Perceptions on Industry Placements: An Exploratory Study of Academics in Malaysia

Abstract

In recent times, the role and relevance of university education in contemporary society has been challenged by governments and industry alike. There is an increasing expectation that the curriculum will be reshaped with more practically oriented teaching and learning practices, in order to produce employer-ready graduates that can ‘hit the ground running’ on entering the workforce. In aligning the curriculum towards industry’s demands, it is likely that the academic will need to spend some time in industry, with a host firm, to gain additional discipline-specific knowledge and skills for use in the classroom. To achieve this, academics need a professional development scheme, such as an industry placement program, that enables them to partner with industry. Under an industry placement program, the academic is seconded to industry for an agreed period of time to perform predetermined functions. Considerable mutual benefits should result from this type of activity, including an enhanced student learning experience and the development of a community of practice between industry, academics, students and universities that may be a powerful long-term educational long term resource. This paper reports on the result of an exploratory study undertaken with business discipline academics at a Malaysian university. This study aims to gather academics’ perceptions on the value of industry placements, and the results are tested against a theoretical model and considered in the context of the development of a community of practice, capacity building, and recent Australian government educational initiatives that may also be appropriate for the Malaysian academic community.