FORMAL INVITATION: Muhyiddin (centre) witnesses the handing over of letter of invitation by Rujhan (left) to Teng, to set up the Shanghai Jiao Tong University campus. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi.
SUPP to facilitate setting up of Shanghai Jiao Tong overseas campus in Kuching
KUCHING: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, one of China’s top four universities, will open its Sarawak Campus here within the next five years.
While waiting for the completion of the campus it will take in its first batch of students in the state in September next year using Chung Hua Middle School No.1 at Pending here as one of its temporary campuses.
The university set a target of between 300 and 1,800 students at its temporary campus and up to 5,000 students from throughout the country, Asean and China at its permanent campus.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) through its president Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui initiated the invitation to Shanghai Jiao Tong to set up its overseas campus in the state.
The task of setting up of the campus is handled by SJT-UNI (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd headed by chairman Datuk David Teng who is also SUPP treasurer.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin officiated at the handing over of certificate and letter of invitation for setting up the campus by the Ministry of Higher Education director-general Dato Prof Dr Rujhan Mustafa to SJT-UNI (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd at a leading hotel here last night.
“The establishment of this branch campus is parallel with the drive of our national education blueprint to provide quality tertiary education to our Malaysian citizens, in particular to the people of Sarawak.
“I am certain the setting up of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Campus Sarawak will help turn Malaysia into an educational hub of excellence in the region,” Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister said at the handing over ceremony.
“Many first-hand cutting edge technologies have been created by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, including the first man-made satellite, first nuclear powered submarine, first carrier rocket and also the world’s first operation of rejoining severed limb among lots more. We strongly hope that with the establishment of the branch campus, the university could transfer the technology it has to Malaysia.
“The expertise they have will greatly help the country in the development of high technology sector such as micro satellite to monitor environmental and natural resources, providing the state that added boost to produce manpower for SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy) which would require engineers and managers.”
Muhyiddin expected the establishment of the campus here to pave the way for Malaysian and Chinese bachelor degrees to be recognized in both countries.
The state currently has two private foreign university Sarawak campuses namely Curtin University in Miri and Swinburne University of Technology here.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University was established in 1896 with ‘first class talent cultivation’ as its principle mission. The university is also known as the ‘Eastern MIT’ (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) because it is the top engineering university in China, producing over 200,000 graduates and top engineers.
Also present were Chin who is also Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, Ministry of Higher Education deputy director-general (Private Higher Learning Institute) Datuk Prof Dr Roziah Omar and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu who represented the Chief Minister.