The advent of Industrial Revolutions that swept the region has not spared the Malaysian business landscape.  This has compelled industries to produce highly skilled workforce (Yizit and Yezim Denis, 2018) to promote knowledge-based skills in various sectors in Malaysia. Anticipating this change, the Malaysian Government initiated Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program to address the issue during the early 90’s. However, the current highly pedagogical supply driven TVET system has not addressed the need to effectively upskill and reskill workforce talents to achieve maximum productivity. Hence, this study, which is grounded on empowerment theory, aims to develop mechanisms to skew the path towards industry-driven TVET by adopting heutagogical approaches that promotes lifelong and independent adult learning (Blaschke, 2012). The study will be executed using sequential exploratory design (mixed method) beginning with qualitative followed by a quantitative study by collecting samples via stratified random and proportional sampling technique whereby a framework will be developed to enable Government policymakers an impetus to formulate relevant strategies that forges the collaboration between the industry and academia.

Community participation as an efficient tool for gaining local residents' support for the development of sustainable and competitive tourist destinations has been adequately established in the tourism discourse. However, due to the dynamic nature of the industry and the associated complexities involved, the conceptualization in terms of theory and operationalization of the notion concerning practicalities is still debated. Given that the wrong conceptualization of the phenomenon could lead to wrong operationalization which would translate into unwanted consequences both for the destination developers and destination communities, the issue cannot be ignored. To address the issue, this study proposes a normative model of community participation with an aim to put some of these complexities in a clear perspective. By employing Tosun`s typology, it is argued that community participation in tourism planning and decision-making, operationalization and management, and benefit receiving takes place at different levels based on the degree of control and authority that local residents have over the tourism development process. To ensure meaningful participation in all the major stages of the developmental process, local communities need to be adequately empowered. A high level of empowerment would ensure spontaneous participation which is the most desired level of participation. On the contrary, a lower level of empowerment would result in coercive participation with the least control and benefits reaching the local communities. It would ultimately lead to antagonization and a lack of local support for any destination development strategies that the developers adopt for sustainable and competitive tourism in the locality.

Sichuan Opera is a traditional Chinese opera in Chongqing. It is the most well-known local opera in Sichuan and a cultural symbol. This is a cultural symbol passed down through generations of performers. This makeup reflects the personality traits and aesthetic sensibilities of the Sichuan people, as well as the traditional Chinese opera facial makeup art. As a result, Sichuan Opera distinguishes itself from other operas and has become a global symbol of China's strength and resilience. Sichuan Opera facial makeup has a distinct artistic shape, vibrant colours, and intricate decorative patterns. Through their facial makeup, the characters' invisible, abstract and complex inner worlds, thoughts and emotions are displayed incisively and vividly. The pattern design of Sichuan Opera facial makeup reflects the artist's perception of life and opera characters, and it has both artistic and practical value. This paper aims to uncover the artistic value of the Sichuan Opera facial mask's graphic expression through a detailed analysis of the facial makeup structure, lines, and colours. It is no longer limited to opera, but is now widely used as a modelling tool in modern design.