BANGI, Nov 4 (Bernama) — Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) Pusat Genius@Pintar Negara, also known as Malaysian National Gifted Centre has received global recognition after being accredited by Cognia, an international accreditation body based in the United States.
Centre director, Assoc Prof Dr Rorlinda Yusof said the accreditation was received on Jan 26 this year, and that the centre’s certificate is now recognised by universities around the world.
“The important thing about this recognition is that it gives the children here the opportunity to study at a world-class university.
“Because Cognia’s accreditation, the certificate we issue will be recognised and accepted at the university level all over the world,” she told reporters after the Leading & Sustaining Educational Excellence (SELSEE) 2022 seminar’s closing ceremony here yesterday.
The Cognia accreditation certificate was presented by Cognia’s chief accreditation officer Dr Rob Leveillee through the signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) with two representatives from the School for e-Education Research and Innovation (SERI), India, on June 2.
According to Rorlinda, the accreditation allows the centre to expand its network by offering a variety of courses and exposes its teachers to global teaching methods, policies, and practises, while students would gain internationally valid qualifications that enable them to compete in global competitive examinations.
Meanwhile, Leveillee, an educationist with over 50 years of experience, said Cognia’s accreditation implied that the centre operates at a very high level of educational excellence.
“The world needs a tailored approach to pedagogy where each student is treated as unique. The centre’s curriculum is a living example of honouring the uniqueness of each child. This is in line with Cognia’s mission to help schools become learner-centred institutions where every child is treated with respect.
This curriculum is now globally recognised and helps students transition to the best universities and colleges worldwide,” he said.
On why Cognia selected the centre for accreditation, he said the school was conferred it in recognition of its learner-centred approach.
“I see them as schools with the potential to be world-class. I rate this school as a potential top 10 school in the world.
“I believe that within five to 10 years, the school will be one of the top 10 schools in the world, but it is not easy and will require hard work,” he added.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency