Editor on the Field

From Strength to Strength: Taylor’s University College, 40 Years of Educational Excellence

The Sri Hartamas Campus, which was opened in 2008, also runs the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP)

It all started with a hopeful dream and a bold vision. A neglected wasteland was to be transformed into a state-of-the-art university campus, set amidst natural green surroundings including a shimmering lake. A thriving educational haven was the ultimate goal.

In 2007, Taylor’s University College unveiled its grandiose plan to establish its flagship campus in response to the nation’s ever-pressing need for knowledgeable human capital. The RM450 million-dollar Lakeside Campus would play a key role in meeting the needs of students, both locally and internationally, and address the nation’s goal of becoming a regional centre for educational excellence.

The completion of the new campus at the end of 2009 will mark yet another milestone for Taylor’s, already renowned for its teaching excellence and distinctive quality of graduates, in attaining full-fledged University status.

How it all began…

In 1969, a small building in Jalan Pantai, Kuala Lumpur offered the Victorian High School Certificate (VHSC) programme for 345 students. This institution later mo0ved to PJ New Town, and in 1989, launched its first campus in SS15, Subang Jaya. That same year, the institution, which came to be known as Taylor’s College, introduced the Australian Matriculation programme in Malaysia for the first time. This marked the early beginnings of Taylor’s University College, one of Malaysia’s premier higher education institutions today.

By the 1990s, Taylor’s had introduced a host of other programmes including Pre-University courses such as the South Australian Matriculation (SAM), Canadian Pre-University (CPU), and Cambridge A-Levels (CAL). Taylor’s College pioneered the CPU programme in Malaysia and is the largest independent centre for CAL programmes in the world. Its SAM programme, introduced in 1982 is the largest and most successful programme worldwide.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the Lakeside Campus in 2007

Thus, Taylor’s carved a name for itself as the largest Pre-University centre in Malaysia, providing uncompromised British, Australian and Canadian education recognised by top universities around the world. Students who excelled in their Pre-U courses at Taylor’s have been known to transfer to some of the premier universities, including University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), King’s College London, London School of Economics, and The University of Edinburgh in the UK; as well as Ivy League universities in the US. The recent batch of CAL students for June 2009 achieved an unprecedented 99.6% pass rate, with more than 14% obtaining the maximum 5As.

Soon, various twinning programmes such as Architecture, Quantity Surveying & Construction; Business, Accounting, Marketing & Finance; Computer Science; Software Engineering & IT; Engineering; Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts; and Taylor’s Business Foundation programme were included in the stable of growing courses at Taylor’s.

Today, the Taylor’s brand comprises Taylor’s College, which carries a wide range of highly acclaimed Pre-University programmes under its belt; and Taylor’s University College, with its mantle of competitive tertiary courses. Partnering some of the leading universities in the world from United Kingdom, Australia and France among others, Taylor’s has churned out over 58,000 graduates to date.

In 2008, more expansion was in the works for Taylor’s, with the launch of its KL campus situated in Sri Hartamas, which incorporated contemporary design and a conducive study environment. With ample wide space, contemporary furniture, zesty colours, fun hang-out areas and free wi-fi access throughout the building, Taylor’s College Sri Hartamas (TCSH) is tailor-made for a modern study experience. Taylor’s once again upped its benchmark of excellence by being one of the select few institutions in Malaysia to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to its students at TCSH.

Staying ahead…

The artist's impression of the completed Taylor's Lakeside Campus, which is set to open its doors to its first batch of students in January 2010

The Malaysian education industry is highly competitive, with over 500 private higher educational institutions across the country, and new ones mushrooming every year.

In order to set itself apart from the rest, Taylor’s University College introduced the Taylor’s Graduate Capabilities (TGC) initiative in 2008, in line with a worldwide drive to revamp university-level education as a result of the trend towards privatisation and globalisation. This solidified Taylor’s ability to keep abreast with the current needs and latest trends of the industry and prospective employers.

“TGC is a student-centred curriculum, preparing students for life in the “real world”. The integration of TGC within the teaching and learning philosophy at Taylor’s gives each student the extra leverage that is desperately needed in today’s competitive global marketplace. Simply put, TGC ensures that Taylor’s graduates are not only sound in academic and theoretical knowledge, they are also imbibed with supplementary qualities like leadership, creativity, adaptability, teamwork and street-smarts as part of their study experience,” explained Professor Dato’ Dr. Hassan Said, Vice Chancellor and President, Taylor’s University College.

Taylor’s was the first private university college in Malaysia to adopt this approach towards education, which focuses on students becoming intentional learners – an approach that is already being practiced by Australian universities. Under the TGC initiative, Taylor’s graduates are inculcated with attributes and abilities that enable them to start ahead and stay ahead in the working world.

In early 2009, Taylor’s presence in the Malaysian education industry was reinforced when it was awarded the “Brand Excellence Award (Services)” by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). The annual event recognises the accomplished leaders of the industry through such awards. This reinforced Taylor’s role in developing and shaping the minds of the nation’s youth and its success in producing a pool of dynamic human capital.

Moving forward…

Having turned 40, Taylor’s University College is certainly no stranger to the education industry. Rather than being slowed-down by the growing competition, Taylor’s is preparing itself to embrace the next and newest phase of its education heritage – the launch of Taylor’s Lakeside Campus.

Located on a 27-acre site, Taylor’s flagship campus is poised to emerge as the beacon of hope for a new generation of youths. When fully operational by mid-2010, the state-of-the-art, modern tropical university campus will house all existing tertiary programmes currently located within Taylor’s campuses in Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya.

Ingeniously built around an inspiring 5.5 acre lake, Taylor’s Lakeside Campus extensively applies many ecologically-sustainable principles, such as natural ventilated spaces and natural cooling systems, making it an “eco-friendly campus” in every sense of the term, and a nucleus for burgeoning young minds.

The new campus also boasts a 4-storey library, fully furnished 1,000 bed Hostel, world-class training facilities for students, an experimental theatre, a 600-pax auditorium, indoor and outdoor Amphitheatre, retail outlets and many other modern facilities that will come together to provide students with a rich and stimulating learning experience.

“The Lakeside Campus marks the pinnacle of our 40th year, and the start of a whole new phase of the Taylor’s heritage. Our brand new campus will clearly set the standards for other local education providers and the industry as a whole, in providing top-notch facilities and a quality education environment to our students. We look forward to making the most of our next 40 years, just as we have done in our first 40,” said Prof. Dato’ Dr. Hassan Said.

From its humble beginnings to its recognition as a global brand name, there seems to be no limits to the heights that Taylor’s can soar. With its sights firmly fixed ahead, it is evident that Taylor’s University College in moving forward in leaps and bounds towards shaping the future of Malaysian education.