UiTM Sarawak’s Erasmus+ resource hub to focus on research, innovation

Prof Jamil (front, second right) briefs Prof Roziah on ERASMUS+ Resource and Learning Centre at UiTM Sarawak’s Campus 2 in Kota Samarahan. — Photo by Galileo Petingi

KOTA SAMARAHAN (Sept 27): The Erasmus+ Resource and Learning Centre at the Tun Abdul Razak Library of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak’s Samarahan Campus 2 here would focus on research and innovation.

The centre is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE), which is a part of the European Union (EU) programme that supports international collaboration projects based on multilateral partnerships between active organisations in higher education.

“I have been waiting for this initiative because we’re facing difficulties post-Covid-19.

“With the reduced budget from the government, we need to search for opportunities abroad.

“For this resource centre, if we were to use our own budget, for sure this could not be done.

“So I’d like to congratulate UiTM rector Prof Dato Dr Jamil Hamali for having secured the allocation for Erasmus+,” said UiTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Roziah Mohd Janor when met by reporters after officiating at the opening of the centre at UiTM Sarawak’s Campus 2 here yesterday.

In a statement released by the university, it said the setting-up of the resource centre was made possible with the provision of RM471,672 from Erasmus+ CBHE, set for the acquisition of the necessary ICT equipment as the supporting system to deliver the master degree programmes and the professional courses, as well as to conduct researches.

Tailored to local contexts and facilities, the purchasing of equipment is placed under the guidance of the EU Higher Educational Institute and the industrial partners.

Additionally, the Erasmus+ centre would act as industrial stakeholders’ contact point nationally, in addition to promoting better dialogues between business sector and the government by helping to convey the concerns faced by the sector with regard to policy consultation processes.

Under the Erasmus+ programme, UiTM Sarawak has secured a total of six projects meant to develop its master degree programmes and professional courses.

According to Associate Prof Dr Margaret Chan, the projects include food processing and innovation, Industry 4.0, applied computational fluid dynamics, family business management, ‘blended learning’ for teacher educators, portable video conferencing tool kits and online applications for engaging learning in higher education classrooms.

“Under these six projects, there are a total of 80 universities, including UiTM – forming six consortiums.

“So the idea is that the European universities are facilitating us to make a global programme to be offered by UiTM and other institutions of higher learning in other Asian countries,” added Prof Chan.

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