WEDNESDAY, 05 DECEMBER - In its first role as conference organizer, the Research Unit for Languages & Linguistics of Sabah (RULLS) successfully held the 2^nd International Conference on Languages, Linguistics, and Society (ICLALIS 2018) with the Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language Learning (PPIB) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) at the Promenade Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, recently.

The theme of the two days conference was “Languages, linguistics, and society in the era of disruptive technologies”.

Four keynote speakers together with 53 paper presenters from Malaysia, Switzerland, Nigeria, the Philippines and Indonesia joined the event. A pre-conference workshop conducted by keynote speaker Emeritus Prof. Dr. James T. Collins was also held on 7^th November 2018 at PPIB.

The conference was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry, Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau, who was also a keynote speaker at the conference.

Other keynote speakers were Assistant Minister, Ministry of Education and Innovation, Sabah, Jenifer Lasimbang; Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Emeritus Prof. Dr. James T. Collins; and Prof. Dr. Zuraidah Don, Advisor – Council of Language Deans, and Founding Chair – English Language Standards and Quality Council, Ministry of Education, Malaysia.

The opening ceremony was also attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. D Kamarudin D Mudin; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof. Dr. Ismail Ali, and Dean of PPIB, Prof. Dr. Jualang Azlan Gansau.

In his keynote, Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius stated that as societies move forward and face a world with disruptive technologies, there is even more need to maintain and practice good values which amongst others are found in languages.

“Indigenous languages, for example, are rich with positive values which people must not lose sight of especially in the digital world,” he said.  

In a first, ICLALIS 2018 was organized with collaborated effort by dedicated PPIB lecturers and language teachers from all three UMS campuses.

Another first was the introduction of five best paper presentation awards for the categories of indigenous language, Malaysian school teachers, Malaysian higher education, international presenter, and poster presentation.

Awards recipients received academic reference materials donated by generous sponsors. ICLALIS 2018 was helmed by the convener, Dr. Jeannet Stephen, and co-convener Natalie Ann Gregory.

Dr. Jeannet Stephen heads the Research Unit for Languages & Linguistics of Sabah (RULLS) since February 2018. ICLALIS 2018 is also a contribution by UMS in support of the United Nation’s 2019 International Year of the Indigenous Languages and the event’s information is listed on IYIL’s website via this URL: https://en.iyil2019.org/events/2nd-international-conference-on-languages-linguistics-and-society/.

THURSDAY, 22 NOVEMBER The Research Unit for Languages & Linguistics of Sabah (RULLS), PPIB successfully held its fourth Brown Bag Seminar Series for Languages & Linguistics on 24 September 2018 at Bilik Mesyuarat Utama, PPIB with the title ‘Keeping the Heritage, Embracing the Global: Some Considerations for English Language Instructors’ delivered by Dr. Daron Benjamin Loo from the Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore.

Dr. Daron Benjamin Loo received his PhD in Applied Linguistics from the School of Liberal Arts, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand. While his main research interests lie in the examination of professional identities of language educators, he is also interested in the sociology of English learners in the international context.

Some of his recent research projects include examining narratives of disruption among English teachers in Kota Belud, Sabah, and the shifts in professional identity among language educators in light of educational policy changes in Thailand.

Dr. Daron in his talk discussed issues “regarding the possibilities of developing and maintaining a heritage language, whilst being engaged as an English language professional.”

This is especially in the context of Sabah which is rich in local indigenous languages that exist alongside English. In his abstract, Dr. Darron states that, “While global sentiments about heritage education have been positive, locally, it has been positioned on the fringe of other educational aspirations, such as to create cohesion through the nation’s official language.

Nonetheless, there seems to be a growing interest in issues concerning heritage education, especially in the teaching and learning of heritage languages. This may be due to the development of critical pedagogy and a reaction towards global mobility.

In English language education, studies have discussed the value of instilling pedagogical elements that support critical thinking, such as intercultural competence as a way to raise awareness about self and others.

On the other hand, international mobility afforded to English teachers has also compelled them to question the position of their heritage language in light of their profession as instructors of a global language.

These intersections between heritage education and global hegemonic communication practices inevitably place language education and instructors within uncharted terrains”.

Lecturers and language teachers from PPIB and FPP as well as TESL students were invited to the talk. Earlier, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asmiaty Amat, Deputy Dean (Research & Community Service) of PPIB, gave a welcoming speech and at the end of the seminar presented a souvenir to Dr. Daron as a token of appreciation.

The Brown Bag Seminar Series features local and international speakers sharing and highlighting their research in the fields of languages and linguistics - two very rich sources of research data on Sabah's indigenous communities.

Individuals or organizations interested to give a talk at the Brown Bag Seminar session may contact Dr. Jeannet Stephen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Head, Research Unit for Languages & Linguistics of Sabah. js/bbssll-4-2018

THURSDAY, 15 NOVEMBER - The Centre for Industry and Community Network (CICN), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) recently hosted the UMS Academia Industry Community Award 2018 (AICA 2018) in Kota Kinabalu.

The dinner was officiated by the Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Trade and Industries Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau.

In his speech, he said the collaboration between university and industries are crucial of nations innovation systems.

“The benefits of university-industry linkages are wide-reaching. They can help coordinate research and development (R&D) agendas, stimulate various R&D opportunities and exploit synergies of scientific and technologies capabilities.

“University-industry collaboration can also expand the relevance of research carried out in public institutions, foster the commercialization of public R&D outcomes and increase the mobility of labour between public and private sectors,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Board of Directors UMS, K Y Mustafa said the relationship with community counterparts is very important to UMS as helping the community in Sabah is one of UMS’s key mission to provide a better opportunity for the local community, to gain more knowledge and to enhance their socio-economic status as well as helping the development of Sabah.

“Currently in UMS, we are excited to share that we are in the process of starting a centre for Communications for Development, also known as C4D, with the financial and knowledge base support of UNICEF. C4D is a communication approach used by social development practitioners to support their projects whether they are in agricultural, education, health, legal, poverty alleviation, human rights or any other sectors.

“Through this centre, UMS will be more effective in carrying our community engagement projects which involves the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),” he said. 

K Y Mustafa also mentioned that UMS is conducting knowledge transfer projects where numerous grants from the industries as well as the Knowledge Transfer Programme (KTP) grants from the Ministry of Education (MoE) are given to UMS.

“These enable UMS to reach to communities by transferring our expertise, knowledge training, and consultancy in technical and information technology as in line with the University’s direction in transforming towards University Industry 4.0 and significantly improve the community socio-economic status,” he added.

AICA 2018 is held to commemorate UMS’ linkages and activities with its local Industry and Community partners over the past two years. It was attended by 200 guests consisting of over 50 industry partners, 20 community partners and their UMS counterparts.

There were three set of awards given during the dinner, The UMS High Impact University-Industry Engagement Awards, The UMS High Impact University-Community Engagement Award and UMS Special Award.

Faculty of Business, Economic and Accountancy won the UMS High University-Community Engagement Award, whilst Faculty of Computing and Informatics won the UMS High Impact University-Industry Engagement Award.

Meanwhile the UMS Special Awards are given to three awardees, YTL Corporation; Yayasan Azman Hashim and Evergreen Livestock Sdn. Bhd.

All the winners and award recipients of AICA 2018 will be shortlisted as nominees for Majlis Anugerah Jaringan Akademia-Industri (AINA) 2019 organized by MoE.

FRIDAY, 02 NOVEMBER – The Housewives and Women Staff Club of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (KESUMBA) paid a courtesy visit to the consort of the Head of State, Toh Puan Datuk Seri Panglima (Dr.) Hajah Norlidah Tan Sri Datuk R.M. Jasni who is the Patron of the club, at the Istana Negeri recently.

The six-member delegation comprised Exco members of the Club led by its President, Datin Roha Asmara, and wife of the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

 The main agenda of the visit was to brief the Patron of the upcoming Charity Dinner organised by the Club which would be held on 3 November.

The dinner which would fete selected B40 (low-income group) students studying in UMS would also be attended by the Head of State, Tun Datuk Seri Panglima (Dr.) Haji Juhar Datuk Haji Mahiruddin.  10 inmates of the Rumah Home Tuaran, a centre for orphans and poor children were also invited.

 It is heartwarming to note that all of the 10 children invited are ‘adopted’ children of some KESUMBA Exco and members.  KESUMBA would also be making a donation to the Student Affairs Department of UMS which would go towards Students Fund.

The Charity Dinner is also expected to be attended by the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Shafie Haji Apdal.