Analysing the Malaysian Higher Education Training Offer for Furniture Design and Woodworking Industry 4.0 as an Input Towards Joint Curriculum Validation Protocol

Abstract

An education programme at the master’s level normally aims to facilitate graduates’ acquisition, mastery and application of advanced knowledge in specialised areas of education. However, there is no learning pathway that aims to improve the level of specific and transversal competencies and skills, with particular regard to those relevant for the labour market in the furniture sector, such as management, entrepreneurship, language competences and leadership toward wood and furniture industry 4.0. The methodology for this research inquiry was based upon a survey questionnaire of 54 respondents during the MAKING4.0 Seminar at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The results were analysed from the Work Package 1 (WP1) “Analysis and comparison of the current Higher Education training offer and furniture and woodworking industry”, before the learning outcomes were defined for each of the identified topics. The definition of learning outcomes was made considering the Recommendations of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), and subsequently harmonised with the Programme Learning Outcomes defined in the Malaysian Qualification Framework 2nd edition (MQF2.0) for a Master´s Degree Level 7. The identified learning outcomes have been grouped into four modules: (1) Processes and Production of Furniture, (2) Intelligent and Sustainable Design, (3) Wood and New Materials, and (4) Innovation Management. Results of the study indicated that MAKING4.0 is in line with the actions highlighted in the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2015–2025) and the objectives of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in developing the National Industry 4.0 policy framework. MAKING4.0 aims to ensure an adequate supply of human capital and skills, as well as develop an innovative master’s degree to modernise the current training offer in wood and furniture technology processes and design around Industry 4.0 in Malaysia.

Innovative Design of Bamboo Weaving Products - Perspective from Hunan Province

“…In what follows, this session will report on the results and analysis of these two data collection activities, including sampling, instrumentation, and detailed instrumentation (Lias et al, 2020;Zainal Abidin et al, 2021). Through these reports, we can gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics and problems of the research subjects and provide more robust support and guidance for the innovative design of bamboo weaving products in Hunan to promote the development and prosperity of the local bamboo weaving industry.…”

“…Hierarchical analysis provides an effective way of solving such ambiguity and macroscopic problems. Through the decomposition process of hierarchical analysis, we are able to break down the ambiguous macroscopic research object into specific design features and, by comparing the features with each other, obtain the importance of each element in relation to the overall research object (Abidin, Sigurjonsson, et al, 2008;Zainal Abidin et al, 2021). These more important elements are often the design factors of the object of study.…”

Designing Intellectual Property Law and Creative Industry Course Syllabus for Creative Arts Undergraduate Students

“…Further review finds that the proposed curriculum does not include teaching and learning intellectual property law for art and design undergraduates. Back to Malaysia, Abidin et al (2021) report a study that aims to design a course curriculum in the university which is aimed at improving the level of specific and transversal competencies and skills that are relevant to the labour market in the furniture sector, such as management, entrepreneurship, language competences and leadership toward wood and furniture industry 4.0. Like Novoa, the curriculum designed by Abidin et al does not include intellectual property law teaching and learning for creative arts undergraduates.…”

Analysis of the Application of Synaesthesia Concept in Modern Product Design

“…That is, how users interact with products that apply synaesthesia design in a specific scenario to meet the needs of use, and to achieve the goal of emotional experience is a problem that designers must pay attention to. In a specific experience scene, designers should combine user expectations, conceive the use situation and experience process, use the concept of synaesthesia to integrate interactive methods, effectively connect the emotions and experiences triggered by multiple senses in the scene, and carry out emotional experience around the scene The design can moderately amplify the symbols that stimulate the senses, deepen the user's cognition of the product, establish a stable emotional relationship with the product, and achieve the goal of emotional interaction experience (Abidin et al, 2021).…”