One way for a student to learn about the subject of study they are interested in is by asking questions directly to the representative of the school. Prospective students almost everywhere in the world can inquire with an education counsellor for general knowledge about the programme of study they wish to learn more about. However, if a student wishes to inquire about specific requirements pertaining to their individual circumstances, a question-and-answer (Q&A) session with a senior or lecturer of the programme may just be what the student needs. 

Mr Eric Ching Xin Zhi, an advisor from the student recruitment department who also handles decisions for the exploration fair, described the fair as a ‘platform for progression students to engage’. Representation from each school consists of lecturers, seniors and graduates. There is no one better to shed light on the journey of the course, the challenges faced by students participating in the degree and advice on how to overcome them, than the experts themselves. Every student who attends the exploration fair is guaranteed to receive reliable and detailed information about the degree they wish to pursue. All you need to do is ask!

As one of the progression students’ top choices for a degree, the School of Accounting and Finance, led by Dr Premagowrie Sivanandan, divided the school’s activities on both days into a few items: their key feature included informal sharing sessions held by senior students and graduates of the programme, illuminating potential students with first-hand experiences of studying the degree as well as soft skills they acquired whilst attending Taylor’s University. Other ways that the School of Accounting and Finance attracts budding students is with games, quizzes and a glimpse into corporations in Malaysia such as the FINTECH companies. Being positioned near the entrance of the event at the Grand Hall also helped with capturing the attention of a large number of attendees, as enlightened by Dr Premagowrie.

 

With popular schools such as Accounting and Finance, pre-university students will have received lectures and sharing sessions during class from various academics of the degree focus. This helps ensure a large turnout at the exploration fair event. Among other reasons that make the School of Accounting and Finance programme favoured amongst attendees of the exploration fair is the promise of hands-on industrial experience in internships, as well as the board of achievements of the seniors.

Many schools with a larger focus on practical elements of learning such as the School of Engineering, the School of Architecture, the School of Bioscience and the School of Food Studies, display the finished projects of seniors to captivate the attendees with the creativity involved in that field of study. In the case of the School of Food Studies, the delicious meals that the representatives offered propelled the degree programme to be the most popular amongst the event participants. If you are interested in attending the exploration fair event next year, make sure to not miss out on the refreshments provided by the School of Food Studies crew!

Through the guidance of the academics stationed at the Food Studies booth, you can find out about the practical aspects of the syllabus, such as the examination methods, or even how frequently a student gets the chance to cook throughout the semester. At the exploration fair, the goal of each school academic and representative is to inform and entice potential students with opportunities that their degree programme offers, so expect plenty of Taylor’s University clubs and societies to make their appearances in this event. Whether these clubs are specific to the students of each degree, or open to all, the exploration fair aims to enrich your study at Taylor’s University, and that you are receiving the best of what your undergraduate programme can offer you.

The two days were not all about knowledge, as I learned from Nia Iffah Binti Nor Zahidi, a crew member of the exploration fair event. Students were kept entertained by earning rewards through participating in the games and activities provided by some booths belonging to the involved schools. Towards the end of the event, students can visit the merchandise redemption booth where a team of crew members will turn the rewards into prizes in the form of vouchers or t-shirts.

In the coming year, the exploration fair will return with a more focused promotion by each school involved and it may be bigger than this year’s turnout. If you are a student currently taking a pre-university course, make sure to tune into the school of your choice on social media to find out more about their participation at the exploration fair event, where you can meet experts of your chosen field of study and inquire them about your specific doubts.