Prepared by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alice Sabrina Ismail (Director of Architecture Program, UTM)
A virtual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) with SRM Institute Science and Technology (SRMIST), India, was held on 6 July 2021 to produce services and excellence in academic and research based on the demands of both countries in enhancing community resilience and the built environment wellbeing.
The MoU was signed by UTM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Ts. Dr. Ahmad Fauzi Ismail and witnessed by Acting Dean of Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying (FBES), UTM, Assoc. Prof. Sr Dr. Razali Adul Hamid. The MoU signing ceremony was also attended by the Deputy of Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, MoU committee members and academic staff of Architecture, UTM.
Meanwhile, SRMIST counterpart was Director of International Relations, Faculty’s Deans and Head of Departments, Dr. C. Muthamizhchelvan (Vice-Chancellor in charge). This MoU constitutes legally expanding and outreach between UTM and SRMIST networking.
Speaking on occasion, Vice-Chancellors from both universities were not only agreed to collaborate in learning and research activities, but they also pointed out the importance of both universities to stepping forward and getting involved in CSR activities. This is vital for both institutions to become leadership champions and provide stewardship by addressing the environmental footprint to help the built environment development in both countries for humanity’s benefit, especially during these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agreement to collaborate between UTM and the SRMIST, India, was discussed virtually between both universities on the 26 October 2020, which had involved Director of Architecture Program, Assoc. Prof. Dr Alice Sabrina Ismail, representing UTM and the representatives of SRMIST, Director of International Relations, Dr. Kartar Singh, Dean, College of Engineering and Technology, Prof. Dr. T. V. Gopal, Dean, School of Architecture and Interior Design, Dr. P. Satheesh Kumar, Head, Department of Architecture, Prof. Dr. C. Pradeepa, Head (i/c), Department of Design, Ar. Saravana Raja and MoU Coordinator, School of Architecture and Interior Design, Prof. Dr. R.Shanthi Priya.
Since then, numerous academic activities and research alliances had successfully achieved between these two institutions, specifically in the built environment involving the field of architecture. UTM and SRMIST had conducted many international joint design colloquium, knowledge and cultural sharing sessions in cooperative building design projects as a collaborative effort. These kind of programmes had significantly attained more excellent respond and learning goals that benefit the academic fraternity in both institutions and had successfully reached out to the broader global community.
Numerous future collaborations between UTM and SRMISTwill be conducted soon and it is hoped that both institutions will achieve high excellence in research and academic endeavours.
In short, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) would like to express gratitude to SRM Institute Science and Technology (SRMIST) and all the parties involved in ensuring the success of this virtual MoU signing ceremony.