KOTA KINABALU: Specifically drawn up educational courses that fit the niche in Sabah are on the cards for the new Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) campus here.

       TAR UC board of directors chairman Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai said there were certain industries and courses that were more suitable for Sabah, which might not likely be the case for other states in the country.

       “That is why we are working closely with local industry players and people who know the market here to come up with courses that are attractive and useful for Sabahans,” he said.

       He said this during an interaction session with TAR UC members and local industry players before the institution’s convocation here Saturday (Jan 22).

       Citing some examples, Liow said courses related to agriculture, tourism and the entertainment industry are among some strong and marketable programmes in Sabah.

       The university college is also in the midst of going digital and embarking on artificial intelligence, big data and digital economy courses which are expected to be realised in the next 10 years.

       “We at TAR UC have set a timeline where we want to see changes for this institution in the next 10 years. We are waiting for approval for our varsity status as well,” he added.

       Liow said the institution set roots in Sabah in 2002 and has since moved from a small office room to the campus it is in today.

       These developments are made possible from the support from various business communities, individuals and organizations, especially the Chinese community.

       “We would not have made this far without the support from each and every one of you,” he said.

       He said to encourage more students to take up courses with TAR UC, scholarship programmes for eligible natives are now available as well.

       Over 7,000 diploma and degree students have gotten their certificates to date, with an additional 140 getting theirs on Saturday (Jan 22).

       TAR UC has five main campuses nationwide - Setapak Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Penang, Perak and Sabah.

       Meanwhile, the new Sabah campus which started operating in 2021, provides facilities for activities such as basketball, badminton, futsal, ping-pong and swimming among other things.

       It can house up to 3,000 students at any one time, but so far, only just over 10% are studying on campus.