Johor Bahru, Jan 14: A delegation from Qatar University headed by the President, HE Prof. Dr. Sheika Al -Misnad was in UTM for the signing of the MoU between the two institutions on various areas of mutual interest including Academic Collaboration, Research Collaboration, Staff Exchange, Student Mobility Programmes and other areas of mutual benefits.
During the Academic Discussion held after the MoU Signing between the UTM Faculty and Research Deans and the Qatari delegation, several issues of significance as potential areas of academic and research collaboration were discussed with follow-up action agreed to be undertaken for the mutual benefit of both parties.
Dr. Mazen from Qatar University highlighted the fact that Qatar is the largest LNG provider in the world and as such, issues on Gas Technology are of great interest to QU. He further added that all Engineering Programs in QU are ABET (Accreditations Board of Engineering and Technology) recognised.
Most importantly, QU has received USD70M research funds from the Qatar National Research Fund. These funds can be obtained in collaboration with universities around the world UTM has been invited to collaborate with QU counterparts in seeking QNRF funding in various areas of interest including Environmental Engineering, ICT, Renewable Energy, Automotive & Control, Materials, Gas Research, Water Research especially in Industrial Waste Water-treatment, Carbon Management in relation to capturing of carbon, Injection of the underground carbon, research on appropriate geology studies and conversion of CO2.
With UTM’s strengths and expertise in various related engineering domains especially in Petroleum and Renewable Energy Resources as well as the Water, Sustainable and Materials Research Alliances, UTM is ready to provide expert input and best practices to address various issues related to the areas highlighted.
The delegates also had the opportunity to meet several Research Alliance groups and visited several Centres of Excellence. Resulting from the visit, QU is impressed with UTM research capability in Engineering and is ready to collaborate in Wireless Research, Membrane and Gas Technology with immediate effect.
For example, the QU Wireless Innovation Centre has already agreed to collaborate with UTM Wireless Communication Centre through Staff Exchange and research collaboration. At the same time, Dr. Hammudda is extremely impressed with work that has been done on Materials research under Prof. Fauzi of AMTEC group and is ready to collaborate with QU counterparts.
Also in the pipeline is the plan for the UTM Gastech Centre of Excellence to receive 1 visiting academic from QU in February for attachment. Incidentally, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar, one of UTM professors who is now on attachment in QU would be able to assist UTM colleagues and act as the catalyst to connect with potential QU counterparts to start discussing on potential research collaborations.
Prof. Nitham Hindi, the Dean of QU Business School gave some input on MBA programme, Accounting, Professional accounting, Practical Entrepreneurship programme and Portfolio Management offered by QU. He highlighted that areas of research interests include DEA of Comparative Banking Practices. Prof. Nitham Hindi offered to assist the UTM IBS program in obtaining AACSB International recognition.
At the same time, UTM IBS and Razak School would map out areas for joint executive programmes and executive training programmes with QU. UTM IBS also plans to invite Prof. Nitham Hindi as a visiting professor. Razak School would also use its experience to develop executive programs with QU.
As for Student Exchange initiatives, UTM has offered possible student exchange/internships for QU students to come to UTM. In return, QU is ready to accept visiting UTM undergraduates. In response to that FSKSM intends to send a group of undergraduate or postgraduate students through Global Outreach programme to QU.
Apart from that, one area that QU is interested to explore is to have the QU students experience the UTM summer programme, especially involving Team Building in Virgin Rainforests. To that end, UTM would provide information and invitation to QU students to join its summer programmes.
As part of academic cooperation initiatives, Prof. Al Thani is keen on collaborative and joint postgraduate programmes. As such, UTM will find common grounds in postgraduate programmes development with QU including postgraduate attachments, joint supervision, joint degrees and staff training. UTM would offer joint supervision of PhDs, provide advice and training on preparation of Engineering Doctorates and develop joint postgraduate programmes. It is also proposed that Prof. Hindi would sit on the UTM Management Journal Board of Editors, and as a visiting professor, he would jointly write research papers with his UTM counterparts. In addition UTM would offer its training and staff development program to QU academic and professional staff.
It was also suggested that QU would invite Prof. Norsarahaida, UTM expert in Mathematics to visit QU en route during her visit to KAUST in Saudi Arabia later in the coming week. The visit would hopefully provide opportunities for further collaboration in Mathematical Sciences between both universities.
Lastly, both institutions plan to conduct a Joint Conference or Workshop in Engineering, which is proposed sometime this year.