Latest news with #IMU
The Star
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Shaping health-savvy graduates
EFFORTS are underway to foster a culture of health and prevention at the tertiary level, say two associations representing higher education institutions (HEIs). Describing the findings of the recently released National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2024: Nutrition as 'deeply concerning', National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI) president Datuk Lau Wai Cheng said many of the association's member institutions are integrating health-promoting initiatives into student life. Lau 'These range from campus-wide wellness days and health screenings to nutritional talks and partnerships with local healthcare providers,' she told StarEdu. Lau added that some institutions are embedding wellness modules and activities into co-curricular programmes. 'Students participate in stress management workshops and movement-based activities that support both concentration and mood,' she shared. IMU University Institute for Research, Development and Innovation director Prof Dr Winnie Chee Siew Swee said the university – a member of the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (MAPCU) – has adopted a multifaceted approach to promoting healthier living among students and staff through elective modules, campus culture and infrastructure, as well as digital tools and nudges. 'This includes ensuring the student food court is certified as a Healthy Cafeteria and accredited for food safety (BeSS – Bersih dan Selamat) by the Health Ministry. Parmjit 'Foods served at the IMU cafeteria are calorie-labelled, and posters on healthy eating guidelines are displayed, along with messages encouraging smaller portion sizes. This has led to IMU winning state-level competitions held by the ministry for its healthy cafeteria,' she said. Raising the bar Commending IMU's approach, MAPCU president Datuk Parmjit Singh affirmed the need for HEIs to step up their focus and investment in promoting student and staff well-being. 'It is important to advocate a healthy lifestyle among students so they can achieve their fullest potential, without being weighed down by physical or mental health issues,' he said. Acknowledging that more can be done, Lau said outreach across the education sector is essential. 'Larger, better-equipped institutions are well-placed to offer support – whether by hosting students from smaller colleges on health-themed visits, sharing facilities for health screenings, or showcasing wellness innovations,' she said. Concerning nutrition, she highlighted the widespread availability of high-sugar, highly processed foods on campuses. 'NAPEI believes it is time to treat access to healthy, affordable food on campus as a baseline expectation – not a luxury. With active collaboration from the private sector and policy alignment, this is within reach,' she said. She also welcomed stronger government support for embedding health literacy into curricula. 'Students should graduate not only with academic qualifications but also with the capacity to make informed health choices,' she said. Prof Chee urged the Higher Education Ministry to integrate health promotion into national higher education frameworks, making wellness part of accreditation and quality assurance. 'Current emphasis on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in programme objectives and learning outcomes is a great initiative, and SDG 3 – good health and well-being – cannot be over-emphasised,' she said. She added that partnerships between universities and public health authorities can be strengthened through mobile clinics, nutrition education and screening services. She also recommended that HEIs encourage students to join sports-related activities to promote healthy living. 'The availability of facilities such as basketball and other sports courts, dance studios, and gymnasiums also helps to inculcate a healthy lifestyle,' she said. Prof Chee noted that lifestyle-related conditions are now emerging earlier. 'Health literacy and healthy lifestyle practices should be considered essential competencies for today's tertiary students. 'Preparing students for the future goes beyond equipping them with academic and technical knowledge – it must also ensure they can sustain their physical and mental well-being, which is foundational for lifelong productivity, resilience, and quality of life,' she said.
The Star
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Rethinking campus living
EFFORTS are underway to foster a culture of health and prevention at the tertiary level, say two associations representing higher education institutions (HEIs). Describing the findings of the recently released National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2024: Nutrition as 'deeply concerning', National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI) president Datuk Lau Wai Cheng said many of the association's member institutions are integrating health-promoting initiatives into student life. Lau 'These range from campus-wide wellness days and health screenings to nutritional talks and partnerships with local healthcare providers,' she told StarEdu. Lau added that some institutions are embedding wellness modules and activities into co-curricular programmes. 'Students participate in stress management workshops and movement-based activities that support both concentration and mood,' she shared. IMU University Institute for Research, Development and Innovation director Prof Dr Winnie Chee Siew Swee said the university – a member of the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (MAPCU) – has adopted a multifaceted approach to promoting healthier living among students and staff through elective modules, campus culture and infrastructure, as well as digital tools and nudges. 'This includes ensuring the student food court is certified as a Healthy Cafeteria and accredited for food safety (BeSS – Bersih dan Selamat) by the Health Ministry. Parmjit 'Foods served at the IMU cafeteria are calorie-labelled, and posters on healthy eating guidelines are displayed, along with messages encouraging smaller portion sizes. This has led to IMU winning state-level competitions held by the ministry for its healthy cafeteria,' she said. Raising the bar Commending IMU's approach, MAPCU president Datuk Parmjit Singh affirmed the need for HEIs to step up their focus and investment in promoting student and staff well-being. 'It is important to advocate a healthy lifestyle among students so they can achieve their fullest potential, without being weighed down by physical or mental health issues,' he said. Acknowledging that more can be done, Lau said outreach across the education sector is essential. 'Larger, better-equipped institutions are well-placed to offer support – whether by hosting students from smaller colleges on health-themed visits, sharing facilities for health screenings, or showcasing wellness innovations,' she said. Concerning nutrition, she highlighted the widespread availability of high-sugar, highly processed foods on campuses. 'NAPEI believes it is time to treat access to healthy, affordable food on campus as a baseline expectation – not a luxury. With active collaboration from the private sector and policy alignment, this is within reach,' she said. She also welcomed stronger government support for embedding health literacy into curricula. 'Students should graduate not only with academic qualifications but also with the capacity to make informed health choices,' she said. Prof Chee urged the Higher Education Ministry to integrate health promotion into national higher education frameworks, making wellness part of accreditation and quality assurance. 'Current emphasis on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in programme objectives and learning outcomes is a great initiative, and SDG 3 – good health and well-being – cannot be over-emphasised,' she said. She added that partnerships between universities and public health authorities can be strengthened through mobile clinics, nutrition education and screening services. She also recommended that HEIs encourage students to join sports-related activities to promote healthy living. 'The availability of facilities such as basketball and other sports courts, dance studios, and gymnasiums also helps to inculcate a healthy lifestyle,' she said. Prof Chee noted that lifestyle-related conditions are now emerging earlier. 'Health literacy and healthy lifestyle practices should be considered essential competencies for today's tertiary students. 'Preparing students for the future goes beyond equipping them with academic and technical knowledge – it must also ensure they can sustain their physical and mental well-being, which is foundational for lifelong productivity, resilience, and quality of life,' she said.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
School Education Department to step up competitive exam coaching in Coimbatore
The School Education Department plans to enhance competitive exam coaching for government school students in Coimbatore district, as part of the Naan Mudhalvan scheme. Coaching is offered for 20 exams across streams such as Engineering, Law, Design, Indian Maritime University (IMU), Arts, Science, Commerce, Hotel Management, Paramedical, Architecture, Teaching, and Education, for students from Classes IX to XII. Each month, eight sessions are held with changing subjects. Topics are introduced at a basic level in Class IX and become progressively detailed by Class XII. An official from the School Education Department said that, in addition to the existing coaching modules, the department is planning to conduct weekly special classes on Saturdays for students who express interest in focused exam preparation. 'Teachers will be trained in specific subjects, and coaching is planned to be conducted at 15 centres — one in each block — to improve student performance,' the official said. Currently, two hours of weekly coaching are held in high-tech labs on working days using Naan Mudhalvan video materials, followed by explanations. Periodic tests are conducted, and student performance is tracked through the Education Management Information System (EMIS). In the previous academic year, 95 students from government schools appeared for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), 262 for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, 13 cleared JEE Advanced, 21 wrote the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) entrance exam, two appeared for the National Institute of Design (NID) entrance test, three for the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) All India Selection Test (AIST), and seven for the National Council for Hotel Management Joint Entrance Examination (NCHM JEE). The government covered the exam fees, spending ₹10 lakh in total. For students who secure admission to central government institutions or other premier colleges, the State government either bears the cost or facilitates sponsorship, the official added. On Friday, four students who cleared competitive exams and secured admissions were felicitated by Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar. K. Brindha from Kinathukadavu Government Higher Secondary School cleared NCHM JEE and secured admission to the Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai. S. Dhanushasri, M. Sujatha, and Layadharshini cleared the FDDI AIST and are awaiting allotment.
Local Italy
09-06-2025
- Business
- Local Italy
Key tax deadline nears for second-home owners in Italy
The first instalment of Italy's main property tax IMU (Imposta Municipale Unica, or Unified Municipal Tax) must be paid by Monday, June 16th, with the second payment due on December 16th. The tax is a frequent source of confusion for homeowners in Italy, as the rules on exactly which types of property it applies to have changed multiple times over the years. IMU doesn't apply to most main residences (prime case), provided the owners are resident in Italy for more than six months out of the year and registered as such in Italy's national resident population registry (Anagrafe). If you're resident abroad, you'll have to pay IMU on any property owned in Italy. You'll also need to pay IMU if you own a home in Italy classed as luxury property, even if it is your main residence. Italian luxury property is defined by its residential category under the Italian tax system. In this case, the cadastral categories A1, A8 and A9 (stately homes, villas and castles) are all classed as luxury dwellings for tax purposes. Finally, agricultural land (terreno agricolo) and any land designated as a site that can be built on (area fabbricabile) are also subject to IMU payments. In most cases, property owners are fully responsible for calculating and paying the amount of IMU they owe, meaning you won't get a bill from local authorities specifying how much you need to pay for the relevant year. How much you pay depends on your property and the area you live in: payments are based on a percentage of the property value, collected by the municipality where your home is located, with part of the tax also going to the national government. Calculating your IMU can be a complex and confusing process, which is why it's advisable to consult a qualified accountant (commercialista), who can ensure that the correct amount is paid and even set up the payment for you. They should also be able to assist you in applying for any IMU exemptions and discounts you may be eligible for. You can pay IMU via a form called F24 through the bank or Post Office. Some Italian banks even offer customers the option to complete and submit an F24 form directly online. Alternatively, you can ask an Italian accountant to complete and submit the form for you. Be aware that in most cases you won't receive a bill and will need to initiate the payment yourself. It's important to meet the June 16th and December 16th deadlines, as late filing can be punished with a fine of up to 25 percent of the IMU owed. However, if you are late, Italy has a procedure known as ravvedimento operoso (literally, 'active amendment') which allows taxpayers to self-report and quickly rectify delays in their IMU payments in exchange for significantly reduced fines. With reporting from Giampietro Vianello and Clare Speak. Please note that The Local is unable to advise on individual cases. Find more information on the Italian tax office's website or seek independent advice from a qualified tax professional.
Malaysian Reserve
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Malaysian Reserve
Turkish Farmers Leap into Autonomous Tractors with XAG APC2 Autopilot Console
GÖNEN, Turkey, June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Autonomous tractor operations are gaining ground on Turkey's small and medium-sized family farms, where labor shortages and rising costs remain persistent challenges. Driving this transformation is the increasing uptake of the XAG APC2 AutoPilot Console, which turns even aging tractors into smart, capable field partners. As young people return to agriculture, their push to upgrade existing machinery is making automation more attainable and driving greater efficiency across the sector. Turkey's agricultural landscape is shaped by its vast number of tractors—over 1.5 million, the largest fleet in Europe. The majority of these machines are in the hands of family farms, the backbone of national food production. For these families, each tractor must be a reliable, all-purpose workhorse. But as economic pressures and labor scarcity rise, many have found their trusted machinery in need of an upgrade—not in form, but in function. Gönen, renowned for its expansive paddy fields and rice-growing expertise, is a place where this change is underway. Here, 24-year-old Numan Korkmaz and his family cultivate 140 hectares of rice paddies. Leaning against his red Tümosan tractor, jacket still dusted from morning work, Numan talks about new agricultural technology with the same confidence his parents once reserved for weather and water—unpredictable but essential for survival. 'We need to keep up with modern times in our sector,' he says. For Numan, that meant investing in an XAG APC2 AutoPilot Console—a decision driven by his goal to enable precision farming, achieve centimeter-level accuracy, and ensure orderly, safe work for both daily operations and his family farm's future. Before the APC2, Numan's work demanded constant focus just to keep the tractor straight. Fatigue from long days led to overlapping rows, wasted seeds, and the worry that even a small mistake could cost the season. 'Our work was completely manual,' Numan remembers. The APC2 marked a turning point. The system delivers hands-free steering and precision accuracy for a wide range of tractors, supporting the production of different crops. Instead of worrying about missed patches or crooked lines, Numan now lets the tractor steer itself, even at night or on tough terrain. With tasks such as sowing, fertilizer spreading, or harrowing, Numan is impressed by how APC2's accurate, parallel line keeping has transformed his routine. 'Accuracy and precision are a must for us,' he says. 'I prefer the AB straight line function—it's faster, easier, and more practical.' This new confidence comes from APC2's RTK-based positioning, further supported by IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensors for terrain compensation, which instantly detect ground slope and keep the tractor on course. Overlaps are minimized and every part of land is used efficiently. 'Fuel and time savings are our top priorities, and we are also seeking to reduce excessive inputs,' Numan notes. Such gains are supported by research: Turkish academic studies show GNSS-based guidance reduces field overlaps and input use by 6–10%. Thanks to even greater accuracy with RTK, farmers like Numan are achieving significant savings in fuel and resources, boosting the productivity of each operation. These improvements are especially critical for small and medium farms today. Turkey's annual inflation rate stood at 37.86% in April 2025, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK); persistently high costs, especially for fuel, put intense pressure on farm budgets. Solutions for improving productivity and saving resources have become a necessity, not just an aspiration. For years, these gains seemed out of reach for smallholders, limited by high upfront costs and technical complexity. XAG APC2 has changed the landscape with its all-in-one, waterproof design that integrates navigation and control in a single unit. The system is operated via a smartphone app and requires minimal maintenance. 'If you can use an Android phone, you can use this system,' Numan says, highlighting a key factor in bridging agriculture's generational gap. On a typical day, Numan starts work at 7:30 a.m. and covers nearly 9 hectares using only 30 liters of diesel—a clear demonstration of the savings and peace of mind automation provides. On affordability, he's candid: 'On the contrary, it's actually more costly not to buy it.' As policymakers encourage sustainable progress, real change is unfolding in Turkey's fields, led by forward-thinking farmers like Numan. For him and other smallholders, adopting new technology isn't just about keeping pace—it's about safeguarding the future of their lands. With the next generation stepping into the spotlight, Turkish agriculture is poised to become more productive, resilient, and ready for tomorrow's challenges. Photo – View original content:
