Curtin Malaysia and PETROS forge strategic partnership to drive energy transition and innovation

Miri, Sarawak – 25 September 2024 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advancing energy transition, innovation, and education in Sarawak. The signing ceremony took place on the closing day of the International Conference on Energy Transition & Exhibition (ICETe 2024), hosted by Curtin Malaysia recently.

The MoU was signed by Curtin Malaysia’s Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Vincent Lee Chieng Chen, and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Science, Professor Tuong-Thuy Vu. Representing PETROS were its Senior Vice President for Human Capital and Relations, Ismail Said, and Senior Vice President for Sarawak Resource Management, Nazrin Banu Shaikh Sajjad Ahmad.

The signing was witnessed by Sarawak Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability, YB Datuk Dr. Hazland Abang Hipni, who was the guest of honour for the conference’s closing ceremony.

The partnership underscores Curtin Malaysia and PETROS’ shared commitment to fostering academia-industry collaborations that contribute to both education and societal progress. Through this collaboration, Curtin Malaysia and PETROS will focus on key areas such as sustainability, decarbonisation, and technological innovation, while also creating opportunities for students through internships, scholarships, exchange and Graduate programmes.

Datuk Dr. Hazland commended the partnership, stressing the importance of academia-industry collaboration in driving Sarawak’s energy transition. He also highlighted Curtin Malaysia’s introduction of its Energy Engineering programme as a strong example of how academia can prepare the next generation of engineers to tackle the evolving challenges in the energy landscape.

“Programmes like these equip young talents with the industry skills and knowledge needed to drive innovations in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and actively contribute to Sarawak’s sustainable development,” he said.

The collaboration between Curtin Malaysia and PETROS will focus on several key areas, including joint academic research on sustainability and technological advancement, knowledge sharing, workshops and conferences, as well as initiatives supporting Sarawak-based start-ups. Curtin Malaysia students will benefit from industry placements and internships with PETROS, while Curtin alumni will have enhanced opportunities for employment and networking within the company.

The signing of this MoU signifies a major step forward in Sarawak’s energy transition efforts, with Curtin Malaysia and PETROS leveraging their respective expertise to develop innovative solutions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sarawak’s Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.

Prof Lee and Ismail (5th and 7th from left) exchange the MoU documents, with Datuk Dr Hazland (6th from left), Nazrin, Prof Vu and other dignitaries looking on