Curtin Malaysia embracing new technologies in ongoing campus expansion

Miri – 26 January 2018 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia), Curtin University’s largest international campus and hub in Asia situated in Miri, Sarawak, has made remarkable progress in a number of key areas since its establishment in 1999, particularly in its leadership in innovative digital learning and research and development in emerging technologies.

In support of the strategic goals and vision of the Sarawak State Government, its majority shareholder, to transform the state’s economy through the creation of a dynamic digital economy, Curtin Malaysia is becoming a prime mover in forging the state’s digital future through innovative projects and capacity development.

This has included the establishment of a Keysight Reference Lab with Keysight Technologies and a Digital Maker Hub with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDeC) at the campus.

Discussions are now underway with the State Government for the University to assume a key role from 2018 in helping develop Sarawak’s bioeconomy through operation of the newly-completed RM60 million Pilot Plant Facility funded by the State Government at the campus.

Meanwhile, in line with Curtin University’s ‘Transforming Learning @Curtin’ initiative, Curtin Malaysia has developed a number of innovative learning technologies and learning spaces since 2015.

These vibrant spaces are designed to increase student engagement, foster collaboration between staff and students, and provide flexible, technology-rich environments to support active learning, as well as the development of a digital mindset in students. With the availability of such technologies and facilities, students and staff are also able to engage and interact with their counterparts at the parent campus in Perth in real time.

Campus expansion between 2016 and 2017 has also included the opening of a new Faculty of Engineering and Science building. The RM20 million building is a significant addition to the campus infrastructure, bringing further enrichment of the learning experience for a student population now exceeding 4,000 with the inclusion of more innovative learning spaces, a CISCO laboratory, and a high performing Petrel laboratory developed with Schlumberger.

The campus also established a new dedicated Student Learning Commons in 2017 offering a range of flexible learning spaces to complement its existing 24-hour Study Space and The Library. Students have access to meeting rooms within the space and a dedicated learning space for foundation students allows for new-to-Curtin students to interact with their peers from various streams and construct learning communities. The learning spaces are designed for learning flexibility, enabling quick transitions from group work to individual learning.

Overall, these latest facilities are enabling Curtin Malaysia to continue forging a reputation for producing work-ready graduates; allowing its campus community to embrace new technologies and new ways of learning, and shaping its focus on high-impact research that changes lives.

They will also be a catalyst for its strategic growth in the coming years, which will see a further expansion of its educational footprint through strategic alliances, partnerships and greater integration with Curtin University’s other campuses in Australia, Singapore and Dubai.

This is in line with Curtin University’s globalisation efforts which has seen the University rising up the global university rankings, including being in the top one percent of universities worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2017.

Curtin Malaysia also achieved a Tier 5 or Excellent rating for the fourth consecutive time in the Rating System for Higher Education Institutions (SETARA 2017) and remains one of a select number of universities granted self-accreditation status by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

In the lead up to its twentieth year in 2019, Curtin Malaysia is embarking on yet another phase of development and growth that will see the development of a Digital Centre for Excellence, an integrated development with an assemblage of facilities equipped with new technologies to be used by staff and students in a variety of ways including training, group study and meetings.

It is envisaged to be an intelligent building incorporating optimised lighting, building automation, Internet of Things (IoT) and other technologies for optimum energy efficiency, productivity, security and safety.

Also in the pipeline are additional on-campus housing and recreational facilities to cater to its expanding student population, an Engineering Research Laboratory, Bloomberg Trading Room providing simulation of a real life trading floor environment for business students, and a new cafeteria to complement existing food outlets.

Curtin Malaysia campus geared for further expansion.

The Library & Auditorium Complex among the campus’ modern, iconic buildings.

New RM20 million Faculty of Engineering and Science opened in 2017.

Modern case study rooms among new learning facilities at the campus.

Students attending lecture in a one of the campus’ distributed learning rooms.