.

The winning team consisted of Calvin Daniel a/k Behang (DBF2), Ng Yen Nee (DAC2) and Terence Yong Yew Gin (DBF2) from the School of Business Studies. They delivered their piece about a legendary Malaysian artist, the one and only Tan Sri P. Ramlee, titled "Tan Sri Amar Dr P. Ramlee: Karyawan Agung Sepanjang Zaman". Their performance was excellent punctuated with emotions.

The winning team took home the Challenge Trophy, a cash reward of RM2,000, certificates, plaques and books.

The champion team will represent Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur at the national level competition which is expected to be held in Perlis in September 2012.

The 1st runner-up team was made up by Ngow Yee Keat (DIA2) from the School of Arts and Science, Puteri Nur Nadiah Ahmad (DHT2) and Jamie Yeung Jia Ling (DHT2) from the School of Social Science and Humanities. This team also narrated a soulful and mesmerizing story on the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee. They received a cash reward of RM1,500, certificates, plaques and books.

The two other teams from the College won the consolation prizes with their inspiring stories on the achievements of Malaysia in various fields.

After weeks of preparing the scripts for their stories, making the props, creating audio- visual aids and practising under the guidance of the lecturers from the Division of Nation Building and Unity Studies, School of Social Science and Humanities, the students were all happy and proud of their achievements.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: From left to right; Calvin Daniel a/k Behang, Ng Yen Nee and Terence Yong Yew Gin narrating a story on the late Tan Sri P.Ramlee.

Photo 2: The finalists of Pertandingan Pengisahan Kenegaraan 1Malaysia 2012 Peringkat Wilayah Persekutuan with the Pengarah Jabatan Penerangan Wilayah Persekutuan (fifth from left, back row) and other officials.

TAR College students once again proved their mettle in accomplishing great feats by scoring in the June and December 2011 ICSA IQS Examination. This is testimony to the excellent education they receive at TAR College, an institution which has held the tradition of academic excellence for the past 43 years.

Firstly, Ms Benedette Lim Lang Siu received acclaim for her paper in Corporate Governance in the June 2011 ICSA IQS Examination. Currently working, Benedette said that with this achievement, she had gained more recognition among her peers. "I have also obtained more confidence in my ability to achieve higher goals if I were to put my mind to it." This lass who hopes to become a chartered secretary one day added that, through the course she studied in TAR College, she has gained much exposure to the business field.

Also from the June 2011 examination, Ms How Ming Hwee took the best paper in Corporate Financial Management. Since winning the award, she has started a new subsidiary in her family business dealing with birds' nest. She commented on the quality of teaching by saying: "Based on my experience in TAR College, the lecturers here are great in teaching as they ensure every student understands the subject thoroughly."

Meanwhile, a shining star in the December 2011examination was Mr Ong Pheng Bian with the best paper in Corporate Administration. He too had benefited much while pursuing his studies in TAR College. "The four-year study in the College after my SPM had substantially changed my life and thought pattern over many things, and also provided me a series of theoretical and practical learning opportunities" he said.

Last but not least was Ms Beverly Ng Sze May, who wrote the best paper in Corporate Financial Management in the December 2011 examination. While revealing that the CFM paper was difficult, she said she prepared by practicing on past year questions provided by MAICSA apart from receiving guidance from lecturers. "The lecturers at the College are helpful and patient", she said. Ms Beverly sees herself building a career in the banking or financial industry in the future.

Upon successful completion of the Advanced Diploma in Commerce (Business Management), TAR College students will gain exemptions from all 8 papers of the Professional Diploma in Corporate Administration (PDCA) programme of MAICSA and all 4 papers of the ICSA International Qualifying Scheme (IQS) Professional Part 1. Graduates can then proceed to sit for ICSA International Qualifying Scheme (IQS) Professional Part 2 examination.