Go look for activities to participate

The Dean, School of Communication, Assoc. Prof. Adnan Hussein expects postgraduate students of the school to be more alert in looking for activities to participate, especially if it involves them as presenters rather than participants.

"Go out and find activities to participate or even suggest programs to organize here in USM. We would try as much as possible to provide the fund needed for you to organize or participate in seminars or conferences outside the university or even regionally," he said.

The Dean, in his welcoming speech to some 30 post-graduate students at the school also expressed his satisfaction that the number of postgraduate students has increased slightly this year. He hoped the numbers commensurate with the quality.

"As post graduates students who are supposed to be more mature, do not restrict yourself to classroom lectures only. We expect you to know your way around. Put some initiative and get information on your own with regard to your studies and research, you are no more undergrads..." he reminded them.

He emphasized that the focus now is more on research and that there are so much facilities in the university that students can make use of. "Be more resourceful and don't just rely on what is being prescribed in the course outline," he stressed.

In wrapping up his speech the Dean reminded the students to interact more with the faculty members apart from being more active in participating in every activities organized by the school.

Sixty three students from various countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Sudan and the Middle East including Malaysia qualify as post-graduate students in various modes of studies at the school. While only a handful of them showed up to register today, the on-line registration at the school is open until 6 July 2009.