By Syifarida Muhamad Zaki
Photo by Noor Azreen Awang
SERDANG, July 18 – Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sports Academy held a forum on “Striking A Balance Between Sports And Academic”, aimed at exposing the participants to challenges and ways to achieve the best results in both fields.
The forum featured several sports personalities comprising Sports Commissioner (UPM Alumni), Dato’ Zaiton Othman; SEA Games 2017 Chef de Mission, Datuk Marina Chin; National Shooter and UPM student who qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics, Johnathan Wong; Chairman of Athlete Malaysian Olympic Council (UPM Alumni), Noraseela Khalid and Director of Sports Warrior Global (UPM Alumni), Sharon Wee.
TV3 Sports Production Head, Abu Bakar Atan moderated the forum.
UPM Vice-Chancellor, Datin Paduka Dr. Aini Ideris said the thinking that ones’ involvement in sports would affect their academic performance or achievement no longer holds water.
“Employment agencies now give emphasis on co-curriculum involvement as the yardstick of graduates’ ability to work as a team, their level of dedication and discipline.
“UPM academic system is highly sensitive to the challenges that will be faced by athletes, particularly in managing their time so that they could attend intensive training, the obligations of having to complete their course work, attending lectures and so on,” she said when opening the forum.
Some 200 participants from the Sports Academy Community Programme comprising Negeri Sembilan Women Association members and 80 school students who are active in sports and co-curriculum activities attended the forum.
The event also saw Syarikat Universal Fitness & Leisure Sdn Bhd presenting smart watches/digital Suunto Ambit 2 Sport HR worth RM6,000 to UPM students who qualified for Rio Olympics 2015.
Jun Hoong Cheong (diving), Johnathan Wong (shooting) and Zaidatul Husniah Zulkifli (athletic event) were those who had qualified for Rio Olympics.
UPM Sports Academy which was set up in 2004 has been running various programmes to ensure that UPM continues to make impactful contributions for the country’s sports development as well as for the international level, including having programmes such as Empowering Sports Leaders with the National Sports Institute, developing a specific and Integrated Sports Management System for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, developing a SEA Games portal for the management of contingents in 2015, organizing a workshop on Strategic Development Plan for 51 National Sports Associations together with the Malaysian Olympic Council and organizing a Sports Certification Programme for parents - UPM.
