Curtin Sarawak and Sarawak Energy set for more collaboration with signing of MoU

Miri – 10 July 2015 – A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) and Sarawak Energy on Wednesday will facilitate greater collaboration between them.

Curtin Sarawak and Sarawak Energy will intensify cooperation in the areas of academia, industrial training, research and development and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The collaboration will be primarily in developing employment opportunities at Sarawak Energy for top performing graduates of the university, industrial training for undergraduate students, a scholarship for top-performing students, collaborative research and development, and joint CSR projects.

Representing the power utility at an event to formalise the MoU at the Curtin Sarawak campus were Peing Tajang, Assistant General Manager for Corporate Communications together with Competency Training Manager Benjamin Lim and Corporate Communications Senior Executive Christian Chiou.

Present from the university were Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Ir. Yudi Samyudia, Chief Operating Officer Kingsley Francis Charles, Director of Government and Corporate Relations Alex Chung, as well as its faculty deans and heads of departments within the faculties.

Also present were the deans of teaching and learning, research and development and the Curtin Sarawak Graduate School, and managers of administrative departments.

In his speech during the event, Professor Mienczakowski thanked Sarawak Energy Group Chief Operating Officer Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit and the management for their commitment towards forging a strong partnership between the two organisations.

He said the commitment to provide employment opportunities to graduates of Curtin Sarawak under the MoU was most welcome. The university was also very appreciative of Sarawak Energy’s offer to provide industrial training for its undergraduate students, which will give them vital industry exposure and an added advantage in their future careers.

He expressed hopes that the utility’s staff would pursue postgraduate programmes at Curtin Sarawak to advance their careers, adding that they would learn not only from academics at Curtin Sarawak but also from Curtin’s main campus in Western Australia.

Professor Mienczakowski also said Curtin Sarawak looked forward to collaboration with the company in research and development projects that would benefit both organisations, and at the same time contribute to the enhancement of knowledge and the betterment of local communities.

Meanwhile, Peing commented that the MoU marked a significant milestone in Sarawak Energy’s continuous efforts to enhance relationships with institutions of higher learning, especially in Sarawak. She said education is the backbone of development and growth, and universities like Curtin were at the forefront of research and development, providing critical findings and creative ideas to spur growth and help build tomorrow’s leaders.

She pointed out that the MoU was not the first time Sarawak Energy and Curtin Sarawak have worked together, having established a good relationship collaborating on various projects from research and development to student visits over a number of years.

Peing added that Sarawak Energy had identified education and young people amongst its key focus areas in developing long-term, sustainable partnerships to meet real community needs, and it was this commitment that had led to the partnership with Curtin Sarawak.

Professor Mienczakowski and Peing exchanging MoU documents.

Group photo following the MoU signing.