(Kuching, 25th) – Academic research at the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level needs to be comprehensively planned and impact-driven in order to support the formulation of education policies relevant to current needs.
Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Relations Unit), stated that future PhD holders represent an important body of thinkers who can help strengthen the country’s education system.
He encouraged them to regard doctoral research as a strategic contribution to educational development, particularly in generating new ways of thinking that address current challenges.
"I hope that prospective PhD candidates conducting education-related thesis research will not solely focus on pedagogy, teaching methods, and policy level, but should also pay attention to the increasingly diminished humanistic values due to the impact of technology."
He made these remarks last night while speaking at the closing dinner of the UPSI-Terbilang Academy (Orientation, Academic Seminar, and Journal Writing Workshop) strategic partner model special doctoral program at Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI).
Abdullah Saidol further explained that quality education is not only about nurturing highly educated talent, but also about cultivating responsible citizens with emotional intelligence, etiquette, and virtues, aligning with Malaysia’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural national context.
At the same time, he encouraged that educational research should also evaluate the impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence (AI) on the field of education.
As the assemblyman for Semop, he also emphasized the importance of developing educational models suited to local realities, including the current situation of rural education, to effectively narrow the developmental gap between urban and rural areas.
He stated that comprehensive and high-quality doctoral research has immense potential and can serve as a key reference for the government in multiple areas of policy-making to strengthen educational guidelines.
Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Relations Unit), stated that future PhD holders represent an important body of thinkers who can help strengthen the country’s education system.
He encouraged them to regard doctoral research as a strategic contribution to educational development, particularly in generating new ways of thinking that address current challenges.
"I hope that prospective PhD candidates conducting education-related thesis research will not solely focus on pedagogy, teaching methods, and policy level, but should also pay attention to the increasingly diminished humanistic values due to the impact of technology."
Abdullah Saidol further explained that quality education is not only about nurturing highly educated talent, but also about cultivating responsible citizens with emotional intelligence, etiquette, and virtues, aligning with Malaysia’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural national context.
At the same time, he encouraged that educational research should also evaluate the impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence (AI) on the field of education.
As the assemblyman for Semop, he also emphasized the importance of developing educational models suited to local realities, including the current situation of rural education, to effectively narrow the developmental gap between urban and rural areas.
He stated that comprehensive and high-quality doctoral research has immense potential and can serve as a key reference for the government in multiple areas of policy-making to strengthen educational guidelines.