Limkokwing to set up more campuses

KUCHING: The Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is planning for campuses in 20 more countries in the next five years.

Founder Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing said the university had received invitations from countries in Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe to set up campuses.

The university now has 12 campuses in seven countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia, China and England. It has some 25,000 students from 145 nations. Its Kuala Lumpur campus has 9,000 students from 135 countries.

“We should be reaching one million students in the next 10 years,” Lim said after the opening of the Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology by Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday.

He said the target would include those taking online courses.

Limkokwing Sarawak chief executive officer Prof Datuk Parid Wardi said Limkokwing had built up a collegial network of more than 170 universities in over 77 countries in support of its “global classroom” concept.

“We receive more than 4 million visitors from 188 countries every month to our website, making it one of the most popular university sites in the world,” he added.

Limkokwing now offers a 3+0 degree programme through partnership with the 150-year-old Anglia Ruskin University of Cambridge, Britain.

Parid said the Sarawak institute now had 500 students and there were plans to upgrade it to a university in three years.

He said some western countries had now moved from knowledge to creative economy.

Autonomy for UTM

JOHOR BARU: The Higher Education Ministry has granted Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) autonomy in four areas, making it the first in the country to receive the status.

Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said UTM was capable of handling its affairs independently in these areas.

“The ministry has also identified several other universities but I will only announce their names on Jan 26 (when he delivers his new year address),” he said.

Mohamed Khaled explained that with the autonomy, the university would now take full responsibility for institutional governance, academic governance, financial management and human resource management.

He was speaking to reporters after presenting endowment scholarships to 100 UTM undergraduates at the campus in Skudai here yesterday.

“UTM will also handle its student intake and will no longer have to go through the ministry's Universities Admissions Unit (UPU),” he said.

He added that autonomy for UTM would take effect starting this year but the formal announcement would be made on Jan 26.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled also urged university alumni to play a more active role in developing their respective universities.

“The alumni should not only limit their contributions to financial aid but other areas as well.

“For example, the alumni can help with establishing internship programmes or create business opportunities for students,” he said

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn's (UTHM's) research outputs continue to attain world recognition

Old Spitalfields, London - Universiti Tun Hussein Onn's (UTHM's) research outputs continue to attain world recognition when all of its entries were awarded  a gold medal each in addition to one special diamond award at the British Invention, Innovation and Technology Show 2011 (BIS '11) which  was held at the Old Spitalfields Market in London from the 19 -22 October 2011.

The winning entries consisted of three outstanding research and innovation products namely; a Multi-Function Tunable Broadband Flat Antenna by Dr. Muhammad Yusof Ismail, A Novel Steganography Algorithm To Hide Secret Message Inside An Image by Prof. Dr. Rosziati Ibrahim and the Eco - Degrable Renewable Polymer by Dr. Anika Zafiah bt Mohd Rus.  

In addition to the gold awards, UTHM received the Special Diamond Award, the highest award for the International Invention of the year category  that was awarded to the Multi-Function Tunable Broadband Flat 

Antenna, a product developed by a team of researchers led by Dr. Muhammad Yusof Bin Ismail.  Although this is only the second time that UTHM has participated at the British Invention Show, this outstanding success is a testimony to the increasing  international industry acceptance and recognition of the industry-focused research that is being undertaken by the University.

The Office for Research, Innovation, Commercialization, Consultancy Management (ORICC), in particular and the wider community of UTHM would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the award winners at the BIS '11. ORICC also would like to thank everyone who has contributed their ideas and hard work in the selection and preparation process leading to the resounding success of our products at this international event.  With continued support towards ORICC that serves as the focal point of research and innovation in the University, high level of commitments and efforts from all concerned , it is highly likely that UTHM researchers will continue to demonstrate their excellence in the international scenes from now onwards .

UTM launched mobile hotspot bus

 Johor Bahru, July 2, 2012:  UTM launched its maiden UTM Mobile Hotspot Bus today, a bus that is fully equipped with a modem, also known as WCC Mobile Hotspot, allowing up to 200 passengers connected to the internet simultaneously, and can be used within a radius of up to 100m from the bus. The WCC Mobile Hotspot is a spin off from the internet bridging access and smart antenna technologies previously produced by UTM Wireless Communication Centre (WCC), headed by Prof. Dr.Tharek Abdul Rahman.

                      The product is one of UTM’s latest technologies managed by the Innovation and Commercialisation Centre (ICC) to be further commercialised by the private sectors. To ensure the quality of the WCC Mobile Hotspot is stable and reliable to users, the WCCspent 3 months of pilot tests with the collaboration of a local bus service provider, Syarikat Bas MARA Liner and Maxis, which sponsored simcards for the proof-of-concept. It is expected that the use of a mobile wifi in public busses will be a major milestone for bus providers in Malaysia to attract more passengers to use their services.

                     “UTM plans to install the technology on all UTM busses in the near future and further commercialise the technology to other public bus service providers such as MARA Liner, airport limousines and other public transport providers through licensing activities to ensure the technologies can be benefited by most Malaysians,” said UTM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Ir. Dr.ZainiUjang.

Other major technology produced by UTM Wireless Communication Centre is the Smart Antenna Technology, a flat antenna that is able to give up to 80% efficiency rate as compared to 50-60% that of the conventional ones.

MAMPU Gives High Marks to UKM ICT Strategic Plan

By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin

Pix Shahiddan Saidi

BANGI, 11 May 2012 – The Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit, MAMPU has given high marks to The National University of Malaysia (UKM) as an agency leading the charge in research through Information and Communications Technology (ICT). 

MAMPU Director-General, Dato' Mohamad Zabidi Zainal said he was impressed with UKM's commitment to working with the agency in raising the stakes of research in the university through its ICT strategic plan. 

He took pride with the support and involvement of MAMPU as the consultant  to UKM’s ICT experts to come up with an ICT strategic plan for institutions of higher learning in the country.

He made the remarks at a brief ceremony for the submission of UKM's 2011–2015 ICT Strategic Plan at Cancellory meeting room today. The document was handed over to UKM Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tan Sri Dato' Wira Dr Sharifah Hapsah with a copy given to Dato’ Zabidi.

The plan takes into account the development, planning and implementation of ICT in UKM's main campus in Bangi as well as at its other campus in Kuala Lumpur and the UKM Hospital in Cheras.

Dato' Mohamad Zabidi said the processes used had helped raise awareness and expertise for all those involved. The UKM ICT Strategic Plan began in August 25 2010 and is all-encompassing.

Prof Sharifah Hapsah said that ICT is the key to the core business of UKM, that is teaching, learning and research saying since ICT became widespread on the main campus, UKM became more efficent and speedier including among students and the teaching staff as can be seen all over the campus in Bangi.

The in-depth development of the ICT Strategic Plan was carried out by a team led by Prof Ir Dr Othman Abdul Karim as the project director. 

Consultancy for the project was provided by a team of strategic ICT consultants at MAMPU led by Dato' Dr Zahari Othman.

The plan is a long-term one that determines the direction of planning, strategic development and implementation of ICT projects to support the achievement of UKM's vision and mission.

The plan, which is part of the public sector ICT strategy, details the objectives of the ICT policies. It is aimed at ensuring that ICT management in all agencies are in line with the public sector ICT strategy.

Also present at the ceremony were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic and International Affairs, Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali; Prof Ir Othman who is also Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and Alumni and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Inovation, Prof Dato' Dr Rahmah Mohamed.

MAMPU is tasked with taking the lead role in implementing modernisation strategies for the Malaysian Public Service.

In implementing its responsibility, MAMPU says it focuses on initiatives that can upgrade the quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Public Service. 

All these initiatives encompass the areas of quality acculturation, organisational development, integrity management, ICT development and enhancing relationships between the public and private sectors. 

The modernisation initiatives implemented by MAMPU have to be conveyed widely to all government agencies by all available channels in order ensure accurate and updated information are readily available.