Thumbs up: Tan, Guangdong Engineering Polytechnic deputy party secretary and president Li Li, party committee member and vice president Zhang XiaoGuang (second row, fourth, fifth, and sixth from right, respectively), with the students and other college representatives.
EQUIPPING oneself with technological know-how is vital in this digital age.
Thanks to a collaboration between VTAR Institute and Guangdong Engineering Polytechnic, China, some 20 Malaysian students were given the opportunity to study cutting-edge industrial robotics technology in China on a scholarship.
Selected from the Digitalisation Manufacturing Automation programme, the VTAR students recently celebrated their graduation from the training course, held from Feb 24 to March 15.
Student representative Hong Kuat Boon expressed his gratitude to VTAR for introducing the industrial robotics programme and giving students the opportunity to study abroad and participate in an exchange.
“During our time in China, we not only gained extensive knowledge and skills related to industrial robotics but also had hands-on experience operating industrial robots and completing several challenging projects.
“These valuable experiences have laid a solid foundation for our future development,” he said.
He added that the students also explored China’s rich cultural heritage through a traditional Chinese culture programme.
VTAR chief executive officer Tan Cheng Liang, who attended the graduation ceremony at the polytechnic in China, said the programme provided additional training to students in the high-tech field.
“It adopted an innovative teaching approach, combining online and classroom methods. Students studied theoretical knowledge online and then travelled to the polytechnic in China to participate in hands-on robotics project operations.
“This combination of theory and practice not only helped students gain a deeper understanding of industrial robotics but also significantly enhanced their practical skills and professional expertise,” she said in a recent press release.
She added that the collaborative programme enabled VTAR to reduce the financial burden of studying abroad for students.
“Some of our students come from the B40 group, and studying abroad seemed like an unattainable dream for them.
“This programme gave them the opportunity to participate in a short-term exchange in China, broaden their international perspectives and experience diverse cultures.
“During their three weeks of studying in China, the students not only made significant progress in their academic and technical skills but also demonstrated a proactive learning attitude and strong team spirit.
“The Chinese instructors and leaders highly praised their performance, which fills us with immense pride,” she said.
Extending her appreciation to the polytechnic, Tan said its support not only reflects the deep friendship between Malaysia and China in education but also embodies the spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative.
“This collaboration has laid a solid foundation for the future development of our students while also setting a model for educational and cultural exchanges between Malaysia and China.
“We look forward to further deepening this cooperation model in the future, jointly developing and introducing more high-tech collaborative projects, such as the Elevator Technology Programme for our electrical students, in-depth discussions on Intelligent Construction Technology, and the implementation of a 2+1 Digitalisation Manufacturing Automation programme,” she said.
She also expressed hope of working together to contribute to the prosperity of education and the continuous strengthening of cultural exchanges between Malaysia and China.
After the graduation ceremony, Tan participated in a tree-planting activity with Guangdong Engineering Polytechnic party committee secretary Ye ZhongMing and other college leaders.
Together, they planted a “Tree of Friendship”, symbolising the collaboration between the two institutions.
