Universiti Tun Hussein Onn's (UTHM's) research outputs continue to attain world recognition

Old Spitalfields, London - Universiti Tun Hussein Onn's (UTHM's) research outputs continue to attain world recognition when all of its entries were awarded  a gold medal each in addition to one special diamond award at the British Invention, Innovation and Technology Show 2011 (BIS '11) which  was held at the Old Spitalfields Market in London from the 19 -22 October 2011.

The winning entries consisted of three outstanding research and innovation products namely; a Multi-Function Tunable Broadband Flat Antenna by Dr. Muhammad Yusof Ismail, A Novel Steganography Algorithm To Hide Secret Message Inside An Image by Prof. Dr. Rosziati Ibrahim and the Eco - Degrable Renewable Polymer by Dr. Anika Zafiah bt Mohd Rus.  

In addition to the gold awards, UTHM received the Special Diamond Award, the highest award for the International Invention of the year category  that was awarded to the Multi-Function Tunable Broadband Flat 

Antenna, a product developed by a team of researchers led by Dr. Muhammad Yusof Bin Ismail.  Although this is only the second time that UTHM has participated at the British Invention Show, this outstanding success is a testimony to the increasing  international industry acceptance and recognition of the industry-focused research that is being undertaken by the University.

The Office for Research, Innovation, Commercialization, Consultancy Management (ORICC), in particular and the wider community of UTHM would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the award winners at the BIS '11. ORICC also would like to thank everyone who has contributed their ideas and hard work in the selection and preparation process leading to the resounding success of our products at this international event.  With continued support towards ORICC that serves as the focal point of research and innovation in the University, high level of commitments and efforts from all concerned , it is highly likely that UTHM researchers will continue to demonstrate their excellence in the international scenes from now onwards .

MAMPU Gives High Marks to UKM ICT Strategic Plan

By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin 
Pix Shahiddan Saidi

BANGI, 11 May 2012 – The Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit, MAMPU has given high marks to The National University of Malaysia (UKM) as an agency leading the charge in research through Information and Communications Technology (ICT). 

MAMPU Director-General, Dato' Mohamad Zabidi Zainal said he was impressed with UKM's commitment to working with the agency in raising the stakes of research in the university through its ICT strategic plan. 

He took pride with the support and involvement of MAMPU as the consultant  to UKM’s ICT experts to come up with an ICT strategic plan for institutions of higher learning in the country.

He made the remarks at a brief ceremony for the submission of UKM's 2011–2015 ICT Strategic Plan at Cancellory meeting room today. The document was handed over to UKM Vice-Chancellor, Prof Tan Sri Dato' Wira Dr Sharifah Hapsah with a copy given to Dato’ Zabidi.

The plan takes into account the development, planning and implementation of ICT in UKM's main campus in Bangi as well as at its other campus in Kuala Lumpur and the UKM Hospital in Cheras.

Dato' Mohamad Zabidi said the processes used had helped raise awareness and expertise for all those involved. The UKM ICT Strategic Plan began in August 25 2010 and is all-encompassing.

Prof Sharifah Hapsah said that ICT is the key to the core business of UKM, that is teaching, learning and research saying since ICT became widespread on the main campus, UKM became more efficent and speedier including among students and the teaching staff as can be seen all over the campus in Bangi.

The in-depth development of the ICT Strategic Plan was carried out by a team led by Prof Ir Dr Othman Abdul Karim as the project director. 

Consultancy for the project was provided by a team of strategic ICT consultants at MAMPU led by Dato' Dr Zahari Othman.

The plan is a long-term one that determines the direction of planning, strategic development and implementation of ICT projects to support the achievement of UKM's vision and mission.

The plan, which is part of the public sector ICT strategy, details the objectives of the ICT policies. It is aimed at ensuring that ICT management in all agencies are in line with the public sector ICT strategy.

Also present at the ceremony were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic and International Affairs, Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali; Prof Ir Othman who is also Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and Alumni and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Inovation, Prof Dato' Dr Rahmah Mohamed.

MAMPU is tasked with taking the lead role in implementing modernisation strategies for the Malaysian Public Service.

In implementing its responsibility, MAMPU says it focuses on initiatives that can upgrade the quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Public Service. 

All these initiatives encompass the areas of quality acculturation, organisational development, integrity management, ICT development and enhancing relationships between the public and private sectors. 

The modernisation initiatives implemented by MAMPU have to be conveyed widely to all government agencies by all available channels in order ensure accurate and updated information are readily available.

Autonomy for UTM

JOHOR BARU: The Higher Education Ministry has granted Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) autonomy in four areas, making it the first in the country to receive the status.

Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said UTM was capable of handling its affairs independently in these areas.

“The ministry has also identified several other universities but I will only announce their names on Jan 26 (when he delivers his new year address),” he said.

Mohamed Khaled explained that with the autonomy, the university would now take full responsibility for institutional governance, academic governance, financial management and human resource management.

He was speaking to reporters after presenting endowment scholarships to 100 UTM undergraduates at the campus in Skudai here yesterday.

“UTM will also handle its student intake and will no longer have to go through the ministry's Universities Admissions Unit (UPU),” he said.

He added that autonomy for UTM would take effect starting this year but the formal announcement would be made on Jan 26.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled also urged university alumni to play a more active role in developing their respective universities.

“The alumni should not only limit their contributions to financial aid but other areas as well.

“For example, the alumni can help with establishing internship programmes or create business opportunities for students,” he said

No need to open up UiTM to other races

PETALING JAYA: Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) is the last bastion for Malay and bumiputra students to further their studies and there is no need to open it up to other races, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) said.
In a response to the proposal by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim for UiTM to open up 10% of its intake to other races, PPIM said the move would be seen as challenging the special rights of the Malays.
PPIM project director Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said the government and its leaders had to be tougher in defending such issues because although the country was multiracial, there was "no need to sideline Malay special rights."
"If something like this is allowed to happen, then there will be a worrying situation where many Malay institutions will crumble and be 'Malaysia-nised'.
"It is hoped that the exclusiveness of UiTM is not undermined by anyone and it be allowed to continue as an institution that will strengthen the Malays," he said in a statement.
Noor Nirwandy said that UiTM has not only produced many excellent scholars but has also had many graduates who were able to compete with other races in the job market.
He added that the reason given by Khalid, which was to create more competition amongst students, was unnecessary because university students already competed amongst each other.

UUM Hosts ITU’S ‘GIRLS IN ICT DAY’ Celebratory Programme

UUM ONLINE: The world celebrated the ITU international ‘Girls in ICT Day’ on 26 April 2012. In Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), chosen as the host to celebrate the occasion, held ITU’s ‘Girls in ICT Day’ programme under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union-Universiti Utara Malaysia Asia Pacific Centre of Excellence for Rural ICT Development (ITU-UUM ASP CoE).

The event, which is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in April, honours girls’ interests and strengths, and encourages them to choose a career in information and communication technologies.

The one-day programme was replete with various activities for the edification of the participants comprising over 300 students from UUM and several secondary schools from around the Kubang Pasu district in Kedah. Among the activities were a talk on ICT awareness by James L. Sinclair, Manager of the Broadcast Engineering Programme at the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD); a talk on Soft Skills Development by Huraizah Abdul Rahman, Manager of the Desa Balik Pulau Internet Centre, Penang; a talk on Careers in ICT by Dr. Azizah Ahmad, a lecturer at UUM; a quiz on ICT; and a creative video contest.

The Deputy Secretary-General (Communication), Ministry of Information, Communication, and Culture, Che Azemi Haron, when officiating the opening of the event at the Seminar Hall of the School of Computing, UUM, said that ICT was fast becoming integral to every aspect of the world of work, practically paralleling the pivotal importance of the economic factor in the advancement of a developing nation.

He said that many countries around the world were now facing a dearth of suitably qualified personnel in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, and computing. In consequence, he said, to meet the increasing demand for such personnel in the workforce, big corporations were vying with each other in the recruitment of qualified women in this sector.

"This fortuitous phenomenon has presented highly qualified women in the technical field the golden opportunity to carve for themselves a place in the sun in terms of their career development and prospects. At present, at the global level, there is a need for an estimated two million ICT professionals. This huge imbalance in the supply-demand dynamic of this field is largely due to the glaring want of awareness among students, teachers, and parents concerning career prospects in this area,” he averred.

In light of this, he hoped that ITU’s ‘Girls in ICT Day’ programme would be duly appreciated as another invaluable contribution by ITU-UUM to the nation by way of raising consciousness among the people concerning the importance of ICT to national development, cautioning them against ICT abuses, and educating them about the rapid advancements and career prospects in this field.