UTAR signs MoU with The Development Zone

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Shandong's Weihai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (The Development Zone), China on 2 December 2013 at UTAR Faculty of Engineering and Science (FES), Setapak Campus, Kuala Lumpur.

The signatories for the MoU were UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato' Dr Chuah Hean Teik and The Development Zone Science and Technology Bureau Director Dr Zhiwei Yang. UTAR Vice President (R&D and Commercialization) Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei and The Development Zone Science and Technology Bureau Section Head Liying Qin were the witnesses for the respective parties.

Also present were The Development Zone Deputy Director Dr Dan Wang, Wego Holding Co Ltd Technical Director Shan Gao, and Wego Holding Co Ltd translator Zou Mei. Present from UTAR were FES Deputy Dean (Student Development and Industrial Training) Dr Lai Soon Onn, Deputy Dean (R&D and Postgraduate Programmes) Dr Yong Thian Khok, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology Deputy Dean (Student Development and Industrial Training) Dr Choo Peng Yin, and FES Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Head Dr Lew Kim Luong.

Prof Lee lauded on the technological advancement of The Development Zone and said, "Weihai Industrial Zone has a very conducive environment for technology development and incubation. Their scheme for foreign researchers and technologists to set up and carry out business activities there is attractive."

Dr Yang expressed confidence that the collaboration with UTAR would be a fruitful partnership. "UTAR is a reputed educational institution. Prof Lee's credentials and the achievements of other UTAR academics assure us that we will work together very well for the benefit of both organizations in future," Dr Yang added.

The MoU established a basis for a win-win co-operation in the areas that include promoting reciprocal visits, talent exchange, training and the sharing of resources and information. It also paved the way for building a long lasting industry-university-research co-operation through commercialising suitable UTAR scientific research output and mature technologies through the incubation platform provided by The Development Zone.

Weihai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, founded in 1991, is one of the three national level Hi-Tech development zones in the Torch program which is to develop hi-tech industries in China. It has been awarded "National Level Advanced Hi-Tech Development Zone", "National Exportation Base of Hi-Tech Products", and "National Level Intellectual Property Right Demonstrating Zone".

Prof Lee (left) exchanging the MoU documents with Dr Yang

(From left)Dr Lew, Dr Yong, Dr Choo, Gao, Prof Lee, Dr Wang, Dr Yang, Dr Lai, Qin during the souvenir presentation to UTAR