MTUN – Industry smart partnership produce technical expert

Malaysia Technical University Network (MTUN) is urged to continue working with the industry to ensure research output is beneficial to address industry related issues. According to Deputy Director General, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Professor Dr. Mohd Cairul Iqbal Mohd Amin, universities smart partnership particularly with MTUN should be intensified to encourage the industry to conduct research studies using the university's expertise and equipment as practiced in developed countries. 

“This is what Taiwan, Korea or Germany has been doing all this time with their smartphone technology industries,” he added hoping that this university-industry smart partnership could be implemented so that every research could benefit all parties. 

In addition, the new focus of the country’s education was on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and universities were also facing greater challenges facing as a result of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) explosion. He is proud of UMP's first attempt to address this challenge with the implementation of the IR4.0-based teaching factory.

Professor Dr. Mohd Cairul Iqbal officiated the opening ceremony of the 11th Malaysian Technical Universities Conference on Engineering Technology (MUCET). MUCET, hosted by Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) was held at Bukit Gambang Resort Kuantan on November 20, 2019. 

With the theme 'Communitising Technology in the Context of Industrial Revolution 4.0' this MUCET conference involved the participation of over 300 students, industry players and academics from UMP, Universiti Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM).
 
The ceremony were also attended by UMP Board of Directors, Professor Dato’ Dr. Rosli Mohd. Yunus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Professor Dato’ Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin.
    
Director of UTHM Reseacrh Management Centre, Professor Dr. Mohd. Amri Lajis, Director of UTeM Center for Research and Innovation Management (CRIM), Professor Ir. Dr. Marizan Sulaiman and Deputy Dean of Research Management and Innovation Centre UniMAP, Dr. Shuhaida Yahud, were also in attendance at the event. 

Keynote speaker for the conference were Professor Seeram Ramakrishna from National University of Singapore (NUS), Adjunct Professor Zulkifli Abd. Rani from Techno Diverge Link Sdn. Bhd. and Mohd Parid Sulaiman, Director of Product Technology Development, Intel Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also exchanged between UMP and BI Technologies Sdn. Bhd, Sime Darby Berhad and Supercat International Sdn. Bhd. UMP was represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli, while BI Technologies Sdn. Bhd represented by Director, Mr. Mohd Podzi bin Haji Mahmud, Sime Darby Berhad represented by Chief Chemical, Mr Mohammad Saiful Nidzam Ismail and Supercat International Sdn. Bhd. represented by Director, Mohd Dzulqarbain Ahmad Suh.

Translation by: Nadira Hana Ab Hamid, Faculty Of Manufacturing And Mechatronic Engineering Technology