Curtin Malaysia signs MoU with Board of Engineers Malaysia to enhance partnership

Miri – 28 July 2017 – Curtin University, Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) and Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen their longstanding academia-giovernment-industry partnership and collaborate to enhance engineering education and the profession, as well as contribute to the socio-economic development of Malaysia.

The signing ceremony, held at a leading hotel in Kuching, was graced by Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg.

Curtin Malaysia was represented by Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski and Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Science Ir. Professor Lau Hieng Ho.

Also present was Pro-Chancellor and former Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam and Council Member and former Chairman of the Board Dato’ Hatta Solhi.

BEM was represented by its President, Dato’ Sri Ir. Dr. Roslan Md. Taha and other members of the Board.

Key to the MoU was the agreement by both parties 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.

During the ceremony, it was also announced that Curtin Malaysia will receive RM10,000 for five years from BEM to be awarded to its outstanding engineering graduates during its graduation ceremonies.

Professor Mienczakowski said Curtin Malaysia is proud to produce some 300 graduates in various engineering disciplines, and at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, 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, or a ratio of 1:100, 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.

Professor Mienczakowski and Dato Sri Ir. Dr. Roslan exchanging MoU documents while Datuk Amar Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari and others look on.

Professor Mienczakowski receiving mock cheque for RM10,000 from the Chief Minister.

Pro-Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan (7th left) and Professor Mienczakowski (2nd left) with the Chief Minister and BEM and other university representatives.