University of Reading well on track

EduCity Iskandar Malaysia is set to help redefine the education landscape of the country, and understandably a lot of excitement surrounds the project. The University of Reading—that ranks among the top 1% of the world's universities—is among the institutions opening a campus there. Developments are currently at a brisk pace and the university is preparing for the opening of its campus next year.
Here, theSun gets University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM) provost and CEO Prof Tony Downes to share his thoughts.
The opening of the campus next year is an important milestone for the university. What are the challenges confronting the university at this stage?
As you know, we have opted for a "soft launch" in Malaysia, so we already have staff and students at our city centre campus in JB. That means we are already on a good path as far as learning how to operate in Malaysia. And we have been really pleased with the quality of staff we have been able to recruit—both academics and support staff.
As far as the new campus is concerned, we are at that stage you get to with any major construction project when you wonder how you can be ready on time, but we know everyone is working hard and we have had contingency planning on our agenda from very early days. The next 12 months are the really important time: students to recruit, staff to recruit and the building to finish and get ready—all three keep my staff and me busy!
How will University of Reading Malaysia help EduCity become a world-class education hub?
The University of Reading—the "mothership" if you like—is in the top 1% of universities worldwide, and UoRM will bring the values, the standards and some of the highly experienced and committed staff from that highly successful place of learning to EduCity.
Reading is very strong in the professional disciplines which Malaysia, and especially the Iskandar region, will need as they continue their progress to being a fully developed country. We will maintain Reading's reputation for world-class research which addresses the real issues confronting people today. And we will send out graduates well-educated and also ready for the world of work.
Tertiary education should rightly be more than just enriching oneself academically. It should be an eye-opening holistic experience. How does University of Reading make tertiary education memorable for its students?
Well, I don't suppose any university can claim to be entirely unique, and clearly there are other world-class universities which offer an experience which has elements in common with what makes us special. We offer students experience of many different modes of learning—for example, we are of the UK's leading providers of MOOCs. We have one of the best English language assistance programmes, and regularly advise other UK universities how to do it.
We are well-known for a very caring approach towards students. Very few universities can offer students the possibility of studying the same programme on two different continents, switching between them if they choose. All our students have the opportunity to do a work placement, or learn another language, as part of their studies. I could go on . . .
Why should students opt for a foreign university located here if it is overseas experience they seek?
There are lots of reasons, and in part it depends on what they are looking for if it is an overseas or "global" experience they seek. If they want the excitement of foreign travel, then there is not a lot we can do—unless, of course, they are among those non-Malaysian students from the Asean region who see that studying in Malaysia would be a real advantage.
Even for Malaysians, perhaps those who cannot afford to take the whole of their degree in the UK, we would be able to offer the option of one year in the UK, which would make it more affordable. If more than anything they are interested in the high quality education to which studying overseas gives access, then we will provide it here on their doorstep.
What are your thoughts on the most critical challenges facing education today?
Globalisation, the permanent technological revolution, and the rise of the student-consumer. Let me expand on that. Globalisation: Students travel more than ever before, and if they have one of the world's "portable" languages (the most obvious being English, but Spanish and Mandarin are other examples) the possible destinations for study are very wide. So in order to attract the best students, we have to recognise that we face much more competition than in the past.
It also means that our curriculum must not be narrowly national in outlook. Our students will come from all over the world, and will work in many different countries after graduating, so we must think in terms of "global curriculum".
Technology: How we deliver education is changing and will continue to change. An obvious example: the Massive Open On-line Courses now offered by many universities. As yet, these have not replaced conventional degree programmes, but we must assume that they will develop further and adapt to the higher education market. Social media will become more important; already many universities are harnessing the power of the communications revolution for teaching purposes. The difficult part is to forecast what will come next.
Student-consumers: Students rightly have become much more aware of the question of value for money, and so are more questioning of those with whom they study. This will be good in terms of forcing universities to maintain high standards, but there is a careful balance to be drawn. Students are right to see themselves as buying services and to insist that the services are of appropriate quality, but they cannot be allowed to think they are buying results; their teachers must still be able to say that the student did not do well enough!
How does the university ensure the employability of its graduates?
Much of our education involves building the key transferable skills which employers are looking for: ability to present coherently, ability to write a succinct and clear report; ability to work with others; projects; problem-solving and so on.
We will also help students to find placements and internships in the course of their studies, so that they leave us with some prior experience of the world of work. Our personal tutor scheme will provide guidance to students during their studies, including help with their CV. So, we believe that a Reading grad will be highly sought after even in a very competitive jobs market.