Energy and resources a priority in new Malaysian partnership

Monday, 10 June 2019

The University of Adelaide has today strengthened its ties with a key Malaysian partner with direct links to one of the world’s leading oil and gas companies, in order to boost energy and resources research, education and exchange.

Today in Malaysia, the University of Adelaide’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Peter Rathjen, AO, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), co-signed by UTP’s Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib.

Under the MoU, the two universities aim to collaborate in several areas, including academic staff and student exchanges, joint research projects, and collaborative degree programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Executive Officer and President of PETRONAS and UTP’s Pro Chancellor, YBhg Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, who is also an engineering graduate of the University of Adelaide.

PETRONAS is the national oil and gas company of Malaysia, and is listed among the Fortune Global 500’s largest corporations in the world. UTP, a private university, is a wholly owned subsidiary of PETRONAS.

Professor Rathjen said today’s MoU further extended the relationship between the University of Adelaide’s Australian School of Petroleum with UTP and PETRONAS.

“With the support of Malaysian industry leader PETRONAS, the University of Adelaide is pleased to be signing this new agreement with UTP, at a time when our institution is becoming recognised as a truly global 21st century university,” Professor Rathjen said.

“Our agreement with UTP aligns with key elements of the University of Adelaide’s new strategic plan, Future Making. This strategy has identified the field of energy, mining and resources as one of our industry engagement priorities, and has challenged our University to become more connected to the global world of ideas.

“Today’s agreement aligns our University with one of the most important resource endeavours on the globe, through a partnership that facilitates student and staff exchange, and joint research.

“It is also another chapter in our long-running connection with Malaysia, which started almost 70 years ago with the first Colombo Plan Scholars to Australia. It gives me great pleasure to continue this relationship and to further the academic exchange between Adelaide and Malaysia, providing ongoing benefits for our students, staff, industry and the economy,” he said.

Professor Dr Mohamed Ibrahim said the signing of the MoU was part of UTP’s continued effort to realise its aspiration to become an internationally recognised higher learning institution through collaboration with a prominent and globally regarded university such as the University of Adelaide.

“Through this partnership, we hope to establish a livelier climate that offers new opportunities for our students and staff to be exposed to an internationalised educational experience,” he said.

“With cross attachment of staff and students’ exchange programme, exchange of best practices in curriculum design, collaborative research or internship opportunities, it will not only strengthen our students’ education, but also enhance the quality of research and enable the extension and application of knowledge to address both local and global needs.”

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