As a boy growing up in Johor, going to Oxford was never in the plan of young Nazri Bajuri. As he progressed from undergraduate to postgraduate study, however, the belief of those around him fuelled him to make his way to the oldest university in the English speaking world
In this episode, I speak to Dr. Nazri about his experience as a PhD student at Oxford University under the YDPA Scholarship. We also discussed about his current interests in people analytics and productivity and how he is using YouTube to impart his knowledge.
Dr. Nazri's YouTube channel is at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWmRqLDl071KSDOiuuLLy3g
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Leadership has been synonymous to Taufiq Hussein since the day I met him over 20 years ago. From a student leader at school and university, he has grown into a corporate leader who also wears several hats in the organisations that he belongs to.
In this episode, I speak to Taufiq about his leadership philosophies from his experience in leading global teams as well as his journey as an MBA student at the Jack Welch Management Institute. Taufiq also an engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University.
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The Chevening scholarship is a much coveted award that thousands apply to every year. In this episode, I speak to one of the recipient of the award, Kimberly Tey who did her MBA at Durham University.
I speak to Kimberly about her motivations in pursuing postgraduate education, her strategies in winning a Chevening scholarship, and how the experience has shaped her as a person.
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As a curious child, Dr. Suraya Hazim could not stop asking questions about everything. This curiosity has led her to dabble into a wide range of subjects, from volcanoes to visual arts. Today, Suraya is a scientist, artist, and educator who teaches programming.
In this episode, I speak to Suraya about her motivation in pursuing multiple interests and how she is able to focus and excel in each one of them.
Dr. Suraya holds a PhD in Volcanology from the University of Liverpool and a BSc in Geology from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
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As a recording artist, composer, and entrepreneur, Dr. Soo Wincci was already juggling time between many roles when she decided to pursue a PhD in 2010. Six years later, she completed the PhD and while many would consider that as the end, she never stopped.
In 2017, Dr. Wincci earned a place at the prestigious Berklee College of Music and today, she is in her second PhD programme at Universitat Politècnica de València in Spain. In this episode, I speak to her about her unstoppable learning agility as well as her global vision for Malaysia.
Dr. Soo Wincci holds a PhD from Open University Malaysia, a master’s degree from Berklee, an MBA from University of the Sunshine Coast, and a bachelor of laws from University of Reading.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of lifelong learning' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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One of the biggest questions among those considering studying while working is, "Can I do it?"
In this conversation, I speak to Dr. Endry Lim who pursued his PhD part-time while working full-time as a consultant. Endry shared his insights and tips in growing in his career while conducting research for his PhD.
Endry holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in Economics from Universiti Malaya and a bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering from Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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In 2017, after graduating with a degree in biochemistry from Imperial College London, Emily Neoh took a bold step in becoming a teacher under the Teach for Malaysia programme.
From that point onwards, she progressed further as an educator as a secondary school teacher while pursuing a Master of Education at the same time. In this conversation, I speak to Emily about her motivations in pursuing a career in teaching as well as her experience in balancing work and study.
Emily holds a degree in biochemistry from Imperial College London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia. She is also currently a student in the Master of Education programme at Universiti Malaya.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of lifelong learning' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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As the daughter of a rubber tapper and a nasi lemak seller, setting foot on the world's top university was never envisioned by Dr. Norpadzlihatun Manap. In 2011, however, she made her way to Massachusetts Institute of Technology while pursuing her PhD at Imperial College London. The girl from Bahau has made it to Boston.
In this episode, I speak to "Dr. Atun" about the value of knowledge sharing. As an academic, Dr. Atun has been very active in sharing her knowledge and experiences at https://drnorpadzlihatun.com. To date, she has published seven books across various subjects -- and she also runs her own YouTube channel which she actively updates with new content.
Dr. Atun holds a PhD from Imperial College London, a Master of Engineering Management from Universiti Putra Malaysia, and a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of lifelong learning' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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In most cases, a dissertation is seen as the end-product of a postgraduate journey and the longest piece of writing to be produced by a postgraduate student. For every dissertation, however, there is always a story.
In this episode, I speak to Jazli Aziz, a PhD candidate and biomedical researcher about methods that he have used in preparing and developing his dissertation. We spoke about planning effectively for the writing as well as sustaining motivation throughout the process.
Jazli is currently a PhD candidate at Universiti Malaya and holds a master’s degree in biosciences and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences - both from the International Islamic University Malaysia.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of lifelong learning' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
As the world moves towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, conversations around the outlook of academia coming out of this experience are among the focus of the day.
In this episode, I speak to Dr. Salahuddin Harithuddin, an academic in the field of Aerospace Engineering to get his insights on how academia has coped and adapted with the lockdown -- and how teaching and research might change in the long term.
Dr. Salahuddin holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from RMIT University and Master's and Bachelor's degrees in the same field from the University of Michigan.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
As a young English teacher serving a rural school in Sarawak, Dr. Jarrod Sio had to travel two hours by boat to attend his master's classes in Sibu. He was one of the first students of an innovation by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in deploying instructors into towns to run their postgraduate programmes.
This experience motivated him to pursue a PhD in Educational Management at UPSI which has helped him grow in his career from a teacher to an assistant director at the Department of Education. In this conversation, we spoke about his journey in pursuing an education in the field of Education, and how the field might change in the future.
Jarrod holds a PhD and MEd in Educational Management from UPSI and a Bachelor of Education in TESL from Universiti Malaya.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
In 2012, after eight years of working in the banking sector, Amirul Fadzil decided to pursue a part-time MBA. There was one hurdle, however. He was working literally 24/7 as he was involved with the global operations of his organisations.
In this episode, I speak to Amirul about his journey in undertaking an MBA while pursuing a demanding career -- and how he balanced all commitments alongside raising a young family. We also spoke about how the MBA experience has benefitted him long after he has graduated.
Amirul holds an MBA and BBA from Victoria University - as well as a diploma in Fisheries from Universiti Putra Malaysia.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
Counselab is a marketplace for 1-to-1 advising sessions. In this episode, recorded 12 hours after their launch, I speak to Hazim Mohamad, the co-founder of Counselab. We discussed about the stories behind the founding of Counselab as well as the vision that he has for this movement.
Hazim is a Chartered Financial Analyst with a Master’s in Finance (MFin) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Warwick. Learn more about Counselab at: https://counselab.com
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
One of the biggest challenges of part-time study is balancing time between one's commitments - be it family, work, or study. In this episode, I speak to Mohamad Norsazlan Salim about his experience in pursuing his part-time MBA at UiTM and at PhD currently at UniKL.
We spoke about his journey in pursuing his passion for learning and putting theory to practice - from the classroom to the workplace. We also discussed about how his research became a household conversation subject with his wife who is an educator and a higher learning institution.
Sazlan holds an MBA in Office System Management from UiTM, an bachelor's degree in Islamic Banking from UiTM and is currently a PhD student in Information Technology at UniKL.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
Pursuing an MBA at Harvard is a dream of many. In this episode, I speak to Luqzan Mustafa Kamal to unpack the process of getting into Harvard Business School (HBS) and get an insider's view on the famous HBS case study method and 'cold calls'.
Luqzan holds an MBA from HBS and bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering - as well as business management and economics from the University of Queensland, Australia.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
In this episode, I speak to Prof. Dr. Abd Karim Alias about the emergence of micro-credentials as a new form of learning or skills acquisition. Micro-credentials have shifted the world of higher education - especially coming out of the pandemic - and I am keen to understand how it can shape the way we learn for the long term. Does it compete or complement traditional higher education?
Prof. Karim is a Professor of Food Technology at the School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Director of the Centre for Development of Academic Excellence of USM. He has been teaching at USM for over 27 years, and is a prominent advocate of lifelong learning. His YouTube channel is: https://www.youtube.com/c/AbdKarimAlias
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
In 2017, with eight years of industry experience and a mechanical engineering degree as well as an MBA already under his belt, Amar Ariffin registered himself as a part-time student in the legal studies programme at UiTM -- an unconventional, yet interesting route of learning.
In this episode, I speak to Amar about his motivation in pursuing a second degree and how it has benefitted his endless curiosity as a lifelong learner.
Amar Ariffin holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, an MBA from UiTM, and is currently pursuing his degree in legal studies from UiTM.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
In 2018, while accompanying his husband to do his PhD in Japan, Dr. Aliah Majid decided to take the bold step of pursuing a PhD herself. Three years later, she successfully graduated with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering -- which was self-funded from her part-time job. The achievement was also realised while she was raising three children alongside her husband.
Today, Dr. Aliah is a Success & Productivity Coach and in this episode, I speak to her about her motivation and resolve in pursuing a PhD abroad while raising a family. We also spoke about how she has utilised her experience in balancing family, work, and study towards helping others who are trying to be productive while maintaining their self well-being.
Dr. Aliah earned her bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees from Meiji University, Japan. She can be reached at the following links:
Website - https://draliahmajid.com/
Instagram - https://instagram.com/aliah.majid
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7AyRXimYERtt8bGYyAAvrg
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
In 2014, eight years after beginning his career as an engineer, Ir. Yazid Ismail decided to pursue an MBA. The decision was driven by his motivation to become a more wholesome leader, and to feed his curiosity as a lifelong learner at the workplace and beyond.
Today, Yazid has grown from an engineer into a multi-dimensional leader in digital transformation, change management -- while also dabbling in entrepreneurship. In this episode, I speak to Yazid about his motivations and challenges during his part-time MBA, and how the experience has contributed to his personal and professional growth.
Yazid holds an MBA from the University of Nottingham Malaysia and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Follow him on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTHi1Q390XS-Pp-2Th3DGNg/featured
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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Disclaimer: This content is the opinion of the author and does not represent any affiliated organisation. The information provided is for general informational and educational purposes only.
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to speak at TEDxUTP. My first question to the organiser was, "How short do I have?"
I soon learned that the average talk is 18 minutes. Knowing well enough that no one would listen to me that long, I prepared a 7-minute talk -- which was already pushing my luck.
In this talk, I speak about my turnaround from having an aversion to studying in college to living a life of continuous learning as an adult.
I hope I get to do another TEDx on stage one day.
'Staying the Course: Navigating the challenges of part-time study' is a podcast to help and inspire master's and PhD postgraduate students in successfully completing their graduate school journey.
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