Paving the way: (from left) Goh, Prof Lee, Liow, Zheng and Malaysia Teochew Chamber of Commerce deputy president Tan Sri Lim Kuang Sia.
STUDENTS and staff at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) will soon have access to experts in China.
This is among the outcomes of three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) recently inked by the varsity, together with the Malaysia Teochew Chamber of Commerce, the Teochew International Economic Cooperation Organization (TIECO), and the Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Think Tank Research Institute.
Through the MoUs, the signatories will be able to collaborate on academic-entrepreneurial-related projects, student and staff engagements, sharing of academic knowledge and best practices, and joint academic and student-related activities such as research projects, publications, joint conferences, seminars, workshops and exhibitions, among others.
TAR UMT board of governors chairman Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai said the MoUs provided an important platform for the varsity to connect with professionals, manufacturers and entrepreneurs from China, in order to explore and discover the latest innovations in smart technology together.
“Such collaboration will provide ample opportunities for our students and staff to work with top smart technology companies with the aim of expanding our network and opening up new market opportunities,” he said in a press release.
TIECO chairman Datuk Goh Wan Sing said through the collaboration, many more industries would gain access to students’ works and projects, and these exchanges would spur more innovative ideas to develop.
“Students will also have more opportunities for international engagements, especially with industry leaders in China, and this will enhance students’ competitive advantage,” he added.
Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Think Tank Research Institute chairman Zheng Han Ming described the collaborations as good stepping stones for TAR UMT to further strengthen its position in technology, particularly Industry 4.0.
“Shenzhen is a technology innovation city and these collaborations are a pathway for the varsity to tap into the futuristic technology and resources that Shenzhen can offer,” he said.
The signing ceremony was held in conjunction with the OCTF 2023 (Kuala Lumpur) Intelligent Technology Exhibition from June 16 to 18 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.
The ceremony also witnessed the celebration of the varsity’s successful research commercialisation with industry partner Lipidgroup Sdn Bhd for Aurora Spray, a commercial outcome following research on colloidal silver by the varsity’s researchers, TAR UMT vice president Assoc Prof Dr Loke Chui Fung, and its Faculty of Computing and Information Technology principal lecturer Dr Poh Tze Ven.
Lipidgroup Sdn Bhd chairman Leow Min Min said: “We started selling the product three years ago and the response has been very encouraging.
“Our collaboration with TAR UMT is definitely a starting point to allow more science and technology-based products to be discovered and commercialised, which will bring benefits to consumers.”
TAR UMT president Prof Dr Lee Sze Wei said the varsity would continue to take an active role in facilitating the translation of its intellectual capital into business. “This is not only for TAR UMT’s self-sustainability, but also to encourage our academic researchers and student entrepreneurs to work hard towards the goal of nurturing a knowledge-based economy, fostering an innovative and technological culture within the communities in the region, as well as creating a healthy ecosystem for technological entrepreneurship and start-ups within our campus,” he said.
