Life In UMK

The final semester of my four years of degree in UMK and it is time to go for my internship. I was lucky to get a place at Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and am interning in the Food Unit!

Somehow relevent to my course, I get to meet food exporters and understand the procedures to export Malaysian food products overseas. Of course another upside to interning at MATRADE would be the abundance of food every week! So many events that are occuring every week or we would get food samples from exporters!

Anyway, I may not be updating this blog so often since I'm more preoccupied with my work and also updating my other blog! So for more updates on my intern life and life after a degree of Product Development Technology from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) head on to my main blog Miriam's Merry Go Round!

See you there :)

Love, Miriam

I'll continue this post by introducing Jeli Campus.

This campus is specifically for Applied Science undergraduates and we have two faculties in this campus which is the Faculty of Agro-based Industry and also Faculty of Earth Science. For Faculty of Agro-based Industry or also known as FIAT we have several courses which are:

Bioindustrial Tehnology (SBT)
Agricultural Science (SBS)
Product Development Technology (SBP)
Animal Husbandry (SBH)

Meanwhile for Faulty of Earth Science we have:

Geoscience (SBG)
Natural Resources (SBN)
Kelestarian (SBK)

*Sorry can't remember the English name for SBK

So I will focus on SBP because I will be a fourth year student this coming semester. Can't believe time past so fast! And it is going to be my last year in UMK.

Anyway, SBP is Product Development Technology and from the name itself you can identify it that we will be learning about how to further develop a certain product either from the raw material or to further improve it. We have three core subjects which are Food Products, Cosmetic Products and Biopharmaceutical products.

Example of food products is we learn the technology required to change a certain raw material for example sardin fish into canned food. There are certain procedures that we learn and also about the different temperatures and conditions needed to process the food. It is quite interesting actually! Besides that we also learn about product safety and the laws and regulations needed to process the materials.

For cosmetic products, we learn how to manufacture cosmetic products and how to incorporate raw ingredients in our products. For example how to make soap and also how to incorporate essential oils and fragrances, active components into our products. It is more on the chemical side

Next Biopharmaceutical products, we learn about pharmaceutical products that are generated using biotechnology and how do they affect us.

Besides these three core subjects, we also learn about packaging: Packaging Components and Packaging Principles. There are many aspects of packaging that we can learn about and this is one of my favourite subjects because it is interesting and is easy to apply in daily life. You also learn the design aspect of the product.

There are many electives that can be taken for example Feed technology which is about animal feed, Risk Management, Downstream processing and also business electives which is compulsory to take at least 4.

Overall, Product Development Technology is a real fun course and if you are worried about your job prospects please there is nothing to fret! We use products everyday and everywhere so why worry about your job prospects? You can work in the manufacturing, producing, packaging, management side of the industry or even better you can even start up your own business. UMK focuses on the entrepreneurial values in their students and the equip you with business skills that can help you in the future.

There is a program in UMK which is known as the Student Company. Every student is encourage to start up their own business. The university will help out in the start up modal of course with their terms and conditions. Students can start up any kind of business as long as it is legal on campus grounds. You can also continue a company that has been set up by your seniors. I myself have a company that I would like to pass down to my juniors who are interested. Continuing your seniors company is a great boost as you can forgo the paperwork and start your company as you are already registered. Your seniors can also guide you and help you in any help that you need. So anyone who is interested you can just contact me :)

That's all for this post. Any questions just facebook me at Miriam Hui Kung or you can also email me at miriam_goh90@hotmail.com :)

Once again, the new intake for University Malaysia Kelantan starts! Welcome to all those new juniors who were offered a place at UMK, especially Jeli Campus!

To all those new juniors who are from the town area and hearing Kelantan name scares you please do not worry! Although we are far up north there is nothing to fear. Comparatively we do not have a lot of activities as compared to KL, Selangor. Penang and other states but please do not think that we do not have a life! We, your seniors DO have a life here in Kelantan and trust me that it is a whole new experience for you to come.

Firstly, let me briefly introduce UMK to all those new juniors out there. We have three branches which are situated away from one another. There is the City Campus, the Business Faculty which is situated at Pengkalan Chepa next to the airport and just 15 to 20 minutes drive to town centre, Kota Bahru. Next we have the Bachok Campus, the Creative Arts faculty which is located near the beach and lastly we have the Jeli Campus, Science faculty which is where I am situated :) It is near the forest and Thai border for all those who love to shop! Here is a simple mindmap for you all.

Credits UMK CLC2u

So basically since I am from the Jeli Campus, I will be focusing more on this campus. Here are some pictures :)

The cafeteria has four main stalls which are:
First stall: Economic rice, Nasi Kerabu, Masakan Panas (Night)
Second stall: Chicken rice, Roti Canai, Masakan Panas (Night)
Third stall: Economic rice
Fourth stall: Economic rice

The fifth stall is tended by students who have their own student company. I will further introduce student company in the next post.

Girls Hostel

Rooms (Three/Four ppl per room)

Hostel toilets. Please keep it clean!

Faculty

Lecture Hall (Small and large)

Campus grounds

Science Labs

Multipurpose Hall

Boys Dorms

Let me explain about the boys dorms. It just newly built and the furniture have not been arranged yet at the time these photos were taken. 20 boys per house and there is 6 rooms. Either 2 or 4 people per room. There is a large common area which should be arranged with study tables, and there are 2 toilets and 2 bathrooms in the house itself but there is an outdoor toilet which is located at the back of the hostel as well. The hostel is situated behind the faculty which is next to the AgroPark which is very suitable for Agricultural Science students.

So I'll just post until here and I will continue more on the next post! :)

On the 26th of May 2013, I-Gem UMK 2013 was held at the Perumahan TNB Pergau. It was to commemorate and give appreciation to all those respective individuals who have been giving their all to the university and their respective clubs. The ambiance of the venue was very nice with the woodland feel. Everyone dressed up very beautifully for the event. The theme for that night was Retro! At the end of the night there were some mischievous committee members who started throwing people into the pool! Overall it was a great and pleasant night. Here are some pictures to give a better description of that night.

On the 23rd of May 2013, the very first Agriculture Expo was held in Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. The event was a success where most of the contributions were from the students themselves. Firstly the opening ceremony was officiated by Dato' Mustapha, the Minister of International Trade and Industry.

There were several activities that were launched during that week. Of course not excluding several exhibitions. One of the popular exhibition was the livestock exhibition where there were several species of cows and goats.

Of course not forgetting that, we also have the floral exhibition which has some pretty flowers blooming around

Next up we have all the food stalls with yummy foods!

The activities that were held had quite a good response from the students. One of the activity that I participated in was 'Fun With Yeast' a bread making class with the collaboration from the nearby community college. The class was very entertaining and educating where we learnt how to make the dough and by using the dough was able to make several different types of breads. Here are some pictures of the class.