This article focuses on biotechnology as a career. Information on what is biotechnology, job prospects for biotechnology graduates, pathways, entry qualifications, recognized local and foreign educational institutions offering biotechnology programmes and the approximate cost of these programmes will be provided. Biotechnology is relatively a new field and it is the applied knowledge of biology. It seeks to duplicate or change the function of a living cell so that it will work in a more predictable and controllable way. Subjects covered in this field of academic study include biology, biochemistry, genetic engineering, plant and agricultural biotechnology. Biotechnology graduates could find jobs in pharmaceutical companies, research organizations, food, nutrition and agro-based industries and research-oriented biotech companies.
The biotechnology industry is an industry with a potent and promising future. It must be noted that the Malaysian Government has accorded higher priority to the development of the biotechnology sector. Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010), the Government has allocated RM 2 billion for biotechnology development. This is because biotechnology is poised to drive the next wave of knowledge-based industries that will contribute to growth and wealth creation, new foreign and local investments, employment opportunities, as well as deliver social and environmental benefits. The large amount of funding will be used to increase the number of biotechnology and biotechnology-related companies to 400 by 2010. It is estimated that by 2010 about 15,000 jobs would be created in the biotechnology sector. It must be also noted that the Ninth Malaysia Plan will focus on implementing the National Biotechnology Policy (NBP) to develop Malaysia’s niches in Agriculture biotechnology, health care-related biotechnology, industrial biotechnology and bioinformatics.
To gain admission into a public or private institution of higher learning to pursue an undergraduate programme in biotechnology, one should have obtained good grades at STPM/A-level, in subjects such as chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology. Students in public universities are also required to pass the MUET examination. Universiti Kebangsaan, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Putra Malaysia and International Islamic University Malaysia offer a three-year Bachelor of Biotechnology programme. The course fee for a 6 to 8 semester degree programme would be about RM 1,500 per semester. The degrees awarded by these universities are recognized by the Malaysian Government. Monash University in Malaysia, Kolej Damansara Utama (KDU) and the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) also offer a three-year Bachelor of Biotechnology degree programme. The approximate cost of the programme would be between RM 20,000 – RM 25,000. Students are advised to check with the Lembaga Akreditasi Negara (LAN) and the Public Service Department (JPA) to find out whether or not the programmes conducted by these institutions are recognized by the Malaysian Government.
