GippsTAFE presents teaching awards and commits to three-year scholarship programme at Curtin Sarawak

Miri – 2 May 2013 – Eight teaching staff of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) recently received their TAE Certificate IV in Training and Assessment from the Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE (GippsTAFE), Curtin Sarawak’s partner in the conducting of its diploma programme and a registered training organisation in Melbourne, Australia.

The staff from the university’s School of Continuing Studies were lecturers Siti Kasmah Mohammad Kassim, Chew Ing Ming, Abdul Hamid Bin Abdullah, Wendy Law Li Ling and Daniel Tang Kuok Ho, and associate lecturers Amy Wong Kuang Mee, Tan Sin Sieng and Kathy Phang Kai Chin.

They received their certificates from Joanne Stringer, chair of the GippsTAFE Board, at a luncheon for dignitaries attending Curtin Sarawak’s School of Business & Diploma and School of Engineering & Science graduation ceremonies on Saturday.

GippsTAFE has been delivering the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification to the staff during visits to Miri throughout the past year. Having acquired the required skills and techniques under the, the eight are now entitled to deliver any vocational qualification from their industry area within the Australian Qualification Framework.

The luncheon also saw a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the provision of annual GippsTAFE Curtin Sarawak Scholarships for three years to outstanding Malaysian students to pursue GippsTAFE diplomas at Curtin Sarawak being signed.

Signing on behalf of GippsTAFE were Stringer and Carol Elliot, General Manager Teaching & Learning, while Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Kerr and Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam, Chair of the Curtin Sarawak Council, signed for Curtin Sarawak.

According to Stringer in her speech, the certificate recipients demonstrated GippsTAFE’s commitment to the staff who teach the diploma courses.

“Quality outcomes for our students are achieved through the professional dedication and expertise of our staff. Professional development activities and mentoring are very important aspects of the collaboration between us and we congratulate our latest graduates of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment,” she said.

Professor Kerr, meanwhile, recounted how the partnership between Curtin and GippsTAFE began five years ago with the pilot Diploma of Process Plant Technology in 2006. It was later extended to the Diploma of Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Diploma of Occupational Health & Safety and Diploma of Business in 2011.

Six cohorts of diploma students have since graduated, including 80 graduating with diplomas in Occupational Health and Safety, Business, and Process Plant Technology at the School of Business & Diploma Graduation Ceremony earlier.

Professor Kerr said the awarding of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment to the eight staff marks yet another chapter in the relationship between Curtin Sarawak and GippsTAFE following a similar presentation last year to an inaugural batch of four staff.

“The awarding of the certificate augurs well for the continued development and sustainability of the diploma courses, which continue to be popular and have attracted interest not only from the oil and gas industry here, but also the industries within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy, as well as from industry and governments in the Middle East, Central Asia and other regions,” he remarked.

He also said the GippsTAFE Curtin Sarawak Scholarships were a significant contribution by GippsTAFE to not only ensure the long-term viability of the diploma programme at Curtin Sarawak, but also to attract deserving quality students who would otherwise not have the financial means to pursue the courses.

Also present at the event were Acting Chancellor of Curtin University, Chris Bennett; Vice-Chancellor Professor Jeanette Hacket; Deputy Vice-Chancellor International, Professor David Wood; and Datu Dr. Hatta bin Solhi, chairman of Curtin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.; members of Curtin Sarawak’s campus council, board of directors and management board; as well as the deans and management staff of the university.

Joanne Stringer presenting certificate to Siti Kasmah Mohammad Kassim, one of the eight teaching staff.

Prof. Kerr and Joanne Stringer exchange documents while Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr.  Chan and Carol Elliot look on.

(L-R) Datu Dr. Hatta, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. Chan, Chris Bennett, Prof. Kerr, Joanne Stringer, Prof. Wood, Carol Elliot, Bibi Aminah Abdul Ghani (Dean, School of Continuing Studies).