Malaysia

Empower Programme

A future-ready graduate is one with authentic leadership who will go on to make a positive impact in the world. Our EmPOWER programme engages students in advanced self-driven developmental activities enabling them to achieve their full potential.

EmPOWER Programme

EmPOWER is an innovative programme that encourages its students to hone their soft skills. It is a four-level structured programme that is aimed at future-proofing graduates, to unleash their potential and to prepare them to stand out and have an impact in a highly uncertain world.

Empower infographic showing six developmental domains using icons

Leadership Development

Four levels of leadership development are available to students throughout their studies at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia. The overall objective is to develop students' leadership through experiential learning in six focused domains. Students can develop competencies in Leading Self, Leading Teams, Leading Communities, and Leading Enterprises.

Points at each level are awarded according to the nature of leadership training undertaken or complexity of skills demonstrated. These points are accumulated for achievements made at any of the four levels.

This can be done concurrently, no need to complete one level before moving to the next! An EmPOWER record of achievement and an EmPOWER certificate will be issued on completion of each level. These can help our students stand out from the crowd in today’s competitive job market.

Four structured levels of EmPOWER Programme

Watt level is structured and compulsory for all Year 1 students, while subsequent levels are self-directed and optional, but strongly encouraged. Student support is available through EmPOWER champions within each School and the programme is managed by a team of staff, including one lead for each of the six domains.

Leading Self (Watt level)

This year-1 Watt level is delivered via experiential learning and assessed through a structured credit bearing-course called “Self-empowerment and Social Responsibility”.

Leading Teams (Kilowatt level)

The Kilowatt level is all about teamworking and inter-personal skills. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia offers numerous opportunities to turn a sense of purpose into action and impact.

Leading Communities (Megawatt level)

The Megawatt level takes things up a notch by engaging in activities that have a positive impact on the community, whether it’s the university community or a local community in Malaysia or elsewhere.

Leading Enterprises (Gigawatt level)

Leading Enterprises represents the top level. It focuses on employability, creativity and innovation.

Becoming EmPOWERed

The university also manages an EmPOWER fund to which students can apply for financial support for worthy EmPOWER projects. Be inspired by what our students have achieved!

MaGIC Winners - Bio-Sekitar Enterprise

Bio-Sekitar Enterprise, an EmPOWER-funded, student-led project, secured 4th place in the Judges’ Selection Award (Social Innovation Track) and 3rd place in the Public Voting Award (Social Innovation Track) at the MaGIC University Startup Challenge 2020.

Redefining Your Future (READ) Project

This is a 2019/2020 EmPOWER Funded project: Conducting workshops for children to catch up with their studies no matter of their capabilities and to enhance their self-confidence, soft skills and communication skills.

Save Our Penyu

The Save Our Penyu team members’ personal Impact Statements were collectively realised at the EmPOWER Watt Level through their group’s Digital Community Service Project, “Save Our Penyu”

Find out more

Find out more about the EmPOWER programme by downloading the leaflet here: EmPOWER Programme Leaflet

Find out more

Find out more about the EmPOWER programme by downloading the EmPOWER leaflet and the EmPOWER handbook below:

EmPOWER Leaflet

View or download our EmPOWER Leaflet here for more information.

EmPOWER Handbook

View or download our EmPOWER Handbook here for more information.