TM R&D at UTAR

Delegates from TM Research & Development (TM R&D), a wholly owned subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia Bhd, visited UTAR Perak Campus for the first time on 25 March 2014 for a research collaboration meeting. The delegates included Chief Executive Officer Dr Gopi Kurup, Computational Sciences General Manager Azrin Bin Aris, Communication Technologies General Manager Zakaria Bin Ahmad, Strategy and Business Management General Manager Maimunah Binti Reduan, Head of System Technologies Dr Sufian Mousa Ibrahim Mitani, Digital Services Theme Leader I Mohamad Suwandi Bin Sidik, Head of Advanced Physical Technologies Lab Dr Mitani, Head of Strategy Management Unit Mohamad Zainuddin Ahmad, Head of HCBD Khairul Haniza Binti Yeop Hashim, Custodian Management Officers Rizal Yusob and Mohd Syaiful Syukor and Green Theme Leader Ir Rizaludin Kapin.

UTAR Director of Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research (IPSR) Prof Dr Faidz bin Abdul Rahman, Deans, Deputy Deans and academic staff from the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT) and Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) welcomed the delegates who travelled from Cyberjaya for the meeting. "It is our pleasure to welcome and meet the TM R&D delegates. We're pleased to brief you on our R&D projects and the collaborative research initiatives of our faculties and research centres," said Prof Faidz.

FEGT Deputy Dean (R&D and Postgraduate Programmes) Dr Lo Po Kim gave an introduction of the faculty by outlining the programmes, external collaborations with industry partners, publications by FEGT academics, facilities and resources. Lecturer Ir Chan Cheong Loong highlighted the faculty's research on hybrid optical wireless network which intrigued the delegates.

FICT Deputy Dean (R&D and Postgraduate Programmes) Prof Dr Leung Kar Hang introduced the Centre for Information Systems and Software Technologies where the delegates learnt more about the aims of the Centre, R&D collaboration and consultancy.

"TM R&D started operations in 2001 as the R&D arm to support the current and future business of Telekom Malaysia (TM). Our vision is to become a technology company and a leading force in the market through research, development and innovation in ICT," introduced Azrin who also thanked UTAR for its warm reception. "The four research areas by TM R&D are digital services, access technologies, green networks and process tools," he added.

Impressed by UTAR's remarkable achievement and commitment to R&D, Dr Gopi expressed the interest to collaborate with the faculties to look into green networks fields, other mutual areas of interests and even student internship and industrial training programme for UTAR students.

Prof Faidz reiterated that UTAR would certainly continue to maintain good rapport with TM R&D and hopefully, spark various productive collaborations that will greatly benefit both parties.

The delegation was then brought to visit the laboratories at both FICT and FEGT where they learn about research projects first-hand from the researchers.