Introduction

Welcome to my Weblog. This site is dedicated to my thoughts, views and understanding on anything that touches upon records management, archives management as well as information management in Malaysia. I believe in becoming a 'functional and meaningful' information professional, the term I refer to as person who can function in many ways possible for the betterment of this discipline. Interested parties, may reproduce or quote materials published with the condition that they are credited to alwiyunus.blogspot.com Comments must be accompanied by names or pseudonyms. Anonymous postings and those containing profanities and obscenities will be rejected. http://adf.ly/8Y1UN

Friday, December 30, 2011

Knowing Data Archive...

Dear all...Salam ukhuwwah!

Some excerpts from my thesis......

Background to the UK Data Archive
The UK Data Archive at the University of Essex is one of a worldwide network of data archives which had their origins in preserving and providing access to social science data for use by the academic community. Like many of these archives The Data Archive has expanded its role beyond social science data and it now services users outside of the academic community. It was established 30 years ago and is located at the University of Essex, a university with especial strengths in social science and economics. The Data Archive exists to promote wider and more informed use of data in research and teaching and to preserve these data so that they continue to be accessible over time. Its holdings are acquired from a wide variety of sources including central and local government, academia, independent research agencies and commercial sources such as market research agencies. Many of the activities of The Data Archive will be familiar to librarians and keepers of more conventional paper archives. They include:
- establishing user needs to determine what data should be acquired
- negotiating to acquire the data and to determine the conditions of access
- clarifying any confidentiality restrictions
- assisting data providers to create documentation required by secondary users
- validation of data and documentation
- supplementing documentation by adding information on format, media, conditions of access, and on the outcome of quality checks
- preservation of the data and documentation on different media and the establishment of a programme to check for data corruption, to refresh existing media and to migrate onto new media
- cataloguing and indexing by professional staff
- reformatting the data, digitising documentation and delivering data and documentation to users promoting use and supporting users.

DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION MANAGE THEIR DATA???

DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE THESE?
IF NOT........get ready towards it! Let me know, I will help as necessary!

Monday, July 18, 2011

prove it....!

Keep your actions recorded......keep instructions given to you from your superior or your boss minuted as it will later can be used for you yearly KPI report.

Keep your activities documented in a formal manner as someone might say that it is their job when it is yours...

Keep something but do not keep everything.....

When you keep everything, you don't practice proper records management.....

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Distortion-Sejarah yg kacau!!!

Assalam semua....

Pernah kalian terpikir?

-kita tak tahu pun siapa pencipta, pereka, pembuat keris, tengkolok, wau, kuali belanga, tumpi, batu giling, tepak sirih, kacip, kerambit, dan sebagainya yg menjadi antara tunjang budaya rumpun Melayu...

.......tetapi kita boleh tahu, pereka, pencipta pistol, senapang, kapalterbang, pengeluar nya dari dulu sehingga sekarang! Pelik bukan, seolah olah apabila dikaitkan dengan budaya, sejarah rumpun Melayu ini, ada sesuatu yg hilang.....distortion in history-sejarah yg kacau! Sedangkan bangsa bangsa lain (tidak tertakluk kpd bangsa eropah semata mata, secara umumnya) mempunyai sejarah yg panjang, asal usul bangsa yg boleh dijejaki sejak lama dahulu......kita pula seolah olah baru bermula sejak Parameswara ataupun Langkasuka....

Maaf, saya mungkin tersilap atau membuat kesilapan fakta, sy cuma ingin mengutarakan sedikit pandangan saya, bahawa ada sesuatu yg tidak kena dengan sejarah bangsa Melayu dan budayanya (sy bukan jenis yg mempunyai sindrom penafian sepanjang masa).....jika saya salah tentang hal ini....tolong BETULKAN saya!

Mengapa saya utarakan sedemikian? Sebab sy merasakan wujudnya kekacauan sejarah Melayu ini....mana yg fakta sebenarnya dan mana pula hanya sekadar cerita lagenda...kelihatan seperti sejarah Melayu ini mempunyai olahan berupa cerita lagenda dan cerita rakyat, umpama hikayat hindu yg ditulis dan dimelayukan! Saya tidak menafikan bahawa sejarah Melayu sgt dekat pengaruhnya dengan agama Hindu sebab orang Melayu dulu boleh dikatakan beragama Hindu asalnya....

Seusia saya ini....sy rasa sy bertuah hingga berpeluang menjejak kaki ke Family Records Center berdekatan dengan tempat dikenal sebagai Kensington....dikawasan sebuah taman perumahan dikota London. Jangan terkejut, ia dipenuhi ramai orang, bukan pelawat tetapi pengguna pusat itu terdiri dari penduduk kota London...terperanjat saya sebab pusat itu menyediakan perkhidmatan rujukan utk penduduk UK yg berupa rujukan genealogi, susur galur keluarga, melalui pembuktian berdasarkan sijil beranak yg disimpan sejak abad ke 7-11 masihi...maksud sy, warga UK boleh mengetahui susur galur keluarga masing masing...siapa moyang mereka, datuk nenek mereka dengan membuat penyelidikan di situ.....itu berupa rekod berbentuk sijil kelahiran, catatan catatan keluarga, gambar gambar keluarga.....bagi sy, ia sangat menakjubkan!

Sebab itulah sy mengatakan bahawa sejarah Melayu ada kekacauan fakta dan cerita.....distortion in the history of the Malays.....sy sekadar membuat perbandingan berdasarkan pengalaman, pemerhatian dan analisa cetek sy, hasil perbandingan tersebut sy membuat sedikit kesimpulan seperti diatas......walaupun diakui, sejarah mereka sangat berbeza namun mereka juga dekat dan wujud dalam sejarah kita kerana mereka juga bekas penakluk Tanah Melayu ini......sebab itulah rekod dan catatan sejarah Melayu, berbentuk manuskrip dan catatan catatan peribadi wujud dan disimpan kemas di muzium di Portugal, UK, dan Belanda, malah ada yg telah diperoleh di Australia....sebahagian kecilnya telah kita peroleh dan sebahagian besarnya masih di sana.....

Khazanah besar yg mencorak destini bangsa dan membina jatidiri bangsa Melayu.....yg kita punyai hanya serpihan kecil walhal sebahagian besarnya milik kita tetapi dipunyai dan disimpan oleh MEREKA......tidak mungkin tiada cerdik pandai Melayu zaman dahulu yg menulis, mencatat, merekod dan terhasillah itu semua dalam bentuk catatan manuskrip....takkan lah Raja raja Melayu dahulu kala 'ummi' tak tahu membaca dan menulis sedangkan dikhabarkan bahawa rantau in hebat tahap antarabangsanya, menjadi tumpuan pedagang malah bahasa Melayu menjadi 'lingua franca' di daerah ini.....bagaimana komunikasi berjalan...tidak adakah titah ataupun undang2 berupa arahan dan polisi pemerintahan yg dicatat samada pengumuman oleh mamak Bendahara....Syahbandar yg menjaga dan menguruskan pelabuhan dan mengutip cukai!!!! Dimanakah dokumen yg boleh dirujuk kala ini!!!


Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Pengurus....Pegawai Rekod....atau apa sahaja!

Assalam semua.....


Ada beberapa salah faham konsep sebenar pengurusan rekod dan bidang kerjaya...bagi yang telah dengan jayanya menjadi graduan...tahniah jika anda telah mempunyai pekerjaan....jika belum punyai bidang pekerjaan, berusahalah untuk terus mencari....jangan putus asa sama sekali.


Kalian mengambil kursus pengurusan rekod dan dengan berkobar kobar menjalani 3-4 tahun yg perit tetapi menyeronokkan, menempuhi perjalanan mencabar buat memperolehi segulung ijazah. Harapan yang terbina dalam hati ialah suatu hari nanti akan ada kerjaya yang sesuai dengan bidang yang kalian ambil. Itulah harapan dan corak fikiran kebanyakan dari kita.....terkadang saya fikir dengan mendalam, "ini suatu bentuk pemikiran yg agak membingungkan dan tersasar"...sebenarnya, kita langsung tidak boleh mengharap apa yg kita pelajari itulah yang kita akan jadi.....kita hanya boleh bercita cita dan mengatur langkah ke arahnya, boleh jadi ia menjadi boleh jadi tidak.


Saya tunjukkan kes dan contoh untuk kalian fikirkan.....KES 1:


Ada graduan pengurusan rekod yang menjadi usahawan....dan usahanya itu berjaya buat masa(diharap terus berjaya, jika gagal..didoakan terus bangkit) ....punyai ilmu pengurusan rekod yang pada mulanya diingatkan akan terkubur begitu sahaja apa yang dipelajari selama beberapa tahun.......namun akhirnya ilmu pengurusan rekod itu tidak terkubur begitu sahaja, sebaliknya.....kerana menjadi usahawan memerlukan dia mengurus syarikatnya sendiri, dan pengurusan di syarikatnya memerlukan skil pengurusan rekod...untuk memastikan segala aspek pengurusan syarikatnya berkembang dan maju....jika usahanya terus berkembang dan dia boleh mengatur untuk mempelbagaikan usahanya dan membuka jenis jenis perniagaan yang berbeza...boleh sahaja dia membuka satu syarikat perundingan pengurusan rekod dan menggunakan pengalamannya sendiri menguruskan rekod untuk diguna pakai dan dikongsikan kepada orang lain melalui sesi sesi latihan dan perundingan.....


bersambung...perlukan komen anda terlebih dahulu....harap beri komen....  

Monday, June 6, 2011

Institutional repository: a corporate memory

Institutional Repository: a memory lane


An organization which is in diverse operations has created milestone success and achievement, and at the same time created tremendous amount of records and documents in many formats. There are photos, images, maps, drawings, audio and video recordings of substantial amount and not neglecting the massive amount of transactional records of agreement, letters, memos, annual reports, etc.
How can all of these diverse items be captured, archived, organized and readily accessible on the web in one location for public access? An institutional repository can provide the perfect solution.
In our current technological age, most communications and scholarship are born digital and are often scattered across various servers and hard drives. Most of these virtual items are not as carefully archived or preserved as are traditional print publications. In today's computer dependent environment, our extensive archival expertise is timely and germane. One particularly effective means for filling the void and seizing the opportunity is to establish an institutional repository to collect the intellectual output of your institution.

Institutional repository


Simply stated, an institutional repository is a formally organized virtual locus for collecting and disseminating the digital intellectual output of an organization. The scope of the institutional repository is flexible and can be defined by each individual organization. Content can include solely corporate or academic materials or can be broadly defined to serve as an archival repository for all mission-related items of an institution ranging from official documents such as annual reports or litigation memorandums to public relations materials such as press releases or client brochures.

Benefit of an Institutional Repository


The benefits of an institutional repository are:
1.    Enhancing reputation of An agency
a.    A primary benefit of an institutional repository is that it will enhance the reputation and visibility of An agency. A digital repository will showcase Perbadana Putrajaya’s intellectual quality as well as preserve and disseminate the collective capital of An agency’s constituents. Generally, an institution's intellectual output is spread across various websites, servers and numerous publications. Centrally storing the intellectual product of your organization in a repository better demonstrates the value of your institution's research as a whole and its impact on the larger community.

2.    Furthermore, a repository can make An agency’s institutional history, development, research and publications available to an international community on a scale impossible to achieve in paper. The information and publications can be quickly disseminated to a worldwide audience. Long delays often attributed to the cumbersome traditional publication process can be eliminated.

3.    Open access to publication
a.    An institutional repository also permits An agency to provide open access to its publications. Traditional publication models and subscription barriers often limit the readership and availability of its institutional origin. Open access publications provide the obvious benefits of instant access to digital materials, round-the-clock, without physical boundaries.

4.    Well-organized materials readily available on the web
a.     An organization that lacks a central system with standardized document storage is at risk for suffering time inefficiencies. Searching for documents in multiple locations can be time-consuming. A repository with consistent metadata describing its contents empowers An agency’s information consumers by providing them with a self-service option for retrieving frequently requested materials. An added benefit is that multiple patrons will be able to simultaneously use popular items.

5.    Self-service depositing documents to institutional repository
a.    It is possible to set up a repository that requires minimal intervention by staff. When establishing an institutional repository, administrators have a choice of allowing authors to self-submit items to the repository. As a repository administrator, once approval is given, it will automatically populate the repository. It is also very simple to incorporate depositing documents in the repository as part of the normal administrative workflow. Once the subject framework of the repository has been solidified, document submission is a quick and simple process.


6.    Outlet for digital content
a.       It should also be noted that institutional repositories provide an outlet for storing materials created in a variety of formats. Repository items are not limited to traditional text only publications. Multimedia items can be easily accommodated. Research and publications that have been created in a variety of digital formats including audio, video, and images can be archived. Repository content can include lectures, slide presentations, music, photographs, artwork, data sets from empirical research or any other hidden treasures in your collection that are digitally formatted.

observe and evaluate 2....!!!

Assalam all...

When the form is designed in such a way, by which customer have to fill up a lot of information, it will surely result in the longer time taken for officer to make a data entry into the system....this will slow down the process.

I do agree for the first timer customer, that should be okay! Otherwise necessary information would not be able to be detected in the system. However, for returning customer or existing customer to repeat the same process, whenever they come and seek for services in an agency, it is in fact ridiculous in the context of fast moving business transactions in today's environment.

Why should they fill up the same information as they did previously? Can their details be traced using the same reference no or customer ID?

What happen to the information system employed by the agency? Can't the system provide necessary tracing back of customer details to expedite the processes and make customer happy? If the system cannot do so...why in the first place that the agency engaged with the system?

A business re engineering is desperately needed in such cases!!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

observe and evaluate...!!

Dear all...


I used to give this example during records management classes...


If the counter service is slow.........


it is always indications for whatever reasons as follow:


.....they are creating a lot of info and thus a lot of records!
.....they are making a lot of inputs into the system....repeatedly over time!
.....their forms are not systematically created to expedite process!
.....their information system be it database or whatever...is not fully integrated!one number or one reference solve it all concept is not used!


hence:....waiting time is higher....customer satisfaction is low....and the counter service is not people's friendly or customer friendly....!!!


You have all the system, all the ICT experts on earth.....why aren't you improve things!!!....if you cannot find out one in the organization, employ a new one, or outsource one....why are these people are not doing this immediately?? I do not understand!!! 

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Records Management: a career perspective

CAREER OF RECORD MANAGER : FROM MALAYSIA PERSPECTIVES

BY ALWI MOHD YUNUS

Abstract

Government departments and other organizations create and receive records in the

course of their business transactions. They are responsible for managing their

information in a way that allows them to conduct agency business; ensure agency and

government accountability; protect the rights of all stakeholders, including the public;

and identify records with archival value. Organizations now face the phenomenal

explosion of records due to the increase in economics, and social activities. This

problem has been compounded by the shift to electronic systems or e-government,

which results in the increasing amount and proliferation of electronic records. There is a

keen interest in the records management discipline and records management as a

career in Malaysia now than ever, which has paved the way for more discussions,

renewed policies and Government undertakings in the discipline as well as its

implementation in government agencies. Records Manager is a new, emerging career

in Malaysian administrative system. It is the job of the records manager to provide

efficient access to the right information to support decision making, for operational

purposes, as evidence of policies and activities and for litigation support, meet legal

obligations for the creation and retention of paper and electronic records, maintain

operational efficiency by controlling the volume of records created and stored identify

those records to be preserved for historical and research purposes and eliminate the

rest as early as possible.

Keywords; records manager, archivist, administrative structure, records management,

archive management, government agency2

1. Introduction

Every day we are bombarded with information. It comes to us via the mail, over

telephone lines and across computer networks. If we are to put it to good use it

must be organized in some ways. It is the job of the records manager to provide

efficient access to the right information to support decision making, for

operational purposes, as evidence of policies and activities and for litigation

support, meet legal obligations for the creation and retention of paper and

electronic records, maintain operational efficiency by controlling the volume of

records created and stored, identify those records to be preserved for historical

and research purposes and eliminate the rest as early as possible.

Mismanagement of these records affects, not only the effectiveness of the

administrative machinery but also may lead to their irrecoverable loss of the

nation’s history. At this critical juncture, the need for qualified records managers,

supported by trained personnel is regarded as crucial.

“Records are the memory of agencies’ activities, the asset that must be

managed systematically so that it can be fully utilized. Records

management program can only be effectively implemented with the

training of the qualified records managers.” 

Raja Abdullah Yaacob

Records managers achieve these goals in many ways, including; designing

systems, analyzing business processes, designing business classification

schemes, undertaking records surveys, establishing retention schedules,

designing and running record centers and devising business continuity policies.

They are dynamic professionals, interacting with senior managers in their

organizations to improve efficiency and to help ensure the preservation of the

archives of the future. 

2. Background

Malaysia gained its independence since 1957. The rapid economic development

has led to the creation of new government ministries and departments and the

mushrooming of agencies. The same scenario occurs in the private sectors with

the increase industrial activities and investments activities. In the last 47 years,

the amount of the nation records that were created is phenomenal. As stipulated

in the National Archives act 1966 and Amended in 2003, government

departments must be involved in:

• Effective records management

• Efficient record keeping

• Ensure safekeeping of national heritage

• Disposition of records for final archive management

3. The skills

Records managers need to be multi skilled in term of being:

confident communicators: records managers deal with colleagues from all

backgrounds, from the Managing Director/Chief Executive/Top Officials,

Policy Makers down. They also have to contact suppliers, contractors and

outside organizations.

good negotiators: it is not always easy to persuade senior colleagues to hand

over 'their' records, or to agree to a retention period/destruction date for a

record they wish to preserve forever.

analytical thinkers: records managers need to understand how their

organization works to be capable of constructing systems that are integrated

with business processes and organizational culture

flexible: records managers are often expected to turn their hand to anything

remotely connected with the provision of information. 4

comfortable with new technology: there is a need to demonstrate the ability to

use and adapt to rapidly evolving ICT (Information Communication

Technology) packages and systems

4. Job description

A records manager is responsible for the effective and appropriate management

of an organization's records. Records management professionals are employed

in a wide range of roles. The job increasingly involves advising on records

management issues, as well as undertaking practical and strategic activities. The

role is developing in scope because there is an increased understanding of the

value of effective knowledge and information management, particularly in the

corporate sector.

Effective records management requires an organization-wide commitment to

planning, implementing, overseeing, and participating in the records

management program. To achieve this, members of organization with a range of

records management–related roles and skills must support the effort. 

5. Competencies

The Records Manager generally provides expertise in records management,

constituting knowledge areas of:

• Records Creation and Use

• Active and Inactive Records Systems

• Records Appraisal, Retention and Disposition

• Vital Records Identification and Protection

• Records and Information Management Technology

The Records Manager may also have subject matter expertise in: 5

Law

Privacy and Data Protection

IT and Electronic Storage Systems

General Business Principles

6. The market

As a records manager one could find oneself working in local or central

government, for a company (which might be a multinational), in education, in a

museum or gallery, or for a charitable organization. Legislative developments,

including the National Archive Act 2003, Pekeliling Kerajaan, and other acts and

policies be it from government or the organization itself, have created substantial

demand from employers for qualified records managers.

In the United States of America, a Records Manager in nuclear power plants

specialize in compliance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules

regarding the handling of nuclear materials. It is to say that, Records Manager is

well verse with the situational context of the organization needs with regards to

legal and policies established.

In Malaysian case, there is also an emerging demand from health care,

pharmaceutical and legal industry for medical records officer, legal records officer

and document controller as it is called in business and private organizations.

Organizations like Mahkota Medical Center, Pantai Medical Center at Kuala

Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, Ayer Keroh, and other private medical centers

in the country, have already requested and employed Medical Records Officer

(MRO) whom has background in medical records management, records

management and ICD-10 skills. 

In other private sectors for instance service sectors, there are also increasing

demand for records officer and records executive. In as much, the demands from 6

other private industries to fulfill the position of Document Controller, a job

similarly associated with records management job are increasing. Some of the

jobs may not be directly named after records management but clearly from the

job scope; it is records management job. Among the job offerings for instance

are;

• Corporate Data and Resource Management Executive-Inai Kiara Sdn

Bhd.

• Document Controller at Carigali- PTTEPI Operating Company Sdn.

Bhd.(CPOC)

• Head of Department, Medical Records-Pantai Hospital Sg. Petani

• General Administration officer.

• Data Management Executive

7. Career Advancement, Professional and Skill Enrichment

The National Archives Act 2003 and other legislations are clear indication that

records management must be taken seriously. Some of the legislations are legal

binding associated with systematic records management of public records. The

following act and circulars revealed the seriousness on the parts of the authority

for public agencies to take good care of their records:

• National Archives Act, 1966, amended 2003 

• Arahan Perbendaharaan No.150 (tempoh minimum bagi menyimpan buku

akaun dan rekod kewangan). 

• Surat Pekeliling Am Bil. 1 Tahun 1997 (Peraturan pemeliharaan rekodrekod kerajaan) 

• General Circular No 1/1970 (requires all government departments to send

one copy of department official report to the Director General of National

Archives within one month). 7

• General Order Chapter 3 (letter writing and recording of outgoing letters in

a register book).General Order Chapter 4 (File classification open, limited,

confidential, secret, top secret file registration and maintenance, file

distribution, KIV file, and file preservation) General Order Chapter 5 (

preserving government records, role of National archives, role of records

officer, and preserving records).Treasury Instruction (instruction to get

approval from Auditor General and Accountant General to dispose book

accounts which are already obsolete).

8. Efficiency and Economy (2Es)

The two Es is concerned with achieving economy of space and the efficiency in

the creation, maintenance, use and disposal of the records of an organization.

Unfortunately, the lack of qualified records managers makes it difficult to

implement this concept.

What is inherent in most departments is the absence of fully trained records

managers who can handle the records management responsibilities. Records

manager is responsible in establishing the records management program in

compliance with the legal legislations, organization’s procedures and the

standards in records management. This role is taken over by other general

personnel, resulting in the inconsistencies in the records creation and

maintenance but more importantly, the absence of the disposition activities,

which is the final phase in the records evolution. Such situation may lead to the

loss of records while in the past led to the migration of the records and archives.

Many people come into records management from disciplines such as scientific

research, financial and retail management and the civil service. Many people

also enter records management from an archives background, as members of

both professions have a shared interest in the value of information and its uses. 8

9. Continuing Professional Education

Continuing Professional Education or CPD is now a feature of working life and as

part of human capital development in Malaysia. Therefore there is a need to

prepare people for a new lifetime learning environment. Because of the diversity

of and diffusion of records management activity, from the beginning till the end of

the records, there is an urgent need for CPD to be established and practiced.

This is to prepare for the career advancement of records management

practitioners to pursue professional education and offering them to embrace new

knowledge and pursuing after job engagement in private sectors or even in

government sectors. 

10. Training Programme

History

Malaysia has always associated herself with her former colonial masters even in

the earlier development of its national archives and the training of its personnel. 

Earlier personnel were trained in Great Britain at the postgraduate level, either at

the certificate or the diploma level. Later on the staffs were also sent to Australia

and India for similar training. It was only at the later stage that the staffs were

given higher level training scheme, leading to master degree in both local and

foreign universities. So far the National Archive of Malaysia has played the

pivotal role in providing training programme for the public sectors personnel in

Malaysia in records management. Other institutions which are involved, include

MAMPU and INTAN.

11. Training of Records Professionals-International level

Training at every level can be acquired in many higher institutions in Great

Britain, United States, Australia and others. Most of the universities offer 9

programs at the master’s level. There are also a number of well known

professional organizations in records management that offers training programs.

12. Association of Records Managers and Administration (ARMA)

ARMA is an international organization of over 10,000 members and 150 chapters

in more than 30 countries worldwide. It gained its chartership in May 27, 1964. It

was established with the goal advancement in the area of records management

discipline and profession. It also aims at promoting research, education, training

and networking in the profession of records and information management. 

Finally it also helps promote cooperation activities and smart partnerships with

related professional groups. Some of the professional activities that take place

are seminars and meetings, forums for information exchange, and the eventual

construction of a network of professional friends and contacts. ARMA also has an

educational program, which is designed to provide students with a certified set of

skills.

The Institute of Certified Records Managers (ICRM) is another international

certifying organization for professional records and information mangers.

Incorporated in 1975, it was established to maintain a standard for practicing

records management is accredited. Those wishing to acquire such certification

may take up examination leading to certified Records Managers.

At the university level many universities provides the master program in records

management. The Curtin University for example, offers the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts (Library and Corporate Information Management)

• Graduate Certificate in Records Management 

• Graduate Diploma in Records Management and Archives 

• Master of Applied Science (Information Management) - Records

Management and Archives stream 

Edith Cowan University offers the following courses: 10

• Executive Certificate in Records Management - this course provides an

alternative entry opportunity for students who do not have an

undergraduate degree and are therefore not eligible for admission to either

the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma

• Graduate Certificate in Information Services - this course constitutes a first

award in record keeping studies at graduate level

• Graduate Diploma of Science (Information Services) - Archives and

Records Stream - this one year course, accredited by the Australian

Society of Archivists (ASA) and Records Management Association of

Australia (RMAA) requires a three year undergraduate degree as the

minimum entrance requirement

• Master of Information Services (Archives and Records Stream) 

Monash University offers a Master of Information Management and Systems

(MIMS) degree course with a specialization in record keeping. This program of

study is recognized by both the Records Management Association of Australia

(RMAA) and the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA). Graduate diploma and

graduate certificate programs in record keeping are also available and PhD

programs are offered. 

Similar programs are also provided in universities in United Kingdom and USA.

Most national archives of the world are active in the training programs in all

level of records management. This include The National Archives and

Records Administration (NARA) which is responsible for providing guidance

and assistance to Federal agencies in order to ensure that they carry out these

important records management responsibilities. 

13. Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

The Faculty of Information Management has been pioneering in the area of

records management in Malaysia. The subject as an elective was first offered in 11

1973. It was not until 1996 that full-fledged undergraduate and master level

programs were offered. The undergraduate program is known as the Bsc in

Information Studies (Records Management), while the master’s program in Msc.

Information Management allows students to specialize in Records Management. 

While certain courses/subjects offered include those regarded as compulsory at

the university and faculty level, the undergraduate professional programs allow

students to specialize in records management as early as the first semester

through the final sixth semester as shown below. This program is blessed with

numerous qualified faculty members in the area of records management,

electronic records management legal and medical records, oral history and

preservation. The cooperation and assistance from the National Archives of

Malaysia has been ongoing and close association with other universities and

industries has been an asset to the program.

With regards to the evolution of records; creation, use, maintenance and

disposition, what has been the most crucial is the preservation of the recorded

memory/history so that it can be referred to in the future and the nation’s history.

Along the three basic principles, students are also trained in the following

aspects of the working with the records and eventually archives. They are:

• Communication

• Identification

• Selection

• Acquisition

• Organisation

• Description

• Storage

• Retrieval preservation

• Analysis

• Interpretation

• Evaluation

• Synthesis

• Dissemination

• Management

The curriculum:

• Fosters development of records and archive managers who will assume

an assertive role in preserving and servicing the records and archives

• Emphasizes as evolving body of knowledge that reflects the findings of

basic and applied research from relevant fields

• Integrates the theory, application and use of ICT

• Responds to the needs of a rapidly changing technological and global

society 12

• Provides direction for future development of the field

• Promotes commitment to continuous professional growth

Foundation of Information and Communication Technology

Foundation to Information Management

Introduction to Reference and Information Sources

Management of Internet Resources and Services

Organization of Information

Managing Records in Organization Managing Automated

Records System

Functional Design of Records Centre Controlling and

Appraising Records

Development of Automated Records System Planning and Design of Records

and Archival Repositories 

Preservation of Archival Material Management of Audio Visual

Records and Archives

Research in Records and Archives Management of Cartographic and

Photographic Records

Management of Electronic Records

Management of Business Records

Document Imaging System

-Choose One Only-

Document Oral Tradition

Mgt of Medical records

Mgt of Legal Records

Mgt of Engineering Records

Mgt of Architecture Records

Mgt of Manuscript and Personal Paper

Islamic Information Management

Information Marketing for

Records Centre and Archives 

Administrative History 

Independent study

Figure 1: The Records Management Courses in BSc In Information Management (Records

Management) 13

List of Specialization in MSc. In Information Management:

1) Records Management

2) Electronic Records Management

3) Internship in Records Management

4) Directed Reading in Records Management

5) Theses in Records Management and Archives

Figure 3: Specialization in Records Management in the Msc in Information

Management, UiTM

The objectives of the two programs are as follows:

1

• To create expertise and skilled manpower, qualified in the management of

records and archives

• To produce professionals who are creative and proactive, competitive and high

caliber in records and archives management

• To plan, provide and apply effectively academic courses that is of high quality

and world class

• To ensure that the program maintain the professional status continuously by the

public and private sectors

• To create the centre of excellence and expertise in the records and archive

management.

14. Recommendations

Consequently, the priorities should be in establishing records and archives

management in Malaysia. It is highly recommended that more concerted effort



UiTM. Faculty of Information Management: Handbook. (Shah Alam: FPM, 2004):2. 14

should be given to the training of records managers. Priorities should also be given

to the provision of the right records management position the government

organizations. This will reduce the problem of mismatching in the employment of

the personnel responsible for records management, including electronic records

management. This may mean the creation of new jobs dedicated entirely to the

records management responsibilities. In addition to that it is also important for

agencies to: 

1. Uphold the 2Es of records management

a. Efficiency and Economy

2. Plan for Policies

a. Create an efficient records management policy and program, based on the

careful application of the management and organization principles and the

program objectives.

3. Human Problems

a. Investigating career opportunities in records management, leading to

positions in business, industry and government sectors.

b. Training of staff

4. Training of Staff

a. General staff

b. The basic course will do the following:

i. Introducing the basic concepts of organizational theory and

different ways of analyzing organizations

ii. Discussing the history and development of recordkeeping systems

iii. Defining the concept of a “record” and the systems that support

records

iv. Outlining what records management is and what records managers

do

v. Reviewing the basic principles and functions of a records

management program 15

5. Establish Records Management Division

6. Emerging areas

a. Look at the policies of records management in new emerging areas, for

instance, health care industry in Malaysia which has specific requirement

for Medical Records Officer that is also has unique knowledge in ICD10,

for classification of disease and mortality. Health information management

involves not only maintaining patient files, but also coding the files to

reflect the diagnoses of the conditions suffered by patients.

b. Records Managers in the pharmaceutical industry are responsible for

maintaining laboratory research, clinical trials data, and manufacturing

information.

c. Records Managers in law firms often have responsibility for managing

conflicts, as well as managing client matter files.

7. Governmental archives and records management departments such as the

National Archives and Records Administration offer educational programs of

interest to government records managers.

8. A professional certification, the Certified Records Manager credential is offered

by any certification institute related specifically to the records management

discipline. Other organizations may offer certificates reflecting completion of a

course of studies, attendance at a seminar, or passing a subject matter test. 16

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