23/05/2011: MSc Environmental Management alumni wins regional and national awards
22/10/2010: Malaysian alumnus pays visit to Queen's
23/07/2010: QUAAM says farewell to High Commissioner
09/07/2010: Chemical engineer honoured by Queen's University
25/06/2010: Malaysian students' contribution to UK celebrated
10/06/2010: Queen's graduate in Malaysia lecture series
27/05/2010: Lecture focuses on Malaysian legislative experience
01/03/2010: Queen's promotes high quality partnerships in Malaysia
12/02/2010: Malaysian students organise charity dinner
12/02/2010: Engineering Science Conference
08/07/2009: New agreement strengthens Queen's Malaysian links
20/02/2009: International student agreement signed in Terengganu
18/02/2009: Queen's University improves Malaysian public health
16/02/2009: King of Malaysia honoured by Queen's
28/01/2009: Queen's engineering boost to Northern Ireland and Malaysia
13/11/2008: Queen's appoints academic ambassador as it looks to the East
17/04/2008: Queen's opens £500,000 Petronas 'green chemistry' lab
12/03/2007: Queen's forges historic research partnership with Malaysia
Fiona Barbour at work
Fiona Barbour, MSc Environmental Management alumni, has been successful in winning the regional and UK Young Persons’ Network Paper Competition. The competition is hosted by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM).
Fiona will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Kuala Lumpar to visit and to attend the World Gas Conference in September 2012. Fiona will also have the opportunity to present her paper at the IGEM Annual two-day conference in June and return to the national heats next year as a judge. Fiona’s paper was entitled "Making Business Sense – Improving the Environmental Performance of Gas Companies."
Speaking about her achievement, Fiona said: “I am absolutely delighted and proud to be the first to win this award on behalf of Phoenix Natural Gas and to win it on a presentation based on my academic research is one of the biggest compliments I could ask for.
"It is very overwhelming to think that it has been less than a year from the early beginnings of working with Phoenix in a student capacity to winning this much laudable award so early on in my career, and studying Environmental Management at Queen's University was definitely the key to opening that door for me."
Fiona graduated from the MSc Environmental Management programme in December 2010. Along with a group of students from the MSc Environmental Management programme Fiona undertook a consultancy project with Phoenix, conducting market research into the commercial viability of the company’s in-house carbon calculator tool.
This very successful project led to a summer internship for Fiona with Phoenix Natural Gas within the Commercial Operations Department. During her internship Fiona conducted research both for Phoenix and as part of her dissertation entitled “Improving the Environmental Performance of Gas Companies – A Case Study of Phoenix Natural Gas”. Fiona was successful in securing employment with Phoenix in the same department in the Grid Control Room after her internship.
Abdul Rahman Kamarolzaman,Education Attaché Ireland, Embassy of Malaysia, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and his wife join Professor Peter Gregson and Norma Sinte, Director of Development for a tour of the McClay Library
Ramzan Ramza Ramli, President of the Malaysian Postgraduate Association presents Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah with a cake in honour of his visit where he was greeted by several Malaysian students in the International and Postgraduate Centre.
The University was honoured to welcome back a very successful alumnus from Malaysia.
Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is both a graduate and an Honorary Graduate of Queen's University and is a political veteran in Malaysia. Formerly Minister for Finance and Minister for Trade and Industry, he was also the Founder of Petronas, the Malaysian oil company and a Former Chairman of the World Bank, ADB and Islamic Development Bank. He is an uncle of the current Raja Perempuan (Queen) of Kelantan province in Malaysia.
Professor Peter Gregson, Vice- Chancellor and President, and Norma Sinte, Director of Alumni Relations met Tengku Razaleigh and his wife and escorted them on a tour of the McClay Library.
Tengku Razaleigh had been very keen to view the new library having heard so much about it and supported the fundraising initiatives that helped make it possible. He also visited the Malaysian Student Centre where he lived as a student half a century earlier.
Following the Library tour, a reception was held in the new International and Postgraduate Centre where Tengku had the chance to meet Malaysian students and staff from the University. Professor Gregson spoke of the importance of internationalism and presented gifts to the visitors.
On behalf of the students, Ramzan Ramza Ramli, President of Malaysian Postgraduates Northern Ireland, presented Tengku Razaleigh with a cake marking his return to campus over 50 years after he first graduated.
Boyd McCleary at the farewell dinner hosted by QUAAM
The outgoing UK High Commissioner for Malaysia, Boyd McCleary, was honoured at a farewell dinner hosted by the Queen’s Alumni Association in Malaysia.
Mr McCleary, who is a Queen’s alumnus, has been appointed governor of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). His new job will give him charge over the group of 60 islands in the Caribbean that constitute the 22,000-citizen strong BVI.
Among those who attended the dinner in Kuala Lumpar were Queen’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Postgraduates, Professor James McElnay, and Datuk Rafiah Salim, President of QUAAM.
Mr McCleary is succeeded by Simon Featherstone.
Read about Mr McCleary’s thoughts on his time in Malaysia here
Dr Colin Wong
Dr Wong is a former senior manager of one of the Petronas’s refining businesses within Malaysia. An experienced chemical engineer, he plays an active role in Queen’s major research partnership with Petronas, which has contributed some £10 million to the Northern Ireland economy.
Watch Dr Wong receive his honorary degree
University of Malaya (UM) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Gauth Jasmon, Queen’s University Belfast Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor James McElnay, Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson and Ramzan Ramzan Ramza Ramli, Chair of Queen's University Malaysian Postgraduate Northern Ireland (MyPNI) student society, at the UMIES conference.
Malaysian postgraduate students from 26 universities across the UK, Ireland and Malaysia travelled to Queen’s to discuss their engineering and scientific research. They were joined by special guest, Professor Dr Ghauth Jasmon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya (UM).
The UK-Malaysia-Ireland Engineering Science Conference (UMIES) was organised by The Malaysian Postgraduates Northern Ireland (MyPNI) student society, with support from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, the Malaysian Student Department UK and Eire, Queen’s University and UM.
Queen’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor James McElnay, said: “Malaysian students have been making a significant contribution to life in Northern Ireland for over 60 years. Malaysia is also home to the largest number of Queen’s alumni outside the UK. It is fitting therefore that Queen’s should host the UK and Ireland’s first ever Malaysian student conference.
“Some of Malaysia’s brightest young engineers and scientists are currently studying at Queen’s and making use of the excellent teaching and research facilities on offer here. They are conducting world-class research in the areas of mechanical, chemical, electrical and civil engineering, all of which play a vital role in the continued development of our countries.
“I am confident this conference will play a key role in strengthening our relationship, and in so doing, continue the major contribution to Malaysian society, in business, in government and in the professions, that Queen’s graduates have been making for many years. I congratulate the Malaysian Postgraduates Northern Ireland Student Society at Queen’s on their hard work and initiative in bringing this event together.”
University of Malaya Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Ghauth Jasmon added: “The University of Malaya is delighted to support the UK-Malaysia-Ireland Engineering Science Conference. Like Northern Ireland, Malaysia is striving to develop its full potential in the engineering and science industries. The research being conducted by Malaysian students, both at home and at universities such as Queen’s, is making a valuable contribution to Malaysian business and industry and I was pleased to hear more about this research during the conference.”
Alongside the student-led conference, Queen’s also hosted the Queen’s University / University of Malaya Symposia from 24-25 June, involving academics from Queen’s, UM and universities in North America, India and England.
The visiting academics also supported the students UMIES conference, attending the opening ceremony, giving several plenary presentations and joining them at a conference dinner.
For more information on UMIES visit http://mypni.society.qub.ac.uk/umies/
Media inquiries to Anne-Marie Clarke at Queen’s University Press and PR Unit on 00 44 (0)28 9097 5320 or anne-marie.clarke@qub.ac.uk
Malaysian students from across the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malaysia will descend on Queen’s University this week (23-25 June), for the UK’s first ever Malaysian student conference. The event will celebrate the contribution made by Malaysian students to life in the United Kingdom.
Malaysian postgraduate students from 26 universities across the UK, Ireland and Malaysia will travel to Queen’s to discuss their engineering and scientific research. They will be joined by special guest, Professor Datuk Dr Ghauth Jasmon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya (UM).
The UK-Malaysia-Ireland Engineering Science Conference (UMIES) has been organised by The Malaysian Postgraduates Northern Ireland (MyPNI) student society, with support from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, the Malaysian Student Department UK and Eire, Queen’s University and UM.
Queen’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor James McElnay, said: “Malaysian students have been making a significant contribution to life in Northern Ireland for over 60 years. Malaysia is also home to the largest number of Queen’s alumni outside the UK. It is fitting therefore that Queen’s is host to the UK and Ireland’s first ever Malaysian student conference.
“Some of Malaysia’s brightest young engineers and scientists are currently studying at Queen’s and making use of the excellent teaching and research facilities on offer here. They are conducting world-class research in the areas of mechanical, chemical, electrical and civil engineering, all of which play a vital role in the continued development of our countries.
“I am confident this conference will play a key role in strengthening our relationship, and in so doing, continue the major contribution to Malaysian society, in business, in government and in the professions, that Queen’s graduates have been making for many years. I congratulate the Malaysian Postgraduates Northern Ireland student society at Queen’s on their hard work and initiative in bringing this event together.”
Queen’s University has a variety of partnerships with leading Malaysian institutions including Universiti Teknologi Petronas in the field of green chemistry and with Terrengganu Advanced Institute (TATiUK) and the University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) across the engineering disciplines. Along with the University of Malaya, Queen’s has also helped establish the Centre for Population Health in Malaysia, the first centre of its kind in the country.
For more information on UMIES visit http://mypni.society.qub.ac.uk/umies/
Media inquiries to Anne-Marie Clarke, PR Unit on 028 9097 5320 or anne-marie.clarke@qub.ac.uk
Datuk Rafiah Salim with Professor James McElnay (left) and Professor Colin Harvey, who chaired the lecture.
Datuk Rafiah Salim with members of QUAAM in the Malaysia study space and Queen's Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson.
Testament to the strong links Queen’s University Belfast has with Malaysia, one of the University’s most renowned graduates in Malaysia, Datuk Rafiah Salim, has returned to Belfast this week to give the annual lecture in the Malaysia Lecture Series at Queen’s.
Malaysia is one of south-east Asia’s most vibrant economies, with a population of over 27 million people. Over 1,500 Queen’s graduates have made, and continue to make, a major contribution to Malaysian society - in business, in government and in the professions.
“The Malaysia Lecture Series at Queen’s brings internationally renowned scholars from Malaysia to Belfast to promote business, academic and research links between Northern Ireland and Malaysia: and aims to further develop these links for the mutual benefit of both countries,” said Professor James McElnay, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Postgraduates at Queen’s.
“Malaysian students have been coming to this University for over 60 years and in terms of numbers, there are more Queen’s alumni in Malaysia than in any other country in the world, apart from the British Isles. In addition, Queen’s has developed close research links with several leading universities in Malaysia; for example, with the University of Malaya in areas that include public health and with the Universiti Teknologi Petronas in the field of green chemistry. It’s that sense of tradition and these research links that we seek to celebrate in the Malaysian Lecture Series,” Professor McElnay adds.
A lawyer by qualification, Datuk Rafiah Salim’s lecture is entitled: ‘The Conflict between Religion and Gender – the Malaysian Legislative Experience’. In her address, she will concentrate on the unique feature of Malaysian laws that govern the position of women.
Datuk Rafiah has strong connections with Queen’s University Belfast. She holds three degrees awarded by the University. In 1971, she graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree (LLB), followed three years later by a Masters of Law degree (LLM). In 2006, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the University in recognition of her services to the University’s alumni relations programme.
Datuk Rafiah has held senior national and international positions in the fields of academia, banking, human resources and leadership. These included working in New York for the United Nations as Assistant Secretary General for Human Resource Management, the highest post ever held by a Malaysian in the UN; and a period as the first female Vice-Chancellor in Malaysia at the University of Malaya. She has also been President of the Malayan Commercial Banks’ Association, and Vice Chairman of the Malaysian Employers Federation.
Most recently, in 2009, Datuk Rafiah took up the role of Director of the NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women, Malaysia, an organisation working with women in the important areas of politics, education and health.
Open to the public, the annual Malaysia Lecture will take place at 2.30pm on Friday, 11 June, in the Peter Froggatt Centre at Queen’s University. The lecture will be chaired by Professor Colin Harvey, Head of the Law School at Queen’s University.
Datuk Rafiah is in Belfast with a small group representing the Queens’ University Alumni Association Malaysia (QUAAM). After the lecture, the QUAAM party will visit the McClay Library at Queen’s to open officially a Malaysia study space in the Library that the Associations has supported.
Ends
Professor Salim, who will present her lecture on 11 June
The unique feature of Malaysian laws that govern the position of women will be examined during a public lecture next month.
The address by Datuk Rafiah Salim, director of the NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women in Malaysia, is part of the Malaysia Lecture series at Queen's, which brings internationally renowned scholars from Malaysia to Belfast to promote business, academic and research links between Northern Ireland and Malaysia.
A lawyer by qualification, Professor Salim has strong connections with Queen's. She holds three degrees awarded by the University. In 1971, she graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree, followed three years later by a Masters of Law degree. In 2006, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of the University in recognition of her services to the University's alumni relations programme.
Professor Salim has held a number of senior national and international positions in the fields of academic, banking, human resources and leadership.
Her address, entitled "The conflict between religion and gender - the Malaysian legislative experience", will take place on Friday 11 June in Room 212, Peter Froggatt Centre, at 2.30pm.
To register to attend please contact Paul Cochrane p.cochrane@qub.ac.uk or telephone (028) 9097 2575. Further information is available by clicking here
The TARC international conference, on October 18 and 19 in the One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, will attract hundreds of academics and industry presenters from around the globe.
Themed Emerging Trends in Higher Education Learning and Teaching, the conference will focus on methodologies and strategies in learning, teaching and assessment, as well as on technology and its impact on learning, teaching and assessment environments. There will also be focus on international policies and professional development in the area of learning and teaching.
For more information on the conference visit www.tarc.edu.my/tic2010.htm
The Malaysian Student Society of Northern Ireland (MSSNI) is hosting a charity dinner to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer on Saturday 6 March.
Held in The Space in the Students’ Union, guests will enjoy a range of traditional songs and dances, a fashion show and a three course dinner. Tickets cost £15 for members and £18 for non-members.
Among those attending will be South Belfast MLA Anna Lo, and Queen’s Senior International Officer for South East Asia, Rosemary McAlonan.
The MSSNI was founded in the 1970s, when the numbers of Malaysian students at the University began to rise, and now has over 50 members. As well as promoting Malaysian cultures to other students, the group provides support to everyone away from their own country and trying to adapt to a new environment.
For further information on the society, or to request tickets, email mssniqub@googlemail.com
President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's, Professor Peter Gresgon, and Professor Dato’ Dr Hassan Said, Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor’s University College
Queen's University Belfast is developing high quality partnerships with high quality institutions and high quality people in Malaysia. The partnership with the University of Malaya is an excellent example of such a global partnership.
Underpinned by well-found research collaborations, the Vice-Chancellors of the University of Malaya and Queen's announced that five academic leaders from Queen's would be appointed as Visiting Professors at UM, and that three prestigious international research fellos and a further eight collaborative PhD studentships would be supported by the universities. They also opened a Queen's Malaysia office on the campus.
Queen's President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson, said: "By establishing a physical presence at UM we can continue to build upon the links between our two universities as we each strive to become Global Top 100 universities.
"Our office in UM will provide a base for Queen's University staff and students who are involved in successful research partnerships and exchanges."
Professor Gregson also met ten postgraduate students from Queen's School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering who are already studying here under the British Council's PM12 Connect programme.
Professor Gregson continued: "Queen's has a long-standing relationship with Malaysia and we are fully committed to building upon our strong links with Malaysia's academic institutions, businesses, industry and our many alumni in this country."
The Queen's delegation also visited the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology at the University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and signed an agreement with Taylor's University College, which will enable engineering students from Taylor's to study in Belfast.
During the visit to UniKL, Professor Gregson, an non-executive director of Rolls Royce plc, and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, addressed an invited audience of eminent scientists and engineers at the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology (MIAT). Professor Gregson delivered a key note speech on the technological challenges facing the aerospace industry.
Professor Gregson's address set out the major challenges facing the aerospace industry today if environmental and sustainability targets are to be achieved. Drawing on his earlier research with Airbus and his recent experiences with Rolls Royce, he highlighted how new designs have led to environmentally friendly engines and how aerodynamic optimisation and advanced materials have contributed to a dramatically enhanced environmental performance of today's latest airlines.
Professor Gregson said: "This is an honour for me, and for Queen's University Belfast, to be invited to addresss Malaysia's leading aerospace scientists, engineers and researchers on this important topic. The European collaboration in the aerospace industry has demonstrated that sharing of knowledge and skills across international borders can benefit all parties and is vital in today's world."
A major conference for Malaysian postgraduate students will be held at Queen’s University later this year.
The United Kingdom Malaysia-Ireland Engineering Science Conference will take place at Queen’s in June. Open to Malaysian postgraduate students currently studying in Malaysia, the United Kingdom and Ireland, it will provide an excellent opportunity for them to share and exchange research ideas and findings in the field of engineering and sciences.
The conference, which will run from 21-25 June, is hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Queen’s University Belfast, Malaysian Students Department UK and Eire and Universiti Malaya.
The Chief Minister of Terengganu in Malaysia watched the first students from his region graduate with Bachelors of Chemical Engineering under a special international agreement.
The students, Martini Muhamad and Lili Hassan, will receive their degrees as a result of an agreement between Queen’s University and Terengganu Advanced Technological Institute (TATi).
In 2006 Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Professor Gregson signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TATi to allow its well-qualified students to enter Level 2 of Queen’s BEng Chemical Engineering programme.
The first cohort of these students started the programme in September 2006, with the support of the State of Terengganu.
This week a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed to extend the agreement, enabling up to 20 Malaysian students to come to Belfast and study engineering at Queen’s.
The MoU was signed by Professor Gregson; the Chief Minister of Terengganu, Datuk Ahmad bin Said, and Dato’ Latiff bin Awang, Director of the Board of Governors, TATiUC. Dr Rozailan bin Mamat, CEO of TATiUC and Haji Omar bin Haji Haran, Honorary Advisor to Queen’s in Malaysia also attended the event.
Professor Gregson said: “We are pleased that the Chief Minister and leading representatives of TATi are visiting Queen’s University to witness the graduation of the first of their sponsored students.
“We are delighted to expand our current articulation agreement so that more students from Terengganu can benefit from the Queen’s Experience.”
The Chief Minister of Terengganu said: “This visit marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration between Terengganu and Northern Ireland in the fields of education, trade and tourism.
“The State of Terengganu intends to sponsor up to 20 students each year in electrical civil and mechanical engineering in order to fulfil the future needs of the State.”
For media enquiries please contact: Andrea Clements, Press and PR Unit,+44 (0)28 90 97 5391, Mob 07980 013 362, a.clements@qub.ac.uk
Queen’s University already has a successful agreement with TATiUC which gives high performing students an opportunity to undertake a joint chemical engineering degree at Queen’s. Both institutions wish to develop this link creating a new common curriculum with TATiUC that will provide a basis for their students to also enter mechanical engineering and electrical engineering degree programmes and provide for progression to Masters level at Queen’s University. This will allow students in those disciplines access to 20 four year Scholarships per annum supported by the State of Terengganu.
Leading the delegation from Queen’s University is Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor James McElnay who said: “I am delighted to be here today to see the wonderful facilities that our partner institution TATiUC has to offer. I have been particularly impressed by the quality and enthusiasm of the students who will come to study at Queen’s University in September 2009 and will spend four years in Northern Ireland, before leaving with a valuable Masters level qualification.
“I look forward to the new enhanced arrangements for Engineering being agreed between TATiUC and Queen’s University. This agreement will broaden and extend opportunities to Mechanical and Electrical Engineering students from Terengganu to come to Queen’s University.
“One of Queen’s University’s key priorities is to create partnerships with high-quality international universities and institutions; there is no better model than our relationship with TATiUC to exemplify the benefits of this approach.”
Media inquiries to Kevin Mulhern, Head of Marketing and Communications, Queen’s University Belfast on 0044 (0)28 9097 5323 (w), 0044 (0)7813 015431 (m) or k.mulhern@qub.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
In November 2008 Queen’s announced the appointment of its first Malaysian ambassador to enhance its longstanding academic and research links with the country. The appointment of Dr Bhaskar Sengupta comes as the number of Malaysian students at Queen’s continues to rise, with more than 120 enrolled in this academic year.
In his role, Dr Sengupta, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering at Queen’s, will work to strengthen the University’s existing academic and research partnerships with the country’s leading educational institutions.
This week, Queen’s University Belfast also met with Petronas to discuss extending their partnership into other areas of research - last year Petronas opened a research laboratory at Queen’s University, the first of its kind in Europe.
Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of top 20 research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom.
Founded in 1845, Queen's has more than 17,000 students from over 80 countries, 3,500 staff and 100,000 graduates worldwide.
Currently there are more than 120 Malaysian students studying at Queen’s University, including engineering, computer science, chemistry, medicine, telecommunications and management. There are also almost 1,400 Malaysian graduates of Queen’s University.
Following the recent UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the Research Power Index (which measures the quality and quantity of research), places Queen’s in the top 20 universities in the UK.
Queen’s has 11 subject areas ranked within the top 10 in the UK and 24 in the top 20.
All areas at Queen’s had research assessed as world leading.
The University is located in Belfast, one of the world's safest cities in which to live and one of the regions in the United Kingdom with the lowest living costs.
It hosts the annual internationally acclaimed Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s.
Northern Ireland offers a friendly environment for all its international guests, is easily accessible from anywhere in the world and is only one hour by plane from London.
The University has a record of achievement in frontline research, first-class education and a commitment to internationalization. Queen's is currently investing over $500 million in its staff, students and infrastructure to develop a community of world-class academics and students.
Queen's honoured the King of Malaysia
The award ceremony was the highlight of a week-long visit to Malaysia by Queen’s and is the first time in its 160 year history the University has conferred an honorary degree on a reigning monarch.
Queen’s University has honoured the King because of his support for higher education and the links his country has shared with Queen’s over the last 50 years.
Accepting the honorary degree, the King of Malaysia said: “I am delighted to accept this award from Queen’s University Belfast. You honour me, but you also honour the people of Malaysia.
“This award has special significance for me because so many of my fellow Malaysians have chosen, and continue to choose, Queen’s University Belfast as their academic home from home.
“It is with great pride that I stand here today as King of a country that has the largest number of Queen’s alumni outside the UK and Ireland. I hope our educational partnerships will reinforce the ties between our two countries. We are rightly proud of our histories, our contribution to culture across the world and our contribution to global trade and industry.”
Following the ceremony Professor Gregson said: “This is a truly momentous day for Queen’s University, and one that reinforces the special relationship between Malaysia and Northern Ireland. Queen’s welcomes the support the King gives to this special relationship and we are keen to further develop this bond for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Supporting Queen’s international strategy and attending the prestigious event, Northern Ireland Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey said: “It is through sharing skills and expertise at home and abroad that we can further develop successful partnerships for the greater good. I welcome the opportunity this gives to promote the international strategies of our local universities and I fully support the collaborations between them and universities in a wide range of countries, including Malaysia. Through such collaborations, important research breakthroughs are made and Queen’s University must be congratulated for sharing its knowledge and skills with like-minded institutions on the global stage.”
Watch the King receive his honorary doctorate.
New Centre of Public Health in Malaysia: Professor Peter Gregson, VC of Queen's (seated) with the University of Malaya's VC, Professor Datuk Dr. Ghauth Jasmon; Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland and YB. Datuk Ir. Hj. Idris Haron, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia.
Queen’s University and University of Malaya (UM) today announced the establishment of the Centre for Population Health in Malaysia.
This is the first Centre of its kind in improving the health of Malaysians.
Examining the communities in terms of their diet and disease, conducting research into the complex relationships between diet, living conditions, environment and health, providing assistance for the national cancer registry and other related research on population health will be among the core functions of the Centre.
The Centre allows Malaysia to have a modern medical database of its people and provides population health solutions in the future. In today’s challenging world, research and databases are critical in anticipating future health problems.
Queen’s University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson said: “Queen’s is honoured to partner the University of Malaya in this major Centre. It is an international partnership that brings together complementary skills from Queen’s UK National Centre of Excellence in Public Health and builds on Queen’s links with the US National Cancer Institute.
“This initiative will see the development of a world-class Research Centre of Population Health in the University of Malaya. It will also capitalise upon Queen’s recognised expertise and experience in Public Health.”
Professor Datuk Dr. Ghauth Jasmon, Vice-Chancellor, UM, said, “This Centre is the future of Malaysian population health; we will improve Malaysian health through our research”. He also emphasized that the international collaboration with Queen’s allowed UM to have links with the UK Cancer Research Network and the United States National Cancer Institute.
Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey, who was also present as part of a four day visit to Malaysia and Singapore said: “This is an excellent example of an international partnership which will bring significant health benefits to millions of people. I am particularly pleased to be here today to witness Northern Ireland’s expertise being shared on the global stage. It underlines the contribution of our universities’ world-class research to Northern Ireland and people around the world.”
Queen’s and UM’s international collaboration allows Malaysia to develop and share the experience of Queen’s in establishing and operating a successful medical registry.
Also attending the announcement of the Centre was YB. Datuk Ir. Hj. Idris Haron, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia.
Malaysian students will have greater opportunities to study and live in Northern Ireland, thanks to a new agreement between Queen’s University and the University of Kuala Lumpur.
The President of the University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Professor Dato’ Hakin Juri and Deputy President Professor Mohd Azemi bin Nor are at Queen’s today (Wednesday 28 January) to sign an agreement allowing Engineering Technology students from the UniKL to transfer to Queen’s MEng undergraduate degree courses in Chemical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, or Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.
The agreement comes as Queen’s prepares to send a delegation to Malaysia next month (February) to further develop relationships with a number of leading educational establishments.
Signing the agreement, Queen’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor James McElnay, said:“Queen’s has a longstanding relationship with Malaysia. Malaysian students have been coming to Queen’s for over 50 years and indeed more than 1,200 Malaysian students have studied here to date.
“Today’s agreement with UniKL will allow us to build on these strong links. It gives Malaysia’s brightest young engineers an opportunity to take advantage of the excellent teaching and research facilities at Queen’s, which was ranked among the top 10 UK universities for a range of engineering disciplines in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
“Both Northern Ireland and Malaysia are striving to develop their full potential and infrastructure and Queen’s is proud to help the engineering sector, both at home and globally, by supplying top quality graduates.
“In 2007 Queen’s established a Malaysia Working Group to develop a strategy for the University to expand its academic links and research partnerships with Malaysia. Today’s agreement is an important part of that strategy and we look forward to welcoming the first students from the University of Kuala Lumpur later this year."
For more information on Engineering courses at Queen’s visit www.qub.ac.uk go to Schools' websites. For more information on the University of Kuala Lumpur visit www.unikl.edu.my
Notes to editors:
1. The agreement allows students to progress form Year One of a Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Hons) programme at the University of Kuala Lumpur to Year Two of the MEng at Queen’s in one of the following degree pathways:
• MEng Chemical Engineering
• MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• MEng Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
2. The MEng is a four-year extended degree course. It was established to provide a supply of particularly well-qualified graduates who will become industry leaders, and it will have an appropriate blend of knowledge and skills in engineering with business practice and management. Students have the option of undertaking a year gaining professional experience in industry.
For media enquiries please contact: Anne-Marie Watson, Press & PR Unit, +44 (0)28 9097 5320, a.watson@qub.ac.uk, 07814 415 451.
Queen’s University has announced the appointment of its first Malaysian ambassador to enhance its longstanding academic and research links with the country.
The appointment of Dr Bhaskar Sengupta comes as the number of Malaysian students at Queen’s continues to rise, with more than 120 enrolled this academic year.
In his new role, Dr Sengupta, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering at Queen’s, will work to strengthen the University’s existing academic and research partnerships with the country’s leading educational institutions.
Dr Sengupta's appointment coincided with a visit to Queen's this week by a high-level Malaysian Government delegation led by Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education Datuk Dr Zulkefli A Hassan.
Their itinerary included meetings with Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Postgraduates Professor James McElnay, as well as many of the country’s students currently studying at Queen’s.
Queen’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson said: "The University has a very special relationship with Malaysia, stretching back more than 40 years. There are currently more than 120 full-time Malaysian students enrolled at the University. Some 2,000 Queen’s graduates have made, and continue to make, a major contribution to Malaysian society, in areas ranging from the professions and education to the country's political and business life.
“This visit by a high-ranking Malaysian delegation, and Dr Sengupta’s appointment as our academic ambassador, will help us to strengthen this relationship further. We are delighted that the Malaysian Government is providing such high level support for collaborations with Queen’s."
Dr Sengupta said: "Malaysia traditionally has been one of the most important markets for the higher education sector in the UK, and Queen’s already has very close ties with the country, which will help me considerably in my role as ambassador.
“I look forward to increasing the number of students from Malaysia, especially at postgraduate level, and to developing new agreements with key colleges there."
Among Queen’s links with Malaysia is a major partnership with the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) to focus on collaborative research in the area of green chemistry and particularly ionic liquids.
In March Queen’s opened a new £500,000 laboratory to provide accommodation for a £5.25 million research contract from Petronas, the Fortune 500 oil and gas corporation owned by the Malaysian government. The new laboratory, based in Queen’s University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (QUILL), is the first Petronas academic-based laboratory of its kind in Europe.
Other connections include agreements with the University of Malaya and with Terrenganu Advanced Technological Institute, which allows well-qualified students from TATI to enter Level 2 of Queen’s BEng Chemical Engineering programme.
Queen’s also works to attract talented Malaysian students to Queen’s through schemes such as the prestigious Chevening Scholarships, which are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council.
For media enquiries please contact: Anne Langford, Corporate Affairs, +44 (0)28 9097 5310, Mob: 07815 871 997, a.langford@qub.ac.uk
Sir Reg Empey MLA, Minister for Employment and Learning, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson and PhD student Norfaizah ab Manan
Datuk Zainal Abidin b Hj Kasim, Rector of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and Professor Ken Seddon.
The new laboratory is based in Queen’s University Ionic Liquid Laboratories (QUILL). It has been refurbished by the University to provide suitable accommodation for a £5.25 million research contract from Petronas, the Fortune 500 oil and gas corporation owned by the Malaysian government.
The new facility is the first Petronas academic-based laboratory of its kind in
Ionic liquids are salts that are liquid below 100°C. Currently, many of the organic solvents used in the chemical industry are hazardous because they are volatile, flammable and toxic. Ionic liquids tend to be non-flammable, do not evaporate under normal conditions and do not omit vapours.
Professor Ken Seddon, Co-Director of QUILL said: “Research on ionic liquids has the potential to impact on the daily lives of everyone in the world; massively reducing industrial pollution, improving working conditions and enhancing job and wealth creation.
“Ionic liquids are the basis of a whole new industrial technology and research from QUILL is the global driver of this industry. Petronas’ vision in working with QUILL to establish this lab will have a positive impact on life in
Petronas is one of 17 industrial members of QUILL. Other members include BP, Merck, Shell and Proctor and Gamble and the centre has individual contracts with companies based in
Professor Peter Gregson, Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s said: “The forging of international industrial links is crucial in today’s global higher education marketplace. Under the direction of Professors Ken Seddon, Jim Swindall and Robin Rogers, QUILL is demonstrably leading the world in the development of an exciting new scientific process, inspiring a whole new generation of international researchers and delivering solutions to a problem of global proportions.”
In March of last year, Queen’s signed a partnership with the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) in
Ionic liquids research at Queen’s is also playing a significant role in the International Green Network which was initiated in 2005 by a leading group of G8 research ministers and science advisors. The
Further information on QUILL is available at http://quill.qub.ac.uk/
Queen's University has agreed two major research link-ups with prestigious insitutions in Malysia which will build on the University's world-class expertise in green chemistry and sustainability.
A senior delegation led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson are in Malaysia this week for the signing of the partnerships with Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and the University of Malaya (UM).
The agreement with UTP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petronas, the national oil company of Malaysia, will be signed by the Vice-Chancellor and by the Rector of UTP, Dr Zainal Abidin hj Kasim on Friday 16 March. The partnership will focus on collaborative research in the area of green chemistry and particularly ionic liquids, in which Queen’s is a world leader.
Among those visiting Petronas will be Professor Ken Seddon, the Director of QUILL, Queen’s University’s award-winning Ionic Liquids Laboratories. QUILL, which is pioneering the design of ‘green’ technology to develop more efficient, pollution free chemical processes, is acknowledged as the global leader in its field, and its research will impact on the lives of everyone on the planet.
The group also includes the Head of the University’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Professor Robbie Burch, and Professor Robin Rogers, who recently joined Queen’s from the University of Alabama.
On Saturday, 17 March, the Vice-Chancellor will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Malaya, Malaysia’s oldest and most prestigious university, of which one of Queen’s most distinguished graduates, Datuk Rafiah Salim, is the first female Vice-Chancellor.
The agreement will establish research links and exchange agreements in a range of academic areas related to sustainability and also create academic links in epidemiology and public health, vision science, pharmacy and plasma physics.
Speaking before his departure, Professor Gregson said: “Queen’s has many links with Malaysia, which is home to the largest number of graduates outside the United Kingdom and Ireland. These connections provide an excellent foundation on which to build dynamic research partnerships which will impact positively on life in Northern Ireland, in Malaysia and around the world.
“The forging of international links is crucial in today’s global higher education marketplace. One of Queen’s major priorities for the next five years is to create partnerships with selected high-quality international universities and institutions through which we can develop global centres of excellence in key areas of research. We are delighted that the Malaysian Government welcomes such collaboration and we are working to develop more such relationships with key Malaysian institutions.”
During his visit, Professor Gregson and colleagues from the University will meet Queen’s representatives in Malaysia and senior staff from a number of key educational institutions to discuss future academic collaboration.
The itinerary also includes a gala alumni dinner in Kuala Lumpur at which the guest speaker will be distinguished Queen’s graduate and former Chairman of Harland and Wolff Sir John Parker, a member of the Queen’s University of Belfast Foundation Board.
Queen’s visit to Malaysia coincides with the country’s 50th anniversary of independence. As part of the celebrations, Queen’s academic Dr Chris Hardacre will deliver an invited lecture to research students at the University of Malaya.
There are currently 137 Malaysian students enrolled at the University, more than a third of whom are postgraduates. Some 2,000 graduates have made, and continue to make, a major contribution to Malaysian society, in areas ranging from the professions and education to the country's political and business life.
The new partnerships follow the signing in February last year of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Terrenganu Advanced Technological Institute, which enables well-qualified students from TATI to enter Level 2 of Queen’s BEng Chemical Engineering programme. The first cohort of these students at TATI will start this programme in September.
Among Queen’s eminent graduates in Malaysia are Energy Minister the Honourable Dato Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, former Finance Minister the Honourable Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, and the late Professor Chin Fung Kee, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya.