Figure 1: Snap screen of the live streaming of webinar session
After the first national level webinar series organized on 22nd December 2020, once again UTM Architecture Programme, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying UTM has successfully hosted the second international webinar series entitled “Envisioning Architecture Education for Malaysia” on 15 February 2020 (Monday) from 2:30pm to 5:30pm, live streaming on Facebook via Streamyard and Cisco Webex online platform. This programme was hosted by Architecture Programme UTM and jointly organized by Department of Higher Education (JPT), Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE); Council of Accreditation and Architectural Education Malaysia (CAAEM), Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM) as well as Council of Heads of Architecture Schools Malaysia (COHAS). There were 285 registered participants for the webinar. The registered participants’ origins from various locations in Malaysia and various main cities around the world such as Sydney, Glasgow, Doha and others with different background including professional architects, academicians, interior designers, quantity surveyors, and students who are concerning about the future of architecture education in Malaysia.
The 3 hours’ webinar was started with a montage presentation to introduce the invited speakers and their keynote title, followed by opening remarks by moderator of webinar, Prof Dr Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed Ariffin as well as Doa recitation by Dr Aiman Mohd Rashid from Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (Architecture) UTM. The moderator of webinar, Prof Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed Ariffin is currently the Executive Director of Institut Sultan Iskandar and member of Council of Accreditation and Architectural Education Malaysia (CAAEM) under Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM), has briefed the participants with the programme background of The Direction of Architectural Education in Malaysia by 2030 (Halatuju Pendidikan Senibina Negara 2030) empowered by Council of Heads of Architecture Schools (COHAS) Malaysia.
The webinar has officiated by Ar. Mustapha Bin Haji Mohd Salleh, Chairman of Council of Accreditation and Architectural Education Malaysia (CAAEM) with the welcoming address and followed by the sharing by 3 expert panels.
Figure 2: The first Speaker Professor Ashraf M.Salama from University of Strathclyde Glasgow, United Kingdom
There were three (3) invited speakers were invited to do their sharing session on Architecture Education Views in this International webinar series. The program has started with sharing by Expert Panel 1, Professor Dr Ashraf Salama: Director of Research Cluster of Architecture and Urban in the Global South, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. He has delivered his speech entitled “Global Views on Architecture Education” and followed by sharing session from Expert Panel 2, Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak who is currently the Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); as well as Member, Board of Director Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) with his sharing entitled “The Leadership in The Built Environment Sustainability And Resiliency”. Right after the second expert sharing session, the programme has resumed with the sharing from Expert Panel 3, Prof. Christopher Tweed, Head of School; Chair in Sustainable Design Cardiff University, United Kingdom with his sharing topic entitled “The Role of Research-Led Design in Architectural Education: Relevancy and Challenges in Facing A Crisis”
Figure 3: Sharing session from Expert Panel 2 – Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak who is currently the Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); as well as Member, Board of Director Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)
Figure 4: Expert Panel 3, Professor Christopher Tweed, Head of School; Chair in Sustainable Design Cardiff University, United Kingdom
After the sharing sessions, the program has opened up the Q&A session to audience from both WebEX and FBLive Participants. The Q&A session was actively participated via both verbal and texting method from academicians, professionals and students around the country and major cities around the world. The Q&A session was conducted in forum style, where the expert panels were welcomed to response and share their view towards the questions asked by audience. The future and challenges of the Architecture education in Malaysia has been discussed actively by panels and participants. Other than that, the panels have shared their thoughts and views based on the questions asked by audience such as methods and approaches of teaching & learning in Architecture Education, the misconception of the current practice in industry, the directions of Malaysian Architecture Education mode and others have been actively discussed.
The closing remarks has been delivered by Ar Zairul Azidin bin Badri, the President of Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM). In short, this webinar has accomplished to achieve the mission in organising the constructive discourse and comprehensive sharing sessions by expert panels at international level on envisioning architecture education for Malaysia.
Figure 5: The good-bye scene from moderators, chairman of CAAEM and LAM as well as the Expert panels at the end of the webinar
The details of the programme
- Organizer: Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MoHE) – Department of Higher Education; Board of Architects Malaysia – Council of Architectural Accreditation and Education Malaysia (CAAEM); & Council of Heads of Architecture Schools (COHAS) Malaysia
- Webinar Host: Programme of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying UTM
- Moderator: Prof Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed Ariffin
- Welcoming Address: Ar. Mustapha Bin Haji Mohd Salleh, Chairman of Council of Accreditation and Architectural Education Malaysia (CAAEM)
- Expert Panel 1: Global Views on Architecture Education by Professor Dr Ashraf M.Salama: Director of Research Cluster of Architecture and Urban in the Global South, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
- Expert Panel 2: The Leadership in The Built Environment Sustainability And Resiliency by Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak: Rector, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); Member, Board of Director Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)
- Expert Panel 3: The Role of Research-Led Design in Architectural Education: Relevancy and Challenges in Facing A Crisis by Professor Christopher Tweed: Head of School; Chair in Sustainable Design Cardiff University, United Kingdom
- Closing Remarks: Ar Zairul Azidin bin Badri (President, Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM)
- Webinar Committee:
- Head of Committee: Associate Professor Dr Alice Sabrina Ismail
- Technical Committee: Associate Professor Dr Khairul Anwar Mohamed Khaidzir, Associate Professor Dr Lim Yaik Wah, Mr. Azari Mat Yasir, Ar Norshahida Azili, Ar Samsiah Abdullah, Dr Aiman Mohd Rashid, Dr. Fadhlina Ahmad @ Taufik, Dr Roshida Abdul Majid, Ar Noraslinda Abdul Rahman, Dr Leng Pau Chung, Dr Iziq Eafifi Ismail and Mr Mohd Hanif Masridin
- Technical Committee: Mr Azizul Azman, Mr Iqmal Nor Mohd Noh, Mr Rahim Hashim
Text prepared by
Dr. Leng Pau Chung
Senior Lecturer, Architecture Programme,
Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying UTM