Honours Seminar Series – Chef Randall Chen

Chef Randall Chen, founder and owner of Pallets and Pans Café, was invited to share his experiences with the students on how to conduct a business successfully and efficiently.

Chef Randall highlighted values he believed are integral to a successful operation of a business: knowledge of marketing approach targeted to specific clientele; he emphasised on knowing his customers on a personal level and commitment or the ability to go the extra mile beyond what was expected of them. Another quality he values highly is on being a successful leader – maintaining a strict professional yet compassionate relationship with employees.

Chef Randall also noted the challenges one may encounter in the journey to build a successful business, namely securing the necessary permits and licenses in order to operate in the country, and to ensure insurance have been bought to protect the business and the employees. It was clear to those attending that a successful business can only be achieved through passion and hard work.

Employer Certificate of Appreciation from EPF

On November 8, Berjaya Higher Education Sdn. Bhd. was awarded the Employer’s Certificate of Appreciation from EPF for successfully discharging EPF contributions regularly from 2017 – 2018. The award was presented to the Executive Director/CEO of Berjaya Higher Education Sdn. Bhd., Madam Mae Ho by Tn. Hardial Singh A/L Mitt Singh the Head of Enforcement Department at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), KL.

French Day

The “French Day 2018 -Cabaret” was organised by a group of students taking up the French Language course at BERJAYA Language Centre. Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The Student Lounge was decorated with a stage featuring red and black balloons and mini French flags surrounded by booths on French Cabaret history, games and French Culture. Students also prepared a few performances such as dancing, singing and reciting of poems to set the mood of a Cabaret.

Honours Seminar Series – Mr. Prem

Mr. Prem Joseph, Director of Sales and Marketing of Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur visited BERJAYA University College to present a seminar titled, “Hotelier’s Life – Professional Selling Skills,” sharing with final-year Hospitality students on the significance and importance of listening to the needs of guests, especially when offering hospitality products and services. Mr. Prem shared his experiences, and emphasised on the need to be adaptable to diverse work cultures in order to sustain one’s career in hotel sales and marketing both locally and abroad.

Deepavali Celebration

Students and staff congregated at the student lounge to celebrate the Hindu festival of light, Deepavali. The campus was decorated with a purple and yellow kolam, along with a peacock statue, which symbolises peace, beauty and glory. The joyful occasion was celebrated with traditional dance performances by the students, and refreshments featuring traditional Indian delicacies.

Honours Seminar Series – Mr. Alvin See

Mr. Alvin See, Human Resources Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur, visited BERJAYA University College to give a seminar on “The Impact of Culture on Organisational Performance.” He shared his own experiences on how to globalise a business successfully from his department; he argues that one must utilise the culture of the organisation to maximise performance across the enterprise, as well as expand and strengthen the global footprint of the company. He uses Hilton as an excellent example of accomplishing this: as of 2018, there are 365,000 employees around the world from 104 different countries.

Mr. See stressed a need to have a purpose in order to be successful: without a goal in mind, a company cannot strive for success. He notes that to maximise success potential, Hilton is constantly creating more work opportunities to aid those in need of work, being proactive in the wider community by getting involved with the elderly and disadvantaged children, as well as being mindful of the needs of the environment. It was evident that success for a business did not necessarily have to be within the same sector, that diversity of ambition may be what pushes a corporation to maximise profits efficiently.

BERJAYA UC 7^th Convocation

This year our cohort comprised of 425 students receiving their scrolls from our Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Professor Walter Wong. It was a heartfelt day where parents and graduates alike filled the Manhattan Ballroom with joy and pride.

Valedictorian Shaun Koo stated in his speech, “It was because of an opportunity that I found myself at BERJAYA UC. It was because of an opportunity that I joined the Toastmasters Club. It was because an opportunity arose that I was able to study in France. None of these would have ever happened if I did not seize opportunities that were right in front of me. I am glad that my journey began with BERJAYA UC, because that was when my life started to change for the better.” We’re proud to have all our students graduate and start on their new journey as working adults.

Just like what Steve Jobs once said, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” We urge our graduates to go forth and set the world on fire with their passion in whatever they do. Our heartfelt congratulations go to the graduating class of 2018.

Goethe Dinner

Students from the Faculty of Culinary Arts, and Faculty of Hospital and Tourism, were given an extraordinary opportunity to work alongside German chef Helge Hagemann of die Werteköche and Malaysian Celebrity chef Ili Sulaiman of Dish by Ili; these chefs worked together to create a unique 5-course menu, culminating in a fusion of both cuisines. The dinner was to commemorate the “Blue Hour” held across other Goethe Institute around the world.

BBS Entrepreneurship Sharing Session

Students from the BERJAYA Business School attended a lecture held by JEOEL co-founder Choong Jiayueh. At this session, Choong explained how JEOEL came to exist, touching upon specifically values of entrepreneurship. The lecture proved to be an invaluable experience for the students, especially those aspiring to be entrepreneurs for their own businesses.

2018 Global Youth and Entrepreneurs Innovation and Development Conference

In December 1 and 2, the 2018 Global Youth and Entrepreneurs Innovation and Development Conference was organised by BGlobal Professional Development and GFL and hosted by BERJAYA University College (BERJAYA UC) and Social Entrepreneurs with Integrity Association (SEIA) in collaboration with Beijing International Exchange Association Sustainable Development Committee and the International Scientific Exchange Foundation of China. The conference was attended by the youth and entrepreneurs from Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Canada, Bhutan and Japan.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan graced the occasion and met with fellow entrepreneurs who shared the same beliefs in humanity and values in bringing meaningful impact to society.

Master Lin Tseng Jung delivered the welcome message while the Conference Guest of Honour was Mr. Syed Nabil Aljeffri, founder of the Malaysian Association of ASEAN Youth Entrepreneurs (MAAYE); founding chair of the regional ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council (AYEC) and currently Council Member for Entrepreneurship Development Advisory Council in the Malaysian government.

The conference keynote address was delivered by Professor Chen Xi, President of the International Scientific Exchange Foundation of China. Speakers from various creative industries were also present to deliver their insights on innovation and creative economy: Oliver Lin Shin Bao, Deputy CEO of Taiwan Design Center on “Design – The Key for Competitiveness of Successful Business”; Franz Chen Li Heng, CEO of Franz Collection Inc. on “Branding”; Honorable Phee Boon Poh, Penang State Executive Councillor for Welfare, Caring Society and Environment on “Environment Innovation: Green Economy”; John Wu Chih Yang, Taiwan KMT Legislator-at-large-seats on “Rebuilding a Peaceful Society with Love” and Professor Wu Chih Fu, Vice President/ Professor of Department of Industrial Design, Tatung University on “The Prospects: Creativity and Innovation”.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to five concurrent workshops: “Innovation for service design” by Taiwan Design Centre; “Integrating innovation in architecture design” by Dayuan Architecture Design Consulting Co., Ltd; “Conceptual & practice of talent acquisition” by Tatung University; “Innovation in investment of accommodation services” by David Wei, Founder/ CEO, Taiwan Youth Hostel Co., Ltd. and “Big data power in Pan-Entertainment ecosystem” by Ray Chen, former Vice President, Taiwan, HK, Macau branch, iDreamsky and Billy Wong, Co-founder & CEO, Wearrus Inc.

Christmas High Tea

BERJAYA University College provided an inter-disciplinary collaborative learning experience for the Diploma in Patisserie students and students from the School of Hospitality. The students prepared a multitude savoury and sweet platters of different pastries and cakes, ranging from a traditional Christmas fruit cake to a rainbow cake to shepherd pie. A selection of different teas was offered to guests, from which they could choose that would pair perfectly with the foods prepared. As part of an authentic high tea, some pastries were arranged on a three-tier platter. To complement the stunning dishes prepared by the students, a selection of different teas from Tea Drop, an Australian-based tea house, was offered to guests, featuring Royal Ceylon Breakfast Tea, French Earl Grey, and Oolong Kiwi Berry.

It was a unique opportunity for the students to participate in a collaborative experience, one that they accomplished with confidence, elegance, and exceptional proficiency. Certainly it can be said that it was an event that represents the excellent level of professionalism and skill taught and perpetuated by BERJAYA UC.

Open Day 15th and 16th December 2018

A large range of activities and workshops were scheduled for Open Day and visitors were given the opportunity to learn how to make mocktails for the Holiday Season!

A number of guests were invited to participate in the Open Day sessions, namely Hitz.FM Radio DJ Ryan de Alwis, who gave an inspirational speech on the importance of communication in our daily life, and Malaysia’s Brewer Cup Champion of 2017, Shaun Liew, who spoke of the different types of coffee and demonstrated how to make latte art.

Christmas Staff Party

As the year drew to a close, staff indulged in a feast of their own to celebrate the season of joy and giving. A great buffet was served to those attending, accompanied by a selection of mocktails prepared by the School of Hospitality. The BERJAYA staff were joined by children from the charity, Rumah Victory. 29 children and youth were invited to join the celebrations through the Department of Student Services’ (DOSS) “Christmas Hope for the Young Ones” project. As part of this project, various staff members volunteered to sponsor gifts ranging from toys to stationery to books for the children and youth. The staff were particularly moved as the names of the children and youth were called, and the staff who sponsored the gifts presented to them personally; as the children and youth received their gifts, their faces were lit with joy.

As part of the Christmas celebrations, a lucky draw took place with over 100 prizes waiting to be won, ranging from gift vouchers to the main prize of 2 air tickets to Phuket. To celebrate the season of giving even more, staff took part in a “Secret Santa” gift exchange activity, looks of amusement and glee were etched on faces as the staff opened their presents. Indeed it was a time of great joy for all involved!

September 2018 Orientation

BERJAYA UC welcomed the third and final intake of 2018 for the September Orientation programme. The event, spanning over three days, served to introduce the new students to the school/faculty. Featuring a spooky twist on the typical orientation, with Halloween-esque decorations, costumed members of the Student Council and a costume fashion show, students enjoyed various ice-breakers and activities organized by the Student Council, who worked diligently to make the new students feel welcome.

Now that they have taken the first step, we eagerly welcome our new students to BERJAYA UC and look forward to inspiring them on the true meaning of being a Berjayan.

Institut Paul Bocuse Culinary Seminar

In the autumn of each year, the members of the Alliance by Institut Paul Bocuse gather to exchange best practices and new culinary techniques from all over the world. This year, BERJAYA University College (BERJAYA UC) was proud to host the Culinary Seminar from 24th September to 28th September 2018 with the theme, ‘Explore Malaysian Heritage and Traditions through the experience of Malaysian multi-cultural cuisine.’

“We welcome the Alliance members to experience the distinctive palette and a tapestry of flavours of Malaysia,” said Madam Mae Ho, Executive Director of Berjaya Higher Education Sdn Bhd, in her welcome speech.This five-day event brought together 22 participants from 11 member institutions around the world, including BERJAYA UC, who attended diverse workshops and demonstrations on Malaysian local herbs and spices used in Malaysian heritage cuisine and beverages, Chinese tea demonstration, celebrated the mid-autumn festival with the art of making snow-skin mooncakes, as well as best practice discussions and sharing sessions on best teaching and learning practices.

“BERJAYA UC is proud to join the ranks of prestigious institutions in the Worldwide Alliance by Institut Paul Bocuse,” said Madam Mae Ho. Being a member of the Alliance further enhances the learning curve for BERJAYA UC’s staff and students not only through the appreciation of Malaysian cuisine but also through cross cultural promotion of gastronomy, culture and education built on Institut Paul Bocuse’s values of trust, respect and commitment. Mae added, “In our strive for excellence, it is an honour for us share our ethnic heritage cuisine to all the members of the Alliance.”

Internship Sharing Session

Senior students from BERJAYA Business School, School of Hospitality, School of Tourism and School of Culinary Arts returned from their internships to share their 16-week experience. 11 students from the various faculties took to the stage as they explained where they had gone during their internships, what they had done, and what they had learned. The students interned with various prestigious companies and hotels such as The Hilton KL and G Tower Hotel, where they were able to gain first-hand experience while surrounded by professionals and industry experts.

We hope that this sharing session has served as an inspiring and informative session for their juniors, who will be able to learn from the experience of their upperclassmen, as well as letting them know what to expect going into their industry.

Honours Seminar Series – Sam Morrah

Students from various faculties gathered in Lecture Theatre 1 to listen in on Mr. Sam Morrah, the Director of Sales of Club Med Malaysia, speak about the “Challenges of Selling Travel Packages” in the Asian Continent. Mr. Morrah, born and raised in New Zealand and currently based in Kuala Lumpur, spoke of his experience after nearly a decade of work in the travel industry and all that it had taught him, inspiring students as they listened eagerly.

Starting out in the travel company Topdeck, Morrah spent two years as a travel manager, before moving on to Contiki as Director of Sales and Marketing. It was while based in Singapore that he learned just how different the Asian market was from the European one, how important it was to know your market, including their attitudes and preferences.He stressed to the students the value in understanding who they were selling to the where, the time and the money involved in the client’s decision making process. Mr. Morrah now works with Club Med Malaysia, continuing to learn more about the Asian market, its challenges and how to overcome them.

Honours Seminar Series – Marcus Low

Mr. Marcus Low, founder and owner of Table & Apron in Damansara, spoke to Hospitality and Culinary Arts students of his experience with chasing restaurant success, or how he had been Pursuing Excellence as a Team Sport.

Table & Apron is a neighbourhood restaurant situated in Damansara, Malaysia, that aims to provide memorable dining experiences to their customers. Mr. Low believes that restaurants are the social fabric of communities, with restaurants being used as a medium to socialise, make memories and even make business deals; restaurants are very important to our society. He believes that there are a few core components to making and running a successful restaurant, many of which boil down to one simple thing: a good team. A team that works well together, communicates effectively and above all is hospitable.With humble beginnings as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Toronto, Mr. Low learned from working various stations when his co-workers were absent, developing skills in many areas. That is part of what inspired him to introduce a station rotation in his own restaurant, which as a result bolstered communication and competency in more than one designated area of expertise.

He asked every student in the hall one question: what is your reason for being in this industry? He says that Table & Apron turned from an empty shell of a restaurant to a bustling neighbourhood hub with heaps of regulars after he answered that question for himself. “When you go out and work in the field, look at your work as a craft. Find your reason for being, your reason for doing what you do. We are here to create a better experience, and that starts with each of you.”

World Vegetarian Day

A relatively standard day for most, served as a platform for education and change at Berjaya Times Square. Starting the day with a large conference featuring five speakers, including Berjaya Corporation’s founder Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan, attendees enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lunch between talks about topics ranging from carbon footprint of animal agriculture to systems behind Malaysia’s sanitary landfills.

Following the informative and interesting (and occasionally funny, thanks to our humorous speakers) talks, the crowd headed down to the ground floor of Berjaya Times Square, where students of BERJAYA UC as well as various staff volunteers from Berjaya’s subsidiaries, had put together an exhibition in honour of World Vegetarian Day. Offering colourful displays, interactive presentations and a life-sized cardboard cow, the event served to educate the public on the impact of their daily choices, from the way we drink our water to the way we mend holes in our clothing. In addition to educating people about the five R’s (refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle) a section of the exhibit was dedicated to animal agriculture and its impacts on our planet. The exhibition provided information on exactly how things such as recycling and animal agriculture are affecting us, our weather and various other things, telling us what we as individuals could do to prevent the bleak future that our actions are setting course for.We were honoured to have been a part in such an initiative, and wish that everyone who attended the conference and visited the exhibit has left more educated and more aware about the world around us and the impacts of our choices to the environment.

Marketplace of Sustainability

Students from various faculties came together for their team building course assignment; making and selling items from recycled materials; from vases made out of paper spoons to dream catchers so pretty you won’t believe that they weren’t store-bought. The students gave it their all between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, enthusiastically advertising and selling their products, creating an environment similar to that of a night market (though they were significantly less rowdy). Fellow students and lecturers stopped by to inspect and purchase the hand-made products, priced anywhere between RM2 and RM6.

All proceeds would be either divided equally amongst the individual teams, or donated should they collect a sizeable enough amount. However, the true value of the project is allowing the students to work together and practice a lifestyle where they utilize the 5 R’s (refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle) and work towards a more sustainable future.

International Educational Week

One of the expectations of BERJAYA UC is to provide our students with a global experience. The International Exhibition Week, organized by the Student Experience Committee and the Department of Student Services, serves to do just that.

On day one, Professor Dr. Lee Chai Buan and student emcee Nazik from DPA, hailing from Kyrgyzstan (one of the featured countries), launched the week of events with a short welcoming speech. Professor Dr. Lee Chai Buan explained the aim of the event, along with wishing good luck to the students in charge of the exhibition. Eleven booths lined the student lounge on the eleventh floor, featuring displays about the Maldives, Korea, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Jakarta, Bangladesh and Ghana. The booths consisted of a wide array of pictures and handicrafts from their featured country, each of them also selling a snack native to their country (with Dango from Japan, and Sondesh from Bangladesh). In the far corner of the student lounge stood a booth put up by the lovely librarians, Sakinah and Darina, who had put together a breath-taking display for our own country – Malaysia. With twinkling lights, intricate embroidery and a rather large Malaysian flag, the pair showed off Malaysian pride amongst the cluster of countries.The exhibition of the booths continued throughout the week, with students and staff members free to visit any of the countries during breaks and between classes.

Day three featured a talk by Mr. Tan Choo Khuan and Bachelors of Culinary Arts student Naven Kumaar regarding studying abroad; the procedure and experience. Mr. Tan relayed useful information for all degree students interested in spending a semester overseas in places like Sejong University in South Korea, Institut Paul Bocuse in France, and FHS Salzburg University in Austria, while Naven recalled his experience of his time spent in Lyon, France attending Institut Paul Bocuse. The pair had an informative and interesting session as they urged students to apply for the exchange program (the deadline is on March 19th 2019) and spoke of the wonders of overseas experience.

The international students of BERJAYA University took to the stage on Day Four. The five students (Aina of Singapore, Nazik of Kyrgyzstan, Daniel of Indonesia, Bruce of China, and Jeffrey of Ghana) each spoke about their experience as international students living in Malaysia. Dr. Antoon De Rycker and Dr. Ng Mei Leng also shared their experiences, both their pasts as foreign students and their working lives as foreigners.

Day five ended the inaugural International Education Week with bright and captivating performances from the countries featured during the week. International and local students alike took to the stage to dance their hearts out in front of their fellow students and faculties. The dances featured included Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance, Poco-poco, a traditional line dance originating in Indonesia, and a group performance with several students and staff dancing in unison. A Sri Lankan envoy gave a short speech regarding the importance of intercultural awareness, before she, accompanied by Dr. Ng Mei Leng presented the prizes to the three best booths.

Honour’s Seminar Series Eddy Tan

Talent Acquisition Expert Eddy Tan joined Hospitality and Hotel Management students in Lecture Theatre 2 to give a talk titled; Me, You & Airbnb. He, along with his partners, spoke to the students about Teledirect Telecommerce. With offices across the globe, 6000 employees and a myriad awards under their belt (including one won just the day before), Teledirect Telecommerce is partnered with a multitude of companies spanning from Louis Vuitton to KFC.

He gave an interactive talk, asking the students questions for which they earned little gifts. He believes that people in the hospitality industry are truly special individuals, people who want to serve others and create memorable experiences for all. “Experiences,” Mr. Eddy Tan said. “That is what we do this for. It’s not your background or number of degrees; it is your consideration for guests, your will to serve and create these experiences that will lead you to success.”Mr. Tan urged the students to know their reason for being in the industry, because then, with a purpose, they can truly be successful and provide the best service that they possibly can.

Honour’s Seminar Series Merchant’s Lane

The founder of small café in the middle of China Town, Mr. Ken Ho, and his former employee turned business partner Mr. Kenneth Tan presented their talk, titled “Entrepreneurship – from Ideas to Execution” to a hall of Hospitality and Hotel Management students on Tuesday. With four years of experience in the café under their belt, and a lot of trial and error, the two complied a series of lessons they have learned from running their café; Merchant’s Lane.

After finishing his studies and working for a bit, Ken Ho found himself burnt out and I search of something new; that came in the form of opening a café. Once repurposing and redesigning an old building in China Town, Merchant’s Lane was up and running. However, all was not well with the now flourishing business at the beginning. With no experience running a café and bills to pay, Mr. Ken Ho had to learn quickly. Through trial and error and far too many experiments, he and his team managed to build the business into what it is today.He warned students never to look down upon the experience working at an establishment such as McDonald’s, Starbucks or Old Town might provide. Brands such as those have a vision, and have put in place a system with which to reach it. The two speakers outlined the lessons they had learned, from knowing your customers and pricing, to managing funds and minimizing waste. A lot of work goes into a successful business, and they were still learning and changing and adapting constantly, and urged the students to do the same.

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz talk

Kuala Lumpur: Are entrepreneurs born or made? A question was posed to none other than the ‘Iron Lady’ of Malaysian politics, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz. It was a memorable occasion for about 250 students and staff of Berjaya University College (BERJAYA UC) when Rafidah shared her insights on creating new lifestyles through entrepreneurship.

“People, profit and planet”, emphasized Rafidah on the importance of the three ‘P’s for business sustainability. She added that changes are taking place now and continuously. “You must be the disrupters in the market – create new values in new markets”, she advised. “Entrepreneurship must be future-proof. Relevant today, relevant yesterday and relevant tomorrow,” added Rafidah.
During her talk, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz stressed that to be an entrepreneur, one has to acquire the right mindset, gain as much knowledge about the business, practice hands-on approach in business and understand the stakeholders’ needs.

To a question about the fear of failure to be an entrepreneur, Rafidah answered in her trademark wit and candour, “If you start life fearing failure, don’t do anything then.” She added, “You want to achieve something, work out what needs to be done to achieve it. Never start anything with the word ‘failure’.”

Emeritus Professor Walter Wong, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chancellor in applauding Tan Sri Rafidah on her stimulating talk, said, “We are thrilled to have a prominent figure like Tan Sri who shared a frank perspective about what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the 21st century. We need to shift the emphasis from theory to practice and encourage innovation and creativity among our young generation today.” Madam Mae Ho, Executive Director and Chief Executive said, “We will foster and nurture our students’ entrepreneurial spirit more widely, and provide opportunities for it to flourish in tangible ways that the broader society will countenance in new products and services in our city and region.”

“Are entrepreneurs born or made?” asked Sarah Gandi Purwanto, a Bachelor of Business Management (Hons) student. Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz replied, “Entrepreneurs are not born. No one is born anything – not a Prime Minister, not a leader and not an entrepreneur. If you want to be an entrepreneur; you need to understand what it takes to be an entrepreneur.”

Honours Seminar Series – Dr. Noor Azlin Yahyah

Dr. Noor Azlin Yahyah from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) came by BERJAYA UC on 4 July for in conjunction with the Honours Seminar Series. She gave a talk on “The Importance of Ecotourism in Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Heritage.” Tourism students learned how Ecotourism could provide effective economic incentives for conserving and enhancing the bio-cultural diversity for sustainable living and economic growth in tourism industry.

Let’s Start 2.0 Campaign

We are proud to have Mr. Rajen Devadason, Malaysia’s top Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Retirement Planner who came and joined Let’s Start 2.0 Campaign. This campaign, organised by the students of the School of Communications & Media Arts, guides students in understanding the importance of knowing the principles and hands-on theories for long-term life and wealth enhancement. He emphasised that it is a good idea of having a retirement plan as early possible.

Marketplace of Sustainability

Students from BERJAYA School of Humanities & Social Sciences under the Faculty of Liberal Arts organised a ‘Marketplace of Sustainability’ in conjunction of their SFS1112 Team Development Skills coursework, to show their support towards a better and cleaner environment. The students sold their handcrafted products made from recycled materials so others could contribute their part to support the cause.

Hari Raya Staff Gathering 2018

BERJAYA University College celebrated a festive “Hari Raya” this year with staff and students on July 6. During the joyous occasion, students performed the traditional drumming of the Malay Kompang following a famous Raya tune. Everyone enjoyed traditional delicacies such as Roti Jala, Serunding, Lemang and Ketupat.

Introduction to Convention Sales by Mr. Kuan

Mr. Kenneth Kuan, Head – Sales of Ipay88 was invited to BERJAYA UC to share his insights and knowledge with Events Management students on ‘How to be a successful sales person’. The interactive session gave our students the opportunity to learn more on how to handle day-to-day challenges when dealing with clients and effective selling techniques to generate income.

Hungarian Gastronomy and Specialties Seminar

We were very happy to have the Vice-President of the Hungarian National Gastronomic Association, Mr. Zoltan Barabas and representatives from the Hungarian National Team for the World Chef Congress to come and give a short seminar on Hungarian Gastronomy and its Specialties. He also presented Tokaji Aszu, a famous Hungarian wine from the Tokaj region in Hungary along with a presentation on the process and its historical background.

A Taste of Hungary – Hungarian Dinner

The Embassy of Hungary in Kuala Lumpur represented by H.E. Attila Kali together with BERJAYA UC and the Hungarian National Gastronomic Association hosted an exclusive “A Taste of Hungary” dinner on July 11. Mr Peter Gyorgyicsek, an internationally acclaimed Master Pastry Chef was the emcee for the evening.

Chef Istvan Volenter, Chef Attila Timar, Chef Agnes Timarne-Filip, Chef Anna Maczak, Chef Monika Marosi from the Hungarian National Team for the World Chef Congress worked together with Chef Choong Siew Lee and our students to prepare an exquisite dinner at Berjaya UC’s fine-dining restaurant, Samplings on the Fourteenth. The menu included Foie Gras with Golden Raisins and Brioche, Stuffed Paprika with Hungarian Cottage Cheese Spread and Dill, Duck Breast with Lavender Flavoured Honey, Crispy Duck Ragout and traditional desserts such as Somlo Sponge and Esterhazy Cake.

“It was an inspiring experience for our culinary students to work together with the Hungarian chefs during this dinner” said Chef Choong Siew Lee, Global Master Chef from the Faculty of Culinary Arts, BERJAYA UC.

Events Management students field trip

BERJAYA UC’s School of Tourism organised field trips for their Events Management students as part of their studies. They went to Connexion Conference and Event Centre, Bangsar South to meet up with event professionals who shared their wealth of knowledge in promoting venue and key areas to be measured before an event launch. The students then proceeded to DOREMi Sound and Lights, where they were exposed to actual equipment used for major event setup.

Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2018

BERJAYA UC students gained first hand experiences through various events held in conjunction with the Worldchefs Congress 2018. This year, the network’s biennial Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2018 held in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) had an expected turn-out of 4,000 leading chefs from 105 countries, 200 exhibiting companies and 20 illustrious speakers.

Among the competition categories include a Global Chefs Challenge, Global Pastry Chefs Challenge and Global Young Chefs Challenge (for young chefs under the age of 25) where Malaysia was represented by Berjaya UC’s Mong Zhi Ling, a Bachelor of Culinary Arts student, who managed a commendable 7th placing overall.

BERJAYA UC also collaborated with Worldchefs by providing National teams with kitchen facilities to prepare their mise en place for the competition. The teams from USA, Scotland, Hungary, Denmark, Colombia, Japan and Germany received support from the Faculty of Culinary Arts staff and students. This gave the students a first-hand perspective of the intensity of high-level competition and the mastery of culinary skills by the different country representatives.

Edinburgh Dinner

The Scottish National Team together with Chef Lecturers from the Faculty of Culinary Arts, supervised an Edinburg-styled dinner for members of the Selangor St. Andrew Society. The Scottish dinner included Cold Smoked Scottish Highland Salmon, Cullen Skink, Haggis, Neeps & Tatties, Roast Beef in Whisky Sauce with Spring Vegetables and Dauphinoise Potatoes, Sticky Toffee Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Stilton Cheese with Crackers and Pear Chutney. One of the highlights of the event was the “piping in the Haggis” where the Haggis was marched in and escorted by St. John’s Alumni pipe band playing the bagpipes, laid down on the host table where Paul Henderson, the past president of the Selangor St. Andrew Society recited Robert Burns’ “Address to the Haggis”.

Alumni Forum Series 6

We were honoured to have our alumni’s dropped by our campus on July 18 to participate in the sixth Alumni Forum Series. During the forum, the alumni’s shared their working experiences, challenges and how they overcome it to our students. Among the invited alumni’s were Ms. Phuah Shie Ling from Diploma in Events Management who is now currently working as a Marketing Communications Coordinator in Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. Mr. Liew Jiang Chee previously from Bachelor of Hospitality Management who works as Assistant Manager for Entier French Dining and lastly we have our very own Lecturer for BERJAYA Business School, Mr. Ng Boon Aun who is a Master of Business Administration graduate in BERJAYA University College.

GFL Introductory Dialogue

We were happy to have representatives from China and Japan visit BERJAYA University College on July 20 to present their talk on sustainable environment, economic and ethical reconstruction. The invited speakers were Mr. Lin Tseng Jung, founder of GFL Education & Institution Sdn. Bhd., Prof. Aaron Wang, Prof. Lilian Lee, Dr. Ricky Lee, Dr. Su Chien-chen, Assistant Professor Yang Cheng Long, Mr. Jian Wei Lu, Mr. Greg Sheng and Mr. Akinori Oishi who is a Character and Multimedia Artist from Japan.

Each speaker presented their talk and shared their knowledge on various aspects of improving the quality of life through meditation, art and calligraphy.

MONIN Cup Professional 2018

On April 14, we saw BERJAYA UC’s School of Hospitality student, Ivon Soon, emerge as Champion in the MONIN Cup Student Malaysia 2018. The competition featured young and talented students below 27 years old showcasing their creative and innovative mocktail & cocktail creations to impress the panel of judges.
Two months later, at Arena Bar TTDI, a BERJAYA UC alumni, Koh Kay Kim, representing Wizards@Tribeca, KL, walked away with the MONIN Cup Professional Malaysia Championship title!
We are proud of these accomplishments when they represent Malaysia for MONIN Cup Asia Pacific 2018.

Honours Seminar Series – Mr. Zaidi

We were honoured to have our ex-lecturer Chef Zaidi give a talk on “Food Catering Industry on the Rise” for Honours Seminar Series. Mr. Zaidi, an Executive Chef who is currently working with Komatra Sajian Sdn. Bhd, shared his expertise and experience in food catering industry and the skills necessary in handling staff or suppliers. It has been an eye opener for our students, as it creates possibilities to venture into food catering business.

5th International Anatomical Sciences and Cell Biology Conference (IASCBC) 2018

BERJAYA University College was the venue for the 5^th International Anatomical Sciences and Cell Biology Conference (IASCBC) 2018. Esteemed guests and medical practitioners from the Asia Pacific region met up for the 2-day international conference comprised of workshops, plenary sessions, keynote sessions, micrographs competition and a robust mutual exchange of scientific information. This is the first time that Malaysia is hosting the renowned event.

2^nd APCEM Conference

The 2nd Asia Pacific Centre for Events Management (APCEM) Conference took place at Berjaya Times Square Hotel on the 30th July 2018. The event focused on “Risk Management in Event Planning”. Local experts on risk management shared their thoughts on pertinent issues that affect the event industry. The invited speakers were Ms. Kitty Wong, President of K&A International Co. Ltd. and Dr. Peter Wynn-Moylan, Principal Lecturer in Convention & Event Management Units at Southern Cross University. The keynote address on “Risk and Hazard Management for Festivals and Events”, provided guidelines for proactive methods to identify, assess and control hazardous conditions when managing an event.

The event also featured Panellists Madam Gracie Geikie, Director/Principal Consultant of Place Borneo Group of Companies, Mr. Lee Mark, Chief Operating Officer of The Hot Shoe Show & Co. Sdn Bhd, Mr. K.C Lim, Explopyromunitions, Blast Master Sdn Bhd, Professor Dr. Jennifer Chan, Professor of Tourism and Hospitality Management from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) who is also the Director of Borneo Tourism Research Centre, Sabah. Ms. Selina Kok, Founder and CEO of Sevent Media Sdn Bhd, En. Harun bin Bakar, Manager of Accident Prevention Section Operation Division, Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) Malaysia. The event was moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Antoon De Rycker, Head of BERJAYA School of Humanities & Social Sciences.

Café and Bakery Show 2018

BERJAYA UC joined the Café and Bakery Show 2018 held at PWTC last August 2-5, 2018. A wide range of Café Industry ranging from Coffee and Tea, Food and Beverage, Packaging , Desserts, Bakery and Pastry, Chocolates, Flavors, Syrups, Milk and Sugar Products were exhibited in Malaysia Int’l Café & Bakery F&B Lecturer Mixon Govindarajoo conducted a demo “Sensational Desserts in Minutes”.

Merdeka Themed Afternoon Tea

BERJAYA University College hosted a wonderful Merdeka themed Afternoon Tea at Samplings on the Fourteenth on 11th of August. The afternoon tea comprising of various delectable pastries, sandwiches, scones and other savoury items were perfectly paired with selections of tea from Tea Drop (Australia). Our culinary, hospitality and exchange students from Sichuan worked together with lecturers to ensure our guests experience our Berjaya hospitality.

Open Day 18 & 19 August 2018

It was an inspiring weekend for about 250 prospective students and their parents on Saturday, 18th August and Sunday, 19th August 2018 at BERJAYA UC’s Open Day. The Open Day gave these prospective students and their parents the chance to experience talks and workshops specially lined up for the event such as Retail Visual Merchandising, Fine Dining Etiquette, Breadmaking 101, Folding Sheets – Housekeeping extraordinary, Careless Whisper – Art of Communication and many more.

Meanwhile, the Department of Student Services provided a compatibility test using the RIASEC Career Test to help students identify and determine their areas of interests. The test matched students’ personalities, interests, skills, values, strengths and uniqueness to their interest of study which will allow them to gauge the careers that are most likely suitable to them. Staff were on hand to explain the test results and provide free consultation.

BERJAYA UC also invited two celebrities from the hospitality industry to inspire students of the many potential opportunities in the world of hospitality. Shaun Liew, owner and Restaurateur of Wizards @ Tribeca, Yellow Brick Road in Damansara and Common Craftsman as well as Malaysia’s Brewer’s Cup Champion 2017, showcased his brewing skills to more 50 students in the Coffee and Tea Academy. He advised the students during his demonstration to widen their knowledge and opportunities in the hospitality industry. Noted celebrity chef, Sherson Lian, star of Asian Food Channel’s Family Kitchen, Host of 5 Rencah and 5 Rasa on TV3, gave insights into how he started learning his cooking skills to owning and managing his own restaurants as well as hosting his own widely watch cooking shows.

Academic faculty were present to provide academic counseling about the programmes offered in the areas of culinary arts, business, liberal arts and social sciences, hospitality, retail management, tourism, events and language.

Malaysia International Gastronomy Festival / Taste MIGF

It was an inspiring weekend for about 250 prospective students and their parents on Saturday, 18th August and Sunday, 19th August 2018 at BERJAYA UC’s Open Day. The Open Day gave these prospective students and their parents the chance to experience talks and workshops specially lined up for the event such as Retail Visual Merchandising, Fine Dining Etiquette, Breadmaking 101, Folding Sheets – Housekeeping extraordinary, Careless Whisper – Art of Communication and many more.

Meanwhile, the Department of Student Services provided a compatibility test using the RIASEC Career Test to help students identify and determine their areas of interests. The test matched students’ personalities, interests, skills, values, strengths and uniqueness to their interest of study which will allow them to gauge the careers that are most likely suitable to them. Staff were on hand to explain the test results and provide free consultation.

BERJAYA UC also invited two celebrities from the hospitality industry to inspire students of the many potential opportunities in the world of hospitality. Shaun Liew, owner and Restaurateur of Wizards @ Tribeca, Yellow Brick Road in Damansara and Common Craftsman as well as Malaysia’s Brewer’s Cup Champion 2017, showcased his brewing skills to more 50 students in the Coffee and Tea Academy. He advised the students during his demonstration to widen their knowledge and opportunities in the hospitality industry. Noted celebrity chef, Sherson Lian, star of Asian Food Channel’s Family Kitchen, Host of 5 Rencah and 5 Rasa on TV3, gave insights into how he started learning his cooking skills to owning and managing his own restaurants as well as hosting his own widely watch cooking shows.

Academic faculty were present to provide academic counseling about the programmes offered in the areas of culinary arts, business, liberal arts and social sciences, hospitality, retail management, tourism, events and language.