Curtin Sarawak one of the best institutions in Malaysia for engineering

Miri – 21 July 2015 – School leavers keen to on careers in engineering should take the opportunity to enrol in engineering courses of their choice at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak), which is considered one of the best institutions for engineering in the country.

Curtin Sarawak’s August (second semester) intake is currently in progress and students can apply for its degree and foundation programmes. Orientation Week for degree programmes will commence on 28 July, while those for the foundation and postgraduate programmes will commence on 11 August and 1 September respectively.

Since its establishment in 1999, Curtin Sarawak – the largest international campus of Curtin University in Western Australia – has experienced exponential growth in enrolments for courses under its Bachelor of Engineering programme.

While its flagship chemical, civil and construction, computer systems, electrical power, electronic and communication, mechanical and mechatronic engineering courses continue to attract greater numbers of students, newer niche courses in petroleum engineering and environmental engineering are also seeing growing demand.

This is due in large part to the fact that its engineering courses are identical to those offered by its Australian parent, and that they are accredited by engineering bodies both in Australia and Malaysia, and in the case of the Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), in the United Kingdom as well.

Another significant factor is the Tier 5 or ‘Excellent’ rating Curtin Sarawak has received for its engineering programmes under the Ministry of Education’s Discipline-Based Rating System (D-SETARA), which is a testimony to the quality of the campus’ teaching and learning, academic programmes, research output, staff calibre, graduates and their employability.

In addition, Curtin Sarawak has been rated Tier 5 in the Ministry’s SETARA rating system for overall performance of institutions of higher learning in 2009, 2011 and 2013. It is also one of only eight tertiary institutions in Malaysia granted self-accreditation status by the Malaysian Qualification Agency.

In the global rankings, Curtin University is ranked in the top 100 universities worldwide for chemical engineering and earth and marine sciences, top 150 for electrical and electronic engineering, top 200 for civil engineering, computer science and information systems, and top 300 for mechanical engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015. Curtin Sarawak offers a range of Curtin undergraduate and postgraduate courses in these disciplines.

As the courses at Curtin Sarawak are run using the same unit structures and study materials as the main campus, students can expect the same standards of instruction and learning experience. They can also transfer between the two campuses to complete their Curtin degrees.

The courses have practical applications and are designed to help solve real-world challenges. They are also very industry-focused and Curtin Sarawak takes full advantage of its strong industry links in their delivery.

Many of the courses are closely linked to Sarawak’s petroleum and plantation industries, as well as manufacturing and processing industries in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). This enables students to gain valuable industry exposure during the course of their studies.

The courses are taught by highly-qualified academics of Curtin Sarawak’s Faculty of Engineering and Science, most of whom have real industry experience and hold PhDs. Many have won awards for teaching excellence and research, and they keep up with the latest developments in their fields and integrate the newest advancements in educational technology into their classes.

All Curtin engineering programmes have a common first year which helps students build their range of basic science skills and knowledge, with particular emphasis on physics, chemistry and mathematics.

“The Faculty of Engineering and Science ensures students get an industry-connected education experience to enable them to provide solutions faced by the global community,” said its dean, Professor Michael Cloke.

He added that the faculty is committed to the continual enhancement of teaching and research and the pursuit of excellence in everything that it does, including providing innovative engineering solutions and applications of engineering technology that benefit communities, and contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge and understanding.

Anticipating significant growth in student numbers in the coming years, Curtin Sarawak has embarked on an exciting expansion plan. This includes a new building housing its Faculty of Engineering and Science and the Miri BioValley Park, a technology park with state-of-the-art research facilities being developed with the Sarawak Ministry of Industrial Development with government and university funding.