Newspaper Report: Opening of UTP-Heriot Watt IDC

Newspaper Report:

Opening of UTP- Heriot Watt IDC

18 February 2012, Tronoh - The ribbon was cut on a new facility at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) for the UTP-Heriot Watt International Design Centre (IDC). The IDC is a joint research project of UTP and Heriot Watt University, United Kingdom, with facilities at both universities. The aim of IDC is to become the world’s premier scholarly hub for technologically intensive design and serve as a nucleus for the growth of the UTP-Heriot Watt Collaboration in addition to the dual degree master program between UTP and Heriot Watt University which started five years ago. About 100 to 200 IDC faculty researchers and students from both universities will work together to address issues facing the world by revolutionizing research on engineering science and by creating hybrid devices and services to meet the global demand for advanced engineering equipments. In conjuction to that, the IDC will work to maximize the synergy of UTP and Heriot Watt faculty researchers through joint projects.

          In a brief ceremony, UTP vice chancellor Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Haji Kasim recalled the conception a few years ago by the fellow faculty members of UTP to have an international engineering center as the heart of the research engine at UTP. Dr Zainal commented that while it has been exciting to see the idea takes shape with the alliance of elite British engineering school. In his remarks, Thomas Wilson, president of Heriot Watt University also noted “ Like all the great universities in the world, UTP will be research-intensive and bring the fruits of researches into the classroom and into the market. With the setting up of the IDC, it will boost the research capibilities of UTP with the wide access of international resources.

          The ribbon was then cut by Mr Ali Abu Bakar, director of  IDC and deputy vice-chancellor of international development department at UTP, officially opening the new facility, followed by a tour led by him that was broadcasted live on UTP intranet. In the tour, Mr Ali further explained to the publics that the work of IDC will feed into UTP interdisciplinary curriculums. The IDC will tackle the real-life engineering problems by integrating perspectives from different academic disciplines. IDC’s physical layout is designed to create a hybrid engineering laboratory with architectural studio space. Designed by Steven Ganson Corp, a global architecture firm, the 15600 square feet facility is located at the undercroft of the Chancellor’s Complex. It is designed to be highly flexible to suit the diverse set of activities it will house. A state of art remote access system will be setting up to link the facilities at UTP and Heriot Watt University. The IDC will have some of the best commercially available equipments and high speed fibre optic networking system to further enhance its usage. The authorities at the IDC also plan to include the systems and projects designed by its own faculty members and students soon.

             Currently, approximately 30 scientists and students at IDC are working on some 20 projects while some of the projects are carried out in Heriot Watt University.

By: Ch’ng Shen Yen 17217

      Foundation PE Semester 1

      Batch January 2012