Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF)

72 71 Students’ Preferences and Recommendations The study also examined the final year students’ reactions to policy intervention with respect to the IIUM’s academic rules and regulations. The questionnaire proposes six possible changes to the current academic administration practices. And, the students were required to indicate their agreement for each proposal. Table 3.5 shows the distribution of reactions towards changes in the six aspects of academic rules and regulations related to UniCORE. The results of data analysis indicated that eight out of every 10 respondents voted positively for freedom to choose skill courses, UniCORE to focus on practical skills, and that their contents and learning outcomes to be revised. Furthermore, the majority of the sample would recommend that the Tilawah course be taught before the teaching of Qur’ān Language course. Graduates Attributes There was a mixed bag of comments from the informants when discussing matters related to IIUM graduates’ attributes. In general, the informants recommended that IIUM maintains the uniqueness of its graduates. They believed that this was true due the creative and unique combination of contemporary and Islamic components in the curriculum structure of programmes and courses. In fact, informants reported that there were students who claimed that they have become better reciters and memorizers of the Qur’ān and have become more proficient in public speaking in Malay and English because of the practice they received in their classes. However, it must be noted that there was a huge room for improvement for our students and the University is encouraged to look into it. One area that needed immediate attention was the condition of our students’ mental health. This issue was echoed by many informants during the FGDs. IIUM students were NO YES Student to be given the ultimate freedom to choose their own skills courses? 5.2 94.8 That the courses to focus on practice (knowing how), not theory (knowing what)? 11.1 88.9 That the content and the learning outcome of the courses to be revised? 15.4 84.6 That the Tilawah to be taught before Qur'anic Language course? 44.1 55.9 That the curriculum of Tilawah courses should be revised? 45.1 54.9 That the Qur'anic Language to be taught before Tilawah course? 47.5 52.5 Table 3.5 Percentage Distributions of Student WhoWould Recommend Changes seen as suffering frommental health problems such as depressions and anxiety that affect, among others, their resilience and hardiness in facing the day-to- day challenge as university students. Another area that deserved attention was keeping a balance in IIUM students’ competencies in specific hard skills and soft skills. Feedback from different stakeholders in this respect were mixed. On one hand, our students were demanded to have a deep understanding of hard skills, particularly those concerning their discipline of studies and, on the other hand, our students were also expected to display abilities in soft skills such as communication skills. Graduates’ Growth Mindset Five-point Likert scale items were posed to the students concerning their mindset growth. It is promising to know that students agreed that “effort is path of mastery” and that “failure as opportunity” rather than something that would stop them from growing. Perhaps, that could be the reason as to why only 604 out of 1360 respondents seconded the “intelligence and talent are born with” statement. This could mean that students believed that ‘talent’ could be a result of a constant effort and getting back up from ‘failure’. The two other target points have a surprising outcome. Students found themselves “threatened by others’ success” and that they “often get angry when getting feedback” about their performance. Effort is path of mastery Not threatened by others' success Not angry when getting feedback Intelligence and talent are both with Failure as opportunity 5 4 3 2 1 0 Mapping of 2019 IIUMGraduates' Mindset