Abg Johari thanks Swinburne for significant contribution to Sarawak

0

Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg thanked Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (Swinburne Sarawak) for having significantly contributed to Sarawak since it was set up in 2000.

Speaking during the university’s 25th anniversary celebration at a local hotel yesterday, Abang Johari who is also the university’s Pro Chancellor said the university had helped put Sarawak on the world map.

“Thanks to the university, Kuching is now host to students not only from throughout Malaysia but from across the world, making Kuching a truly international city.

“As far as education is concerned, I have no doubt that Swinburne Sarawak has done an exceptional job in developing Sarawak with skills in business, engineering, computing, design and science that will help propel Sarawak into an economic powerhouse,” he said.

Abang Johari noted that in July this year, Swinburne Sarawak had signed a memorandum of understanding with Swinburne Melbourne to strengthen research collaboration in areas strategically aligned with the digital economy agenda.

“This partnership will see the university’s world-class researchers work with industry leaders and the Sarawak government to achieve innovative research outcomes

that will help transform the industries in Sarawak and the economy,” he said.

Swinburne Sarawak was established in 2000 as a partnership between Swinburne University of Technology and the Sarawak state government to deliver skilled human capital to the engineering and technical fields and to meet the manpower demands of the state.

Formerly known as Swinburne Sarawak Institute of Technology, it was awarded university status as a foreign branch campus university by the Malaysian government in 2004, and thereafter known as Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus.

Its first intake drew 130 students in August 2000 and it continued to grow in student numbers to over 1,000 new full-time students each year.

In 2008, the 16.5-acre city campus was expanded with the completion of a RM110 million project comprising eight custom designed buildings to enhance teaching in engineering and science, research collaboration and student accommodation.

To date, Swinburne Sarawak is home to approximately 4,000 students with international students from more than 50 countries including Indonesia, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, Egypt, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Mauritius, Maldives, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Tanzania and Yemen.