We are now living in a VUCA world — a world that’s under volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Triggered by COVID-19, the pandemic has shown how every industry can suffer in the face of an unpredictable global event. This calls for a critical need in future-proofing employee skills to embrace a more complex world where automation, AI and robotics take hold in the era of IR 4.0.

To boot, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has stated that “Industry Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) is blurring the distinction among physical, digital and biological spaces.”

Path to acquiring digital skills

With so much volatility and uncertainty, it cannot be denied that every employee must have the right digital skills to succeed. After all, the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint 2021 has highlighted that the digital economy will become the foundation of the modern economy.

Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) offers technology-driven programmes across all fields that taps into the Internet of Things (IoT), Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud Engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mechatronics, E-business, Digital Marketing, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Digital Leadership, Finance Technology (FinTech) and Mobile Technology.

To boot, the university also offers customised reskilling and upskilling programmes for working professionals and organisations.

This is in response to the critical demand for technology and innovation driven by new challenges after the pandemic. The teaching and learning experience in APU incorporates world-class infrastructure from the US, France, Singapore, Germany and the UK, revolutionary programmes for the future, industry-academic partnership and professional development with a global outlook.

APU strives to provide hands-on experience by implementing industry on-campus that exposes students, staff and trainees to a simulated working environment, real-time data and scenarios, and real-time challenges. Notably, some of APU’s significant industry partners include TechForte, Ministry XR, IBM, SAS, TIBCO, and Microsoft.

APU also houses the first integrated cybersecurity talent zone in Malaysia — the CyberSecurity Talent Zone (CSTZ). This industry-on-campus facility is equipped with a military-grade real-time cyber security monitoring software at the full-fledged Cyber Threats Simulation and Response Centre (Cyber Range) and Security Operation Centre (SOC). Through this, students are able to embrace and experience an industry setting to hone their skills in identifying, recognising and mitigating cybersecurity threats.

Not only that, APU also established the first unique XR studio in Asia and among Malaysian universities with Ministry XR. The state-of-the-art studio comprises technologies, hardware and software capable of developing AR, VR and MR (Mixed Reality) applications.

Global outlook graduates for success

The combination of a futuristic technology infrastructure, industry-on-campus and experienced industry players at APU has created a successful ecosystem that helps develop employable professionals.

According to APU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ho Chin Kuan, APU primes graduates by employing a unique blend of authentic learning and innovative industry-driven curriculum. “Our student-centric approach to learning ensures APU graduates are creative, lifelong learners who will contribute to humanity,” he said.

APU students will also have the option to opt-in for the APU-DMU dual degree scheme, where they will receive two sets of degree certificates and transcripts upon graduation — one from APU (Malaysia) and another from De Montfort University (UK).

According to the latest Annual Graduate Tracer Study by the Higher Education Ministry, 100% of APU graduates were employed upon graduation. This shows that APU is on the right path in nurturing highly sought-after graduates with readily employable digital skills and providing opportunities for upskilling and reskilling for working professionals.

With over 150 years of history in providing higher education to students from around the globe, the APU-DMU collaboration is providing students with a global outlook and forming global citizens of IR 4.0 and beyond.

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