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[ 13-01-2010 ]

UTM, Newcastle to boost Iskandar

JOHOR BARU: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Newcastle University of United Kingdom are working to bring medical researchers into Iskandar Malaysia. UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang said the arrangement with the UK university's medical branch in Nusajaya here was expected to turn the development corridor into a major education and research hub.

"We want to attract teaching staff from the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed Malaysia) in Nusajaya to conduct research at UTM's biomedical and health sciencies faculties," he said yesterday.

NUMed Malaysia is expected to have nearly 20 academic staff in its first phase when it begins operations next year.

Zaini said he would lead a UTM team to Newcastle University's main campus next month for talks on the possibility of training UTM staff in the university.

He said UTM had many joint interests with Newcastle University in the fields of sustainability, aging and cancer-related research in medicine.

"Newcastle will be physically here next year. Following this, UTM is expected to develop programmes for, among others, visiting professorships."

Meanwhile, Newcastle University pro-vice chancellor, Prof C. P. Day, said the student population of NUMed Malaysia was expected to reach nearly 750 in eight years of operation.

Among courses offered by NUMed Malaysia is the acclaimed bachelor of medicine/bachelor of surgery (MBBS) programme.

From 2012, NUMed Malaysia intends to introduce the Newcastle University bioscience degrees and master's in clinical education.