Approaches in Developing Undergraduate IT Engineering Curriculum for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Malaysia and Vietnam

Abstract

Curricula have important effects on students' professional skills. To prepare for the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), countries are recommended to implement new curricula to develop new competencies for the automation workforce. As Information technology (IT) lays the foundations for the core 4IR-relevant emerging technologies (big data, internet of things, artificial intelligence, etc.), countries have developed new IT engineering curricula to prepare engineers for the 4IR. By conducting a structured focused comparison for bachelor IT curricula containing core 4IR modules of 57 Vietnamese and 35 Malaysian universities, this research aims to find appropriate approaches in developing curricula to prepare 4IR competencies for IT engineering students for Malaysia, Vietnam and implications for other nations. The research found that, only new stand-alone curricula with a focus on 4IR competencies can prepare engineers for the 4IR. It then provides seven lessons for designing new 4IR engineering curriculum and for continuing studies on 4IR-ready curriculum.

Adapting Elementary School Curriculum Innovation in Line By 4IR and Cultures

“…Tran Thi Bich Lieu in [4] mentioned, in Vietnam most of the 57 4IR-related curricula review included separate IoT or big data or AI content, but lacked new specific or interdisciplinary curricula in these fields. Only Hanoi University of Science and Technology offered three elements of IoT, big data and AI in the curricula, but most were selective modules and for only talented students.…”

“…Only Hanoi University of Science and Technology offered three elements of IoT, big data and AI in the curricula, but most were selective modules and for only talented students. The University of Information Technology at Vietnam National University in Hochiminh City (VNUHCM) provided CPSs, IoT, big data and AI related research topics, but only for doctoral degrees [4]. Furthermore Tran Thi Bich Lieu noted, similarly, Malaysia"s Taylor University"s bachelor of computer science had an embedded module on robot design as well as a minor in the existing curriculum.…”

“…Information Technology (IT) lays the foundations for the core 4IRrelevant emerging technologies (big data, internet of things, and artificial intelligence). Indonesian government has developed new IT application for elementary school curriculum revise to prepare students for the 4IR challenges [4].…”

Preparing Undergraduate Learners with Skills Required by a Transformative Work Environment

“…Institutions are functioning in a complicated era, that is the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), characterised by novel modifications. These organisations need to prepare for the 4IR to remain relevant in the world economy and along these lines must equip their employees for the forthcoming movements in the way they work (Lieu et al, 2018). The accelerated pace of functioning in 4IR may lead to an inadvertent disregard for the human element, which may be detrimental to organisations as it affects interpersonal communication skills and the ability to engage in business undertakings.…”

“…The higher education sector has to continually modify and adapt curriculum content as graduates are expected to enter the world of work with specific relevant skills. Considering that curricular have important effects on students' professional skills (Lieu et al, 2018), through analysing students' perceptions of the undergraduate General Education modules, this research aims to ascertain learners' perspectives on the relevance of the skills acquired in the undergraduate programme.…”