Johor Bahru, 5th September 2022 – The School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, visited the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to discuss academic and research opportunities as well as future collaborations. The visit began at 9 a.m. on 5th until 6th September 2022.
A courtesy meeting between the delegates, Senior Lecturer, Leader Internationalizations Research Group, University of Sheffield, Dr. Tanzil Shafique, and the Dean, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Prof. Dr. Kherun Nita Ali, and the Deputy Dean (Academic and Student Affairs), Assoc. Prof. LAr. Dr. Sapura Mohamad, accompanied by the Director of UTM Architecture Programme, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alice Sabrina Ismail, was called.
The meeting between the delegates and the Architecture program staff was set up after the courtesy meeting. In-depth discussion was done regarding the next steps and possible ways to work together in academics, research, student and staff exchanges, studio as living laboratory events, and the architecture program’s dual degree award from 2023 to 2025 with the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, UK.
The Director of the UTM Architecture Programme, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alice Sabina Ismail, welcomed everyone and gave an overview of the UTM Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying. Then, the three research groups—Design Processes, Practice, and Management (DPROM), led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khairul Anwar Mohamed Khaidzir; Malaysian Architecture, Theory, Culture, and Heritage (MATCH), led by Ar. Norshahida Azili; and Green Energy, Environmental, and Building Science (GEEBS), led by Dr. Roshida Abdul Majid, presented their research.
Group photo of UTM Architecture programme staff with delegate from University of Sheffield, UK
(left to right: Assoc. Prof. Ar. Dr. Lim Yaik Wah, Dr. Aiman Mohd Rashid, Ar. Chan Wai Lai, Ts. Dr. Shahariah Norain Shaharuddin, Dr. Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Aziz, Dr. Roshida Abdul Majid (Head of Green Energy, Environmental, and Building Science (GEEBS), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alice Sabrina Ismail (Director of UTM Architecture Programme), Dr. Tanzil Shafique (Leader Internationalizations Research Group, University of Sheffield UK), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khairul Anwar Mohamed Khaidzir (Head of Design Processes, Practice, and Management (DPROM), Ts. Dr. Leng Pau Chung and Dr. Mohammad Ezzad Abu Bakar
After lunch, the visit included a face-to-face International Colloquium 2022 between the UTM Architecture School and the Sheffield School of Architecture. The colloquium was organized and hosted by the Architecture Programme, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying UTM, in collaboration with Institute Sultan Iskandar UTM & School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK. It was attended by undergraduate and postgraduate students from the school and faculty. The session started at 2:00pm with the welcoming remarks from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alice Sabina Ismail.
Before the public lecture began, the moderator, Dr. Iziq Eafifi Ismail, introduced Prof. Dr. Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed Ariffin, who is the Executive Director of Institute Sultan Iskandar UTM to Dr. Tanzil Shafique. Prof. Dr. Syed Ahmad Iskandar, the first speaker, presented an informative topic entitled ‘A Glimpse on the History & Architecture of Nusantara Malay Dwellings’. Dr. Tanzil Shafique was the second speaker. His talk was called ‘The Idiot, the Activist, and the Dreamer: Roles for the Architect in the 21st Century’. The question and answer session was opened to the floor before the end of the session.
Prof. Dr. Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed Ariffin presented ‘A Glimpse on the History & Architecture of Nusantara Malay Dwellings’
The goal of this trip was to find ways for both universities to work together, especially in terms of academic and research collaboration and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions, with the hope that the MoU would push forward the relationship between both institutions. The MoU is meant to be the start of a long-term partnership that will focus mostly on joint academic events and research exchanges. The visit is a big step forward for the UTM Architecture Program and the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, UK.
Prepared by: Dr. Leng Pau Chung
Edited by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alice Sabrina Ismail