Bringing the Best Education while Adopting New Norms

The past two years have been very challenging, particularly for the education field. There were numerous setbacks stemming from a sudden shift from onsite to online classrooms, which included changes in the learning environment, having to adapt to different approaches in teaching, and students not being able to interact with friends or academics on campus.

Right from the start, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) has always prioritised ensuring a smooth educational path for its students, whether online, onsite, or hybrid, regardless of the circumstances. According to Ms Premila Nair, NUMed's Chief Operating Officer (COO), despite the obstacles posed by COVID-19, the university had taken the necessary steps to ensure that students were still able to advance in their studies.

“During the various nationwide lockdown phases, NUMed considered several options such as migrating all study materials online and making them available to the students. This way, anyone missing the face-to-face laboratory teachings or any live sessions would be able to have catch-up sessions on their own,” said Ms Premila Nair.

Furthermore, Ms Premila Nair stated that the pandemic also resulted in NUMed exploring and adopting new ways of working. For example, the lockdowns demonstrated that NUMed faculty can work and complete their tasks remotely. Hence, the university is now exploring a hybrid work mode as well.

While online learning was progressing well, many still looked forward to returning to campus.

"We were counting the days for Malaysia to open up again so that we could be back at our campus, and we are so glad that the time has finally arrived. Now, our students and academics, as well as colleagues, can all come back and once again embrace learning and teaching together effectively," said Ms Premila Nair when asked about her thoughts of being back on campus at NUMed.

No matter if the university is conducting online, on campus, or hybrid learning, NUMed aspires to provide students with necessary academic and mental support. The Student Support Services at NUMed are helpful for those seeking assistance or advice on a variety of issues, ranging from personal wellbeing to learning facilities and career advancement, providing them with professional counselling and coaching to help them achieve their goals.

For further details on NUMed programmes, email admissions@newcastle.edu.my, call +607-555 3800, WhatsApp +6011-1231 5411/+6012-784 9456 or visit https://www.ncl.ac.uk/numed/.