On 11 June UOWMKDU welcomed Professor Patricia Davidson to her first official visit to the Malaysia campuses. Professor Davidson was accompanied by Mr. Noel Cornish, Board Chairman, UOWM Sdn Bhd, Ms. Marisa Mastroianni, UOWGE Group CEO, Senior Professor Gursel Alici, Executive Dean, UOW Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences and Mr. Michael McGrath.
At the Selangor campus, the main event was a Colloquium on ‘Australia- Malaysia Education Industry Collaboration – Opportunity Knocks’, held on Monday 13 June 2022. The Colloquium was graced by H.E. Dr. Justin Lee, the Australian High Commissioner in Malaysia while the Welcome Address was delivered by Datuk Seri (Dr.) Michael Yam, Chancellor of UOWMKDU. Prof Davidson delivered the Opening Address.
Professor Davidson also participated on the Panel Session with representatives of the three Australian branch universities in Malaysia – Professor Andrew Walker, Pro VC and President of Monash University Malaysia, Professor Lau Hieng Ho, Pro VC and CEO of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak and Professor Vincent Lee, Deputy Pro VC of Curtin University Sarawak. The Panel Session moderated jointly by Mr. Noel Cornish and Senior Professor Gursel Alici, witnessed a lively discussion and exchange about the challenges faced by the respective institutions during the covid pandemic, their responses and the strategies moving forward.
Events and activities in Selangor included two TV interviews, a briefing session and dinner with the academic and support staff, a students’ welcome ceremony with a medley of traditional cultural dances and musical performance by students, a dialogue with the Student Council and students’ club representatives, a campus tour and a dinner hosted by the Australian High Commissioner.
Prof Davidson and Datuk Seri Michael Yam on the Astro Awani Fresh Brew Live TV Show.
Prof Davidson appearing on the Astro Awani English News Channel.
The students’ musical and dance performance group.
Dialogue with the Student Council and Club representatives.
On Wednesday 15 June 2022, the UOW delegation proceeded to Penang for the official launching ceremony of the UOWMKDU Penang UC’s Batu Kawan campus. The opening ceremony of the Batu Kawan campus has been delayed for 2 years by the covid pandemic. The occasion was graced by the Chief Minister of Penang, the Deputy Chief Minister and other dignitaries, representatives from the Australian High Commission and AUSTRADE, MPs and State Assemblymen, industry partners, school principals, stakeholders, friends, staff and students. This was an occasion for celebration, to mark the launch of the Batu Kawan campus as a hub for experimentation on new technologies. After the Opening Speeches by Prof Davidson, Mr. Noel Cornish and the Chief Minister of Penang, there was a multimedia presentation of the 10 pillars of IR4.0 culminating in the signing of the plague denoting the opening of the campus.
Professor Patricia Davidson presenting a gift to the Chief Minister of Penang at the launch of the Batu Kawan campus in Penang.
The opening ceremony was followed immediately after by an Industry Panel Session entitled ‘Beyond 4th Industrial Revolution and Towards Sustainability’, comprising the Penang Skills Development Centre CEO Mr. Tan Eng Tong, Intel Technologies Design Engineering Director Dr. Ong Sze Wei, Vitrox Corporation Bhd, Senior Director Mr. Gary Leong, AUSTRADE Minister-Counsellor and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Malaysia & Brunei Mr. Paul Sanda and UOW Senior Professor Gursel Alici. The panel was moderated by UOWMKDU Adjunct Professor and Director of PMO Innovations Sdn. Bhd. Dr. Khoh Soo Beng.
From left: Dr Khoh, Mr. Tan, Mr. Leong, Prof Gursel, and Dr. Ong. Mr. Paul Sanda joined the discussion virtually.
The visit to Penang included site tours of two well established IT industries – Flextronics Technology and Intel Technologies. There was also a networking dinner with key industry partners of UOWMKDU.
On their last evening in Penang, they were treated to a heritage tour on a trishaw through the old parts of Georgetown and the evening ended with dinner with the staff of UOWMKDU.
The UOW delegation with staff of UOWMKDU on the Penang heritage tour.