Roberts (left) exchanges the MoU documents with Sabarudin.
SIBU: University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) and University of Birmingham on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for knowledge-exchange on railway engineering.
UCTS was represented by its deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Sabarudin Mohd, while University of Birmingham was represented by Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) director Prof Clive Roberts.
The objective of the MOU is to develop mobility opportunities for UCTS railway engineering students to study at University of Birmingham with the aim of providing skills and knowledge to aid the development of the rail network in the country, particularly in Sarawak.
It is also for UCTS and University of Birmingham to develop joint degree programmes to enable students obtain degrees at both institutions.
Sabarudin said the MoU was vital in enabling UCTS to move up another step towards achieving its vision to be a global technical university founded on science and technology.
“UCTS intends to develop railway engineering-related programmes as one of the focus areas, which is in line with the country’s economic development particularly in Sarawak.
“University of Birmingham, through BCRRE, will collaborate in this development by sharing their expertise and resources.
“The BCRRE is world-renowned research and education for railway engineering,” he said in his welcoming speech before the signing of the MoU.
He said the university envisaged a high demand for professionals as well as skilled technical workers in the railway industry in Malaysia and across Asia.
The government has put a lot of efforts and emphasis on modern railway transportation development such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rapid Transit (LRT) across Klang Valley and Johor Bahru, high-speed trains from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, the East Coast railway lines connecting the West Coast with the East Coast of the peninsula, as well as the recently-announced MRT / LRT development in Sarawak, he said.
“I do believe it is the right time for UCTS to play its role in providing human capital need to support this industry.
“At the same time, this will encourage the nurturing of engineering talents among teaching staff and students at UCTS,” he said.
UCTS board of directors member Hasmawati Sapawi, Technology Depository Agency’s programme operations division senior director Arizal Marzaki and CMC Hisniaga Consortium managing director Datuk Habib Ismail witnessed the signing ceremony.