Guangdong University keen to work with Curtin Sarawak

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HAPPY TO COLLABORATE: (From sixth right) Professor Kerr and the delegation from China and staff of Curtin Sarawak posing for a group photo.

MIRI: Guangdong University of Business Studies in Guangzhou, China, is keen to collaborate with Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) due to the university’s high quality of education, its geographical proximity and the affordable cost of living here.

This was revealed by a six-member delegation from the university during their recent visit to Curtin Sarawak to explore opportunities for collaboration. Leading them was the university’s vice-president Professor Yong Heming.

Guangdong University of Business Studies, established in 1993, is one of the top 10 economic and financial universities in China while Curtin Sarawak here is the largest international campus of Western Australia’s Curtin University.

On arrival, the Chinese delegation were received by Curtin Sarawak’s pro vice-chancellor Professor Ian Kerr, senior academicians and marketing staff of both its School of Business and School of Engineering and Science.

Following speeches by Professor Kerr and Professor Yong, the delegation was briefed on Curtin Sarawak’s School of Business before a formal discussion on possible collaboration in student and faculty exchange, articulation programmes and cooperative research.

Professor Kerr said he was pleased that Guangdong University was considering Curtin Sarawak as potential partner and that Curtin Sarawak had worked very hard to achieve a good standing and reputation not only in Malaysia, but also internationally.

He added that over the last few years, Curtin Sarawak had established a number of fruitful partnerships with other institutions of higher learning across the world, and looked forward to adding Guangdong University of Business Studies to the list.

He revealed that Curtin Sarawak has many outstanding achievements internationally and locally. Among them, being the 18 top universities in Malaysia by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) under its 2009 SETARA Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education Institutions and it being one of only eight universities granted self-accreditation status by the MQA.

“To be ranked amongst the top institutions in the country means we have been successful in ensuring the highest quality and excellence in our teaching and learning, academic programmes, research output, staff calibre and the quality of our graduates and their employability,” he said.

Curtin Sarawak too will continue to work with the relevant government agencies towards achieving a world-class tertiary education system and making Malaysia an education and research hub in the region.

Meanwhile, Professor Yong said his university had ties with over 30 institutions of higher learning world-wide, including Curtin’s main campus in Perth, Western Australia.

He said that although it had an ongoing relationship with Curtin Perth, they were keen to establish similar ties with Curtin Sarawak due to Malaysia’s geographical proximity and affordable cost of living. This was also to give its students and staff a different educational and cultural experience here in Malaysia.