Meet the Team – Malaysia Campus

Last year saw a significant milestone for the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus, as our first students graduated with excellent results. Their success was shared by the dedicated team of staff who strive to build on the reputation of the University as an engineering centre of excellence.

These achievements of our staff and students in Malaysia are strong examples of our strategic focus on internationalisation, collegiality and quality. Our staff in Malaysia are working with our Southampton campus teams to deliver to a high quality on an international scale. Seven members of the recruitment and marketing team share their experiences of working at our Malaysia campus with Southampton Connects.

James Ng, Campus Operating Officer

Seeing the transformation of younger generations of staff and students is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job as Campus Operating Officer. I have held my position for just over three years and enjoy how I contribute to the lives of students as they move into adulthood and towards their future careers.

My job involves having contact with every area of the University campus: from management meetings to dealing with estate issues, as well as having discussions with admissions and marketing teams and regular contact with the student office.

I find dealing with external parties one of the most challenging areas of my job. Liaising over matters including visa applications for international students and welfare issues often requires delicate handling.

Campus life is very multi-cultural, albeit with an Asian flavour. We work well with our colleagues in the UK, making sure scheduled meetings allow for the time difference.

Jorene Tan, Senior Student Recruitment Officer

I find the interaction with all different kinds of people the most rewarding part of my job. Working with colleagues in the UK allows me to learn about other cultures and build relationships at the same time.

With a background in marketing and management, and my previous job as an education consultant, this job seemed to be a very good match for me.

I have been in post for four months and my working day will typically involve generating interest which will hopefully lead to student applications for the University. I work closely with schools, colleges and agents and spend time at education fairs.

Although not as physically large as other university campuses, we focus on promoting our high University ranking and the career pathways available to our graduates.

Lyn Cacha, Marketing and Communications Officer

It was my love affair with writing that drew me to this role, as I knew I wanted to capture the best moments in life and get to know more people.

At the University it is the students that inspire me to write, as they have entrusted their stories to me. I feel blessed to have worked with the finest future engineers in the country. Writer’s block is one of my main challenges, which I try to overcome with a cup of coffee or a walk around our courtyard.

I have been here for nine months and have discovered that there is no typical working day for me as I support and deal with almost every member of the Malaysia Campus community. My first month saw me flying to various states in Malaysia to support education fairs that we were holding. It proved to be memorable and intensive training for me. 

Qurratu Izyan Shah, Marketing and Student Recruitment Officer

I was very excited to be offered the chance to work at the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus, as it gave me the opportunity to work with a UK institution and learn about a different culture and working practices. The travel was also a big draw to the job as I get to experience the food and culture of other places.

I have been in my post since I graduated two-and-a-half years ago. I get to use my organisational skills as I manage events, ranging from in-house to national exhibitions. It is very satisfying when they go well.

In my role I am becoming a more extroverted person as I talk to parents and potential students and also win the trust of suppliers and agents, who I deal with regularly.

Jean Sue, International Student Recruitment Officer

My day starts with a ‘to-do’ list which, I hope to have completed by the end of the day. There is a lot of juggling and prioritising of tasks involved!

I started work here a year ago and was inspired by the opportunity to meet and work with people from various cultures and from different countries. It is the travel and meeting with students, agents and counsellors that I find the most enjoyable part of my job.

The administration side of my work can be time consuming, but I try to stay organised and spend time finishing as many tasks as possible so that I can work more on plans and creative projects.

Illi Saddique and Anis Nadhirah Binti Razizad , Admissions Officers

Illi: I have been in post for around 18 months and am responsible for following up on applications by keeping in touch with prospective students and agents. I always wanted to pursue a career in the marketing industry and love the idea of being creative and using it to contribute to a company’s success.

I most enjoy meeting and dealing with people from different backgrounds. My main challenge is converting leads and prospects into student enrolments for the University programmes, but I use my communication skills and frequent follow-up calls to help achieve our targets.

Anis: I wanted to come into this field of work as I was inspired by how students progress from one level to another and how education can create something meaningful and useful in life. The best part of my job, which I have done since I graduated about a year-and-a-half ago, is being able to meet and work with people from a variety of backgrounds.