Curtin Sarawak boosts ties with engineers
MIRI: Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) and Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen their longstanding academia-government-industry partnership and collaboration on enhancing engineering education and the profession.
The signing ceremony, held in Kuching, was officiated at by Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Curtin Malaysia was represented by its pro vicechancellor, president and chief executive officer Prof Jim Mienczakowski and dean of Faculty of Engineering and Science Prof Lau Hieng Ho.
Also present were prochancellor and former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam and a council member and former chairman of the Board Datuk Hatta Solhi.
BEM was represented by its president Datuk Seri Dr Roslan Md Taha and other members of the Board.
The MoU states that both parties agreed to facilitate the registration of all new engineering graduates from Curtin Malaysia with BEM.
The Curtin engineering programmes offered at Curtin Malaysia are accredited by both BEM and Engineers Australia.
Meanwhile, Curtin Malaysia will receive RM10,000 for five years from BEM to be awarded to outstanding engineering graduates during the graduation ceremonies.
Mienczakowski said Curtin Malaysia is proud to produce some 300 graduates in various engineering disciplines, and at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, who are industry-savvy and job-ready each year, and is pleased to work with BEM on the initiative.
The Malaysian government aspires to have one engineer per 100 Malaysians, and BEM and tertiary institutions such as Curtin Malaysia are helping drive the initiative with the registration exercise.
BEM also signed similar MoUs with three other universities; University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus.