Deputy Minister of Higher Education visits Curtin Sarawak

Miri – 29 May, 2009 – Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung paid a visit to Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) on 26 May 2009 to find out more about the first offshore campus of Western Australia’s Curtin University of Technology here in Miri.

Datuk Dr Hou was also taken on a tour of the campus by Curtin Sarawak’s Management Board Chairman YB Lee Kim Shin, who is also Sarawak’s Assistant Minister of Infrastructure Development & Communication, and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor John Evans, as well as Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Joan Gribble.

He took the opportunity to meet and conduct dialogue sessions with Curtin Sarawak’s management staff, senior academics and student representatives. During the dialogue session with the management and academics, Datuk Dr Hou and entourage were briefed by Professor Evans on the academic programmes offered by the university as well as new infrastructure development at the university.

The Dean of Research and Development, Professor Shenbaga Rajaratnam Kaniraj Jeyachandran, also gave an overview of Curtin Sarawak’s research and development activities and upcoming developments in the field, such as the establishment of a Curtin Sarawak Research Institute and the state-funded BioValley Park Project at the campus.

Accompanying Datuk Dr Hou on his visit was Dr Mohamed Rashid bin Navi Bax, Deputy Director General of the Private Higher Education Management Sector division of the Department of Higher Education; Professor Zita Mohd. Fahmi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), and senior officers of the Ministry of Higher Education, MQA and Perbadanan Tabung Pendidkan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN – National Higher Education Fund).

Earlier in the day, Datuk Dr Hou had a dialogue session with private institutions of higher learning at a leading hotel in Miri.

YB Lee (left) presenting souvenir bead necklace to Datuk Dr Hou as Professor Evans looks on.

Professor Zita, Professor Gribble, YB Lee, Datuk Dr Hou, Professor Evans, Dr Mohamed (2nd – 7th from left) and others posing for group photo.