Monday, 5 November 2007

Meeting with the University of Birmingham

1. KLEC Project brochure – check!
2. Academic Park brochure – check!
3. Powerpoint – check!
4. Laptop – check!
5. Souvenir – check!

We started off the week with the second meeting of the KLEC UK Education Roadshow. As scheduled, we would be meeting with the International Office of the University of Birmingham at 1.30pm today.

After a light breakfast, we prepped ourselves as we would be driving up to Birmingham. As Anwar had done the powerpoint slides, Rizal was reading it through making sure the slides are presentable.

The journey from London to Birmingham took about two and half hours by car. We left our apartment at about 10.30am. Anwar was driving and Rizal navigating the map. Halfway through, we made a pit stop at MOTO services near the Oxford junction and continued our journey back after a 10-minute of coffee, snacks and body stretching.



It was 15 minutes past 1 o’clock. We arrived at the Edgbaston Campus of the University of Birmingham safely. We headed to the Nuffield Learning Centre as there is where our meeting would take place. As we entered the building, there were two Malaysian students - a male and a female having a discussion (we were very sure they are Malaysian students as the female student was in baju kurung).

Anwar: Assalamualaikum…
Student: Wa’alaikumussalam…..
Anwar: Tumpang tanya, reception kat mana?
Student: *Grinned* Errr…kat sini takde reception…*Grinned again*. Straight away resumed discussion with his girl friend….

We were looking at each other. But it’s okay. We understand. They must have taken their discussion very seriously. Wish you both all the best!
*We actually met a Malaysian student at LSE last week. Check out on the conversation we had.

About 2-3 minutes later, three staff entered and greeted our group. They were Andrea Edwards, Director of International Office, Serena Gardner, PA to Andrea (cum meeting coordinator) and one assistant. We were ushered to the meeting room and it was a warm welcome we received from the university’s International Office team.

After the setup was done, we had tea. Both parties ran through a short self-introduction while waiting for Rachel King, the Assistant Director/Head of Study Abroad and Exchange Office. 5 minutes later, Rachel joined in and we started the presentation after exchanging cards.









KLEC in the meeting with the University of Birmingham representatives; Andre Edwards, Director of International Office and Rachel King, Assistant Director/Head of Study Abroad and Exchange Office

Our meeting and discussion went on for about an hour. The Q&A session was very exciting. The University of Birmingham group had expressed their interest in exploring further into KLEC project. We exchanged gifts at the end of the meeting. Before we proceeded to a campus tour, we made sure we had the group photo.



A group photo of KLEC and University of Birmingham

We then headed for a campus tour for about 45 minutes. The tour was conducted by Maneesha, who had just finished her Masters at University of Birmingham and now attached to the International Office. We were taken to the major buildings of the university including Guild of Students (Student Centre), Main Library, Academic Block, Physic Department, and finally to the University Centre which this building locates all the services and amenities for the students and faculties.

It was a very positive and pleasant meeting with the group from the University of Birmingham. It was drizzling as we were walking down to the carpark. We drove back to London hoping that ‘the hujan rahmat’ will be a starting point for building a mutual relationship with the University of Birmingham.

It was a long day. We arrived at our apartment in time for dinner. The dinner was short and sweet, and before we knew it, we were all knocked out. zzzZZZZZ.................

Sunday, 4 November 2007

Morning – Breakfast, checking emails, looking into projections..again

Afternoon – We went out for some private time aka shopping J

Evening – Dinner, preparing for Birmingham meeting

Saturday, 3 November 2007

The day started off with our routine activity. Breakfast. Then sent email to Cathy to set the Epsom meeting.

By 10.30, we left for Avis Earl’s Court to collect the car. Someone who is very forgetful left his driving license in the apartment (guess who??) and we had to register Rizal as the main driver instead. He grumbled along the way until we returned to the apartment to collect u-know-who’s license.

Once we settled the license issue, we were off to Lego Land. I asked the bosses what’s the objective of the trip to Lego Land. Rizal mentioned that it would be good for us to get an idea on the possible theme park in KLEC.







We spent half the day at Lego Land and stopped over at Windsor for some tea and scones!

Thursday, 1 November 2007

The day started very slow. After breakfast the team sat down and conducted a post-mortem on the issues raised during the meeting with LSE on Tuesday. The team also started work on the follow-up proposal to LSE which is planned to be submitted by the end of the week.

Anwar and Rizal spent the afternoon finalising the financial projection, again. Once in a while Anwar was seen talking on the phone, getting in touch with Datuk, Kauthar and Hadi. Other than that, the day passed by peacefully, and by now, 10.43pm, everybody is in bed, all snuggled up. Signing off...

Wednesday, 31st October 2007

This was the first day that we got a chance to rest and catch up on some lost jetlag-ridden sleep. We stayed in most of the time, only to go out to get some food supplies. The weather was cold, so staying in and getting some work done seemed the only sensible thing to do.

Tuesday, 30 October 2007

The day started in a major rush. Anwar was trying to finish the powerpoint for the LSE presentation, with Rizal bugging him to finish it. This is so too common a scene. When we finally got ready, we left the apartment by 10.15am.

(Najjah and Sarah wondering where to go...)

(Anwar, Rizal and Sarah heading towards LSE)

Our first International Roadshow in the UK kicked-off with a meeting with the London School of Economics (LSE). The meeting was scheduled for 11.30am. The journey took about 30 minutes from our apartment to LSE by the tube. We arrived ten minutes early and proceeded to the main reception at the Old Building.

(Rizal, Sarah and Najjah waiting outside of LSE)

(Front view of the LSE Main Building on Houghton Street)

(View of Houghton Street)

After getting detailed instructions from the frontdesk’s attendant, we walked to Tower 2 to meet Ms Fay Strachan, PA to Ms Rosemary Gosling (as well as the meeting coordinator). We then walked to the meeting venue at one of the teaching buildings on Houghton Street. Ms Strachan assisted us in preparing and setting up the equipments for our presentation.

LSE was represented by the representatives of the External Study Department in the attendance of Prof. Jonathan Kydd, Dean of External Study; Prof. Wayne Morrison, Director of External Law Programme and Ms Rosemary Gosling, Director of External Study.

(Anwar presenting to the LSE team)

The meeting started off at 11.50am with a welcoming note from Ms Gosling. She shared with the team some experiences they had gained while building linkages with external parties such as Dubai and China. Before going into detailed presentation, Anwar briefed the purpose of the meeting/visit and the Flash presentation was shown to the audience.

(Members of the LSE team listening to the presentation)

The LSE’s group was then introduced to the progress of the KLEC project and the proposed collaboration between KLEC and LSE. A discussion was then held and some of the issues covered include the LSE's latest development in China and the prospect of LSE working with KLEC in various possible models.

The presentation finished at 1pm. We took a group photo before we were off to an exclusive restaurant at the Waldorf Hotel for lunch - 100% covered by our hosts!

(From left to right: Sarah, Rizal, Prof. Wayne Morrison, Anwar,

Prof. Jonathan Kydd, Ms Rosemary Gosling & Najjah)

It was a good presentation and well-received by LSE. Upon recommendation from Ms Gosling, the KLEC team will be following up with the International Relations Office of LSE for further presentations.

**Meeting Malaysian student at LSE:

As we were walking down to the meeting venue…..

Student: Hi…dari Malaysia ke? *He looked very excited.
Najjah: Ya, saya.
Student Hi, saya Hamid.
Najjah: Saya Najjah.
Student: Ada talk ke kat sini?
Najjah Actually kita ada presentation kat sini. You ambil course apa?
Student: Political Science, first year.
Najjah: Ohh..ok. Nice meeting you Hamid. Got to go. Jumpa lagi.
Student: Ok, bye.
Najjah: Bye. They are my team…*pointing to Anwar, Rizal & Sarah…
Anwar & Rizal went to Hamid and they shook hands.

Ms Gosling also took the opportunity to talk to Hamid.

Monday, 29 November 2007

We arrived at London Heathrow airport at 5.30pm, greeted by the cold 8-degree Celcius autumn weather. After clearing the immigration and collecting the luggages, we had to decide on how to get to the apartment in Victoria.

(Picture: Rizal, Sarah and Najjah with the luggages, deciding on the next course of action)

After deciding to take two taxis, we left Heathrow at about 6.00pm and arrived at the apartment about 7.30pm (there was a major jam in London as it was peak-hours). Much to our surprise, we had to wait a further two hours to get into the apartment as the management was not able to send the key to us upon our arrival.

That left us waiting in the cold. Rizal and Anwar decided to go to Tesco to get some supplies, and when they came back, the management staff arrived and we managed to get into the apartment, which was warm and cosy. It did not take long before we were knocked out due to the jetlag.