Postgraduate research colloquium encourages exchange of ideas

Miri – 9 May 2014 – Over 70 participants attended the first Postgraduate Research Colloquium jointly organised by Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) and Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (UNIMAS) at the Curtin Sarawak campus recently.

The colloquium was a result of a collaborative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Curtin Sarawak and UNIMAS in December 2013 to develop and promote academic links and research collaboration.

In addition to Curtin Sarawak’s higher degree research (HDR) students, 30 HDR students from UNIMAS attended the colloquium which carried the theme ‘Research Trends in Engineering and Business’.

The one-day event was aimed at advancing corporate research culture through cross-fertilisation of ideas in various disciplines in engineering and business, as well as promoting networking opportunities among HDR students.

It included 40 oral and 16 poster presentations focusing on problem solving, which often requires a multi-disciplinary approach demanding expertise in both engineering and business.

Curtin Sarawak’s Associate Dean of Research and Training and Chair of the university’s Graduate Studies Committee, Professor Marcus Man Kon Lee, hopes that both institutions will continue to work together to organise similar events in the future.

With a current enrolment of almost 70 postgraduate research students in its Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes, Curtin Sarawak has significantly developed its HDR programmes in the past few years and is well on its way to fulfilling its ambition of becoming a research-focused university.

Participants of the colloquium gather for a group photo at the Curtin Sarawak campus.