SHAH ALAM – 11 SEPTEMBER 2020 Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (FSKM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) received a donation of RM 50,000 from Zurich General Takaful Berhad (Zurich) for the establishment of Actuarial Resource Centre, FSKM, UiTM; a one stop actuarial resource hub for the academic development and professional growth for the students and lecturers.

The cheque presentation was given by Encik Nazrul Hisham Abdul Hamid, CEO of Zurich General Takaful Berhad to UiTM Vice-Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Datuk Ir Dr Mohd Azraai Kassim. The ceremony was attended by Encik Azli Munani, CEO of Malaysia Takaful Association (MTA), Dean of Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (FSKM), Professor Ts. Dr Haryani Haron, a few representators from UiTM, Zurich and FSKM.

In 2018, the faculty has assigned a computer lab located at Level 2, CS1 building in FSKM for the development of ARC, FSKM. In order to ensure the best use of this space and the renovations will resume soon to enhance the lab into a resource centre that can be effectively utilized by the students and lecturers and create a world class state-of-the-art facility.

The main purposes of having this resource centre are to provide better coordination and delivery of academic and professional examinations services to students through systematic and transparent approach at all levels. It is also to ameliorate the link and reduce the gap between the academia, industry and professional bodies such as Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), United Kingdom and Society of Actuaries (SOA), United States. By doing this, a lot of activities and events can be organized between these three important fields. Not only that, this centre will constantly update the professional examinations and industry matters to ensure high achievements and societal relevance and go way beyond the curriculum in developing aptitude for employability and life-long learning, skills and attributes.

ARC has two goals; short term and long term. As for short term goals, it is more involve around the development of the students and Actuarial Science programme. The resource centre will be a place to encourage constructive discussions with external or internal examiners, industry experts and other related organisations for the programme. In addition, this resource centre is used to entering into collaborative partnerships with regulatory authorities, corporates or professional bodies to improve the Actuarial Science programme.

For students that are going to take professional examinations, an effective workshop between mentor and mentee will be held in this centre. This is to ensure the number of students passing the examinations increase. By having a conducive ambience, the centre will be able to attract students participating in taking professional papers. Moreover, they will be able to improve their skills in making decision and problem solving.

In the long term, ARC will emerge as the preferred centre for administering and managing the online professional examinations from international bodies such as IFoA and SOA. It will act as a point of reference for all scientific actuarial materials mainly related to the professional examinations. This hub is planned to be an active centre for academics to undertake research in insurance, Takaful, pension, risk management, finance and related areas which bring together researchers and practitioners from a range of disciplines and industries.

Besides Zurich, Actuarial Resource Centre has received donations and contributions from a few parties; Bank Rakyat and alumnus of Actuarial Science programme. The centre is still open for future sponsorships. For further information, you can contact the centre by emailing them at arc@fskm.uitm.edu.my.