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Students’ Perspectives on Quality Assurance and Sustainable Higher Education: Evidence from the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
No full textThis study examines the influence of quality assurance practices on students’ knowledge, skills, competencies, and employability within higher education. Survey data were collected from students at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), and analysed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The results indicate that institutional infrastructure, technological facilities, the quality of teaching and learning processes, practical training, and student research activities significantly enhance students’ knowledge, skills, and competencies. Furthermore, student research activities exert a positive and direct effect on employability outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening quality assurance mechanisms to ensure that higher education institutions effectively contribute to both academic and professional development. Policy implications suggest that improving quality assurance across teaching, learning, and research dimensions is essential to enhance graduate employability, develop key competencies, and foster the sustainability of higher education
An Approach to Sustaining Future Ready Curriculum Implementation in Higher Education
No full textTeaching and learning (T&L) in higher education is facing new challenges in the 21st century, resulting in the need to adapt to current situations and emerging requirements. The Future Ready Curriculum (FRC) elements were introduced to equip students with essential future skills to meet the demands of dynamic job markets and evolving global challenges. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) has established targets and strategies for tracking FRC implementation across undergraduate programmes to examine its scalability, feasibility, and effectiveness. This study analyses the annual achievement of FRC element implementation, specifically in transformative T&L delivery and alternative assessment, from 2021 to 2025 across STEM and non-STEM programmes. The achievement was measured by the percentage of core courses implementing the FRC elements, with targets gradually increasing each year—from 50% in 2021 to 80% in 2025—to ensure steady progress. Over the years, most programmes showed a consistent increase in implementation, achieving the annual targets. Initially, seven out of ten faculties met the target with minor exceptions. By 2025, all programmes reached the 80% threshold, indicating the potential for sustainability in FRC implementation. This study concludes that systematic, data-driven target setting supports sustainable large-scale reform adoption in higher education, despite the lack of qualitative measures. Future research should explore the pedagogical impacts and effects on student learning outcomes
Optimisation and Comparative Analysis of Alkaline Pre-treatment of Defatted Spent Coffee Ground to Increase Sugar Recovery
No full textSpent coffee grounds (SCG) have the potential as a raw material for producing valuable products due to their cellulose and hemicellulose content. However, their complex lignocellulosic structure makes sugar extraction challenging. Effective pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis are therefore essential to maximise sugar recovery. This study optimised the alkaline pre-treatment of defatted SCG following enzymatic hydrolysis using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) of 5-level, 3-factor Central Composite Design (CCD) by examining the effects of alkaline concentration, temperature, and incubation time on reducing sugar yield after enzymatic hydrolysis to maximise reducing sugar recovery. The optimal conditions for KOH pre-treatment were 3% (w/v) KOH concentration at 90 ℃ for 2 h, yielding a 2.97-fold increase, while NaOH pre-treatment at 3% (w/v) NaOH, 85 ℃ for 1 h achieved a 3.28-fold increase over the control. For second phase of the study, acid pre-treatment was combined with alkaline pre-treatment. Acid was included for its effectiveness in hydrolysing hemicellulose and was used synergistically with alkaline pre-treatment, which primarily removes lignin. Following pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis with cellulase was applied to convert cellulose into glucose. To compare pre-treatment strategies, one-step pre-treatment methods using either alkali (KOH, NaOH) or acid (H₂SO₄), and two-step pre-treatment combinations (acid–alkali and alkali–acid), were statistically evaluated using One-Way ANOVA. Results showed that two-step pre-treatment achieved the highest sugar recovery (4.25–4.70 folds) which significantly greater than one-step pre-treatment methods (1.50–3.28 folds), demonstrating the synergistic effect of acid-base combinations to enhance lignin removal, hemicellulose solubilisation and enzyme accessibility, thereby improving reducing sugar release. This study explores the valorisation of SCG into reducing sugars by offering a sustainable solution to mitigate the environmental impact of SCG disposal
Low-Cost Instrumentation for Measuring Soil Respiration in Nature-Based Carbon Mitigation Studies
No full textAccurate measurement of soil CO₂ flux is essential for understanding terrestrial carbon dynamics and evaluating the effectiveness of nature-based solutions (NbS) for
climate change mitigation. This study introduces a cost�effective, field-deployable system developed at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to monitor soil respiration across various land-use types. The system integrates readily available sensors to measure CO₂ concentration (MG811), air pressure and temperature (BMP180), and soil moisture (YL�69), all coordinated via an Arduino microcontroller for real�time data logging and control. The setup utilizes a static closed�chamber design, carefully engineered to quantify CO₂ efflux while minimizing environmental disturbances and maintaining system portability. Designed with affordability and adaptability in mind, the instrument was tested across three ecologically distinct environments: secondary forests, natural wetlands, and managed grasslands. Data collected over timed intervals enabled calculation of CO₂ fluxes using changes in
concentration and environmental parameters. The results
demonstrated clear variations in flux across ecosystems, with higher variability observed in grasslands, moderate emissions in forest soils, and fluctuating patterns in wetlands due to anaerobic conditions. Sensor performance was stable and responsive under field conditions, particularly within the optimal temperature range for the MG811 sensor (20–50°C). The supporting environmental sensors (BMP180 and YL-69) enhanced contextual interpretation of respiration patterns. The system’s low cost and ease of deployment position it as a promising tool for expanding soil carbon monitoring, particularly in resource-limited settings. Its potential integration into broader NbS frameworks underscores the value of intelligent, accessible instrumentation in advancing ecosystem-based climate solutions
Neurocritical Care Organization in the Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries
No full textBackground: This study aimed to assess the organization, infrastructure, workforce, and adherence to protocols in
neurocritical care across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with the goal of identifying key gaps and oppor‑
tunities for improvement.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 408 health care providers from 42 LMICs. The survey collected
data on the presence of dedicated neurointensive care units, workforce composition, access to critical care technolo‑
gies, and adherence to evidence-based protocols. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and comparisons
were made across different geographical regions (East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and
the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa) and economic strata [lowincome countries (LICs), lower middle-income countries (LoMICs), and upper middle-income countries (UMICs)].
Results: Only 36.8% of respondents reported access to dedicated neurointensive care units: highest in the Middle East (100%), lowest in sub-Saharan Africa (11.5%), highest in LoMICs (42%), and lowest in LICs (13%). Access to critical care tech‑nologies, such as portable computed tomography scanners (9.3%; UMICs 11%, LICs 0%) and tele-intensive care unit services (14.9%; UMICs 19%, LICs 10%), was limited. Workforce shortages were evident, with many institutions relying on anesthesia residents for 24-h care. Adherence to protocols, including those for acute ischemic stroke (61.7%) and traumatic brain injury (55.6%), was highest in Latin America and the Caribbean (72% and 73%, respectively) and higher in UMICs (66% and 60%,
respectively) but remained low in LICs (22% and 32%, respectively)
Bridging the Curriculum-Industry Gap in Semiconductor Talent Development: Micromodule Initiatives in Unimas
No full textThe academia-industry gap has always been a prominent recurring issue in engineering education. The disconnection between the knowledge imparted in academic settings and the practical requirements of the job market often causes a mismatch in career paths and critical talent shortages in industries. Therefore, adjustments to address this gap are crucial to ensure the sustainability of our economy and to promote more collaboration between the academia and industry. In this paper we discuss micromodules to bridge the gap between the academic curriculum in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering UNIMAS and the local semiconductor industry needs. Although the micromodules are only at the beginning phase and much more improvement is needed, this step aims to start off active collaboration between the academia and the semiconductor industry
Analisis hubungan gratitude dan academic buoyancy sebagai kekuatan karakter mahasiswa perguruan tinggi negeri
No full textMahasiswa perguruan tinggi sering menghadapi tekanan akademik seperti beban tugas, tuntutan prestasi, serta kesulitan dalam mengelola waktu dan emosi. Dalam konteks ini, academic gratitude (rasa syukur akademik) dan academic buoyancy (daya lenting akademik) dipandang berperan penting dalam membantu mahasiswa mengatasi tekanan tersebut. Gratitude membantu mahasiswa menghargai hal-hal positif
dalam proses belajar, sementara buoyancy mencerminkan kemampuan bangkit dari tantangan akademik sehari-hari. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengkaji hubungan antara academic gratitude dan academic buoyancy. Desain yang digunakan adalah studi korelasional dengan teknik probability sampling berbasis strata kelas. Sampel terdiri atas 410 mahasiswa (104 laki-laki, 306 perempuan) dari universitas negeri di
Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan melalui Google Form selama masa pandemi, menggunakan instrumen Gratitude Questionnaire-6 (GQ-6) dan Academic Buoyancy Scale (ABS) yang telah diadaptasi ke konteks Indonesia. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa kedua variabel berada pada kategori tinggi, serta terdapat hubungan positif, cukup kuat, dan
signifikan antara academic gratitude dan academic buoyancy. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa rasa syukur berkontribusi dalam
meningkatkan daya lenting akademik. Oleh karena itu, disarankan agar universitas mengembangkan program berbasis gratitude untuk memperkuat ketahanan akademik mahasiswa secara berkelanjutan
Socio-Cultural Vulnerability Index (SVI) Approach for Social Impact Assessment among the Coastal Community Management Due to Climate Change
No full textClimate change is one of the effects of global warming that affects the social and physical environment. The effects of climate change on coastal communities are expected to have significant implications for society, culture, economic and theirs well-being. Coastal communities play an important role in sharing information and should be consulted and included in all efforts to promote climate action and adaptation. Local knowledge are an important component for climate planning and development programmes of action. Social-cultural assets and practices are valuable. The loss and damages of social-cultural parameters should be considered in valuations of climate change impacts. This paper is attempts to indicate the socio-cultural factors that may increase sensitivity to coastal areas. It is also to develop a comprehensive Socio-cultural Vulnerability Index (SVI) to determines the vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change phenomena such as coastal flooding and erosion due to sea level rise, heavy rain, storm surge, high tide, and wave action. Data collection to develop SVI are based on selected parameters indicate during the survey process. Finding indicate that housing charateristics and demographic vulnerabilities are the most significant factors influencing community sensitivity to climate impacts. In contract, cultural and historical components contributed the least. This research contributes a novel, locally contextualized methodology for evaluating social vulnerability and serves as a practical decision-making tool for municipal planners, policymakers, and climate adaptation stakeholders. Integrating SVI outcomes into development planning will support more equitable and effective resilience building among coastal communities