Campus Info

UMP named Best University in Research and Innovation for Non-Research University

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) was named best university in research and innovation under the category of Research and Innovation Excellence (Institution) for Non-Research University at the recent Malaysia’s Research Star Award (MRSA) 2019 and CRÈME 2019 Acknowledgement of Journal Award.

Universiti Malaya (UM) was named Best University for Research and Innovation for Research University at the event which was held at Zenith Hotel, Putrajaya on November 6, 2019.

UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff accepted the award from Education Ministry’s Secretary General, Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Gazali Abas who represented Education Minister Dr. Maszlee Malik.

UMP also added another impressive feather in its cap when its lecturer, Associate Professor Dr. Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah, received two MRSA awards - Prominent Topics in Research for his heat transfer research project and Young Researcher Award.

Associate Professor Dr. Wan Azmi, 35, was selected for being the best researcher under the age of 40.

His research involving nanoparticle dispersion technology was published in a prominent journal and was hailed as a high impact publication based on the citations received from the Elsevier Science data base.

His focus was on fluid application in automotive.

He had also come up with several high impact products, results from his research works, which included nano-cooling liquid for vehicle radiator, nano-lubricant for vehicle air-conditioning and the latest being nano-paint for automotive component.

On publications, a total of 116 publications have been recorded in the Scopus data base with 2,083 citations and 27 h-index.

Out of these journals, 97 publications have been indexed by Web of Science, 57 are categorised as QI high-impact journals that contributed to high data citations in the Elsevier data base

A large number of the publications are related to heat transfer.

Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar also said in their bid to move forward and towards excellence, UMP would continue to produce impressive accomplishments and that the success achieved was a ‘one for all’ effort.

He added that the achievement was indeed a remarkable feat for the university, considering it was one of the technical universities (MTUN) in Malaysia and was only established as a public university 17 years ago.

He also said with its slogan, ‘Moving Together’, the university and its community would continue to enhance its strengths in the fields of engineering, research and service with world-class standards and by doing so in a more creative and innovative engineering and technology ecosystem.

The university would ensure that with the efforts taken to improve its quality, the efforts taken would also improve its capability to provide Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) of high standard which would bring about good benefits to the people in the country.

Malaysia’s Research Star Award (MRSA) 2019 and CRÈME 2019 Acknowledgement of Journal Award was organised by the Education Ministry with the cooperation of Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier.

Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Gazali Abas officially opened the event which was also attended by Higher Education Director General, Datuk Ir. Dr. Siti Hamisah Tapsir and Deputy Secretary General (Strategic), Dato’ Kamel Mohamad.

Other awards presented by Clarivate Analytics were Hot Review Paper (one recipient) and Research and Innovation Excellence Researcher Award (seven recipients).

Elsevier also named 12 researchers as MRSA recipients for the categories International Collaboration (three recipients), Prominent Topics in Research (four recipients), Citation Classic (four recipients) and Young Researcher (one recipient).

A total of 15 researchers from Malaysia received the Highly Cited Researcher 2018 Award from Clarivate Analytics, a global recognition for the Malaysian researchers who were ranked among the top 1% of researchers for most cited documents in the Web of Science.

CRÈME 2019 Acknowledgment of Journal Award was also given to 27 outstanding journals from Malaysia with impressive showing at the international stage, based on the Metric Journal Cite Score, Impact Factor and Quartile Journal as well as the number of citations.

Research & Innovation

UMP inks MoU with Turkey’s Duzce University to promote tertiary education, research and bilateral relations

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Duzce University (DU) of Turkey to boost developments in academic and research, as well as to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations and public institutions of higher learning.

DU is a public institution of higher learning located in the Black Sea territory of Turkey. It was established in 2006, and now boasts an enrollment of 33,000 students pursuing their tertiary education in 14 faculties. Situated at DU, there are also four institutes, two colleges, 10 vocational schools and several centers of research and applications, including a research hospital. 

At the MoU signing ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of UMP’s Gambang Campus, UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff, and Director of International Office, Dr. Mohd Azmir Mohd Azhari, represented the host university, while DU’s Rector, Professor Dr. Nigar Demircan Cakar, and Head of University Hospital, Professor Dr. Oner Abidin Balbay, signed on behalf of the Turkish delegation.

Also present to witness the historic event on October 30, 2019, were UMP Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Professor Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli, and  Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Professor Dato’ Dr. Yusserie Zainuddin.

According to Professor Dr. Ir. Wan Azhar, the two universities have agreed to collaborate on promoting tertiary education and bilateral relations between the two public institutions of higher learning – spelt out in terms of an exchange programme between their academic staff, researchers and students.

“Via this MoU, both universities hope there will be an enhancement of sharing of experience and transfer of expertise in several fields,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

Speaking of the exchange programme, DU Rector, Professor Dr. Nigar explained that the academic and research collaboration between the two universities will be conducted under the “Mevlana Exchange Protocol”, which will be fully sponsored by the Turkish Government. 

“The Mevlana Exchange Protocol was established to enable exchange programmes of academic staff and students between public institutions of higher learning in Turkey and other countries in the world,” emphasized the Rector.

He hoped the collaboration with UMP will see staff and student mobility, and potential further discussions on the Erasmus Plus Programme – an European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport, which runs for seven years from 2014 to 2020.

Opportune to the signing ceremony at UMP, the Turkish delegation was also treated to a talk on “Plant-based Special Ingredients for Food & Drinks” as well as meetings with the Director of Centre of Excellence for Bio-Technology Industry Cluster, Associate Professor Dr. Nina Suhaity Azmi, and fellow researchers.

During the meetings, Professor Dr Arun Gupta from UMP’s Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology presented his research on “Animal-Based Halal Biochemistry Ingredients/ Extracts”, while the Director of Centre of Excellence for Bio-Aromatic, Associate Professor Dr. Saiful Nizam Tajuddin, presented his paper on “Perfumery & Cosmeceutical Products”.

Networking & Collaboration

UMP establishes strategic collaboration with Petronas Chemicals to stimulate innovation & productivity

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Petronas Chemicals MTBE Sdn. Bhd. (PCMTBE) to establish a strategic collaboration between the academic institution and industry player, in terms of sharing of technology and field expertise, as well as developments in human capital, academic and research.

PCMTBE is a subsidiary of Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd., which markets chemical products to customers in 30 countries across Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific. PCMTBE produces fuel additives MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) as octane booster in unleaded gasoline.  

According to UMP, the strategic collaboration is hoped to stimulate productivity and innovation in the field of waste-water treatment and dynamic computerization of fluids.

UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff, inked the MoU on behalf of the university, whilst PCMTBE was represented by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Azlimi M Lazim, at a signing ceremony held at PCMTBE’s premise in Gebeng, Kuantan, on November 1, 2019.

Also present to witness the exchange of documents at the signing ceremony were UMP Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Professor Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli; Dean of the Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Dr. Mohd Bijarimi Mat Piah; Acting Head of Librarian, Dzull Zabarrod Ahmad; and PCMTBE Head of Technical Services, Salma M Kassim.

According to Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar, UMP is committed to establishing synergy with its industry partners to carry out consultancy works as well as undertake research and development (R&D) in projects that they have collectively identified, and/or will ascertain.
 
“Via such strategic collaborations, in the long run, UMP hoped to develop and produce talented professionals and technocrats, who can meet industrial demands and contribute to the advancement of industries within our nation,” emphasized the Vice-Chancellor.

“On this note, the university’s management is opening up ample opportunities to the academic staff of relevant disciplines to be directly involved in the professional training programmes provided by these industries to enrich their technical experience in the related fields.

“Simultaneously, employees within such industries are welcomed to pursue their tertiary studies and professional short-term courses at UMP,” stressed Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar.
 
Concurring, PCMBTE CEO, Azlimi said the company welcomes such collaboration, especially in the technical fields, where expertise in terms of engineering and technological operation and research between the two organizations can be shared.

To date, UMP Vice-Chancellor iterated that 90 percent of the university’s 800 academic staff are doctors of philosophy (PhD) in various disciplines – including fields of engineering and technology, like mechanical, manufacturing, chemical, computer science, and even German engineering.
  
“UMP is in the midst of realizing the national agenda of enhanced technical capabilities – and that includes transferring of technology to the surrounding communities, as well as boosting the competency level of our Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET),” he said.
 
Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar highlighted, together with industry partners, UMP is now opportune to develop relevant academic curriculum, which will add value to the university’s staff in expanding their career possibilities.

For instance, UMP’s Centre for Modern Languages has recently established the Confucius Institute, which offers learning of Mandarin – which is fast becoming an international language with the advent of China’s industrialization worldwide.

“In addition, the collaborative research and development undertaken by both university and industry partners will consequently help resolve several industrial issues.”

After the signing ceremony, the delegation from UMP took a field tour of PCMTBE’s operations in Gebeng, and was briefed on the safety aspects there – a priority and part of the work culture at the plant.

Research and Innovation

2 UMP products win Malaysia Commercialisation Year 2019

(MCY 2019) Awards

Translation by: DR. ROZAIMI ABU SAMAH, FACULTY OF CHEMICAL AND PROCESS  ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

The product of Ts. Mohd Najib Razali from the Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), MNRg-Treat, used to treat oily wastewater using green technology formulation, was awarded the Researcher Entrepreneur Award at the Malaysia Commercialisation Year 2019 (MYC 2019), organised by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), held on 10 October 2019. 

Meanwhile, the Electric Nose or e-Nose, developed by Associate Professor Dr. Muhammad Sharfi Najib from the Faculty of Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technology and Associate Professor Dr. Saiful Nizam Tajuddin from the Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology won the Emerging Innovator Award.

Both winners received RM100,000 worth of prizes including trophy and certificate.

According to Mohd Najib, MNRg-Treat is a natural formulation product that separates oily wastewater and helps treat industrial wastewater to meet environmental standards.

“The trapped oil residue will be treated as a secondary product, grease oil, which is available at very reasonable prices. 

“This innovative product is capable of improving the quality of the environment and has been sold and used nationwide,” he said.

The research conducted since 2012 has been supported by several university research grants, including the MyRA Incentive Fund (Lab2Market) grant UIC161003 – Bio-Coagulant and Smart System for Sustainable Water Treatment and a RM500,000.00 grant from the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Startup Scheme (SUPERB) under the Bumiputera Leadership Agenda Unit (TERAJU) to support the business ideas.

MNRg-Treat has been licenced and commercialised under a start-up company called MNR Multitech Sdn. Bhd.

Meanwhile, the UMP e-Nose technology has been developed to replace the use of human and animal nose for industrial application. 

Interestingly, this technology is fully backed up with scientific data and has been used by international companies such as Ajmal Perfume, the largest agarwood producer in the world to analyse the quality and purity of agarwood resin and related products. 

The technology is also used by Sime Darby Oil, Thailand to analyse the quality and freshness of their cooking oil.

e-Nose is being commercialised by a UMP spin-off company called Synbion Sdn. Bhd.

Both of these companies are mentored by Technology Park Malaysia (TPM) and the products were launched on the award presentation event in conjunction with the 10th International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia 2019 (IGEM 2019) in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

Also present at the event were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli, Dean of Commercialisation, Dr. Nur Aainaa Syafini Mohd Radzi and Chief Executive Officer of UMP Holdings Sdn. Bhd., Syed Mohamad Hamzah Al-Junid Syed Abdul Rahman.