MoU to promote STEM education

From left: Dr Teh, Dr Tey, Dr Chew, Dr Bernard, Danny Ng, Dr Kwan, Ray Ong, Prof Chuah, Simon Yew, Prof Faidz, Dr Lai, Weng, Dr Yap, Goh, Dr Lo and Hoh 

A tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between UTAR, MAL-TEL Technology Sdn Bhd and UBTECH Robotics Limited on 20 December 2018 at Sungai Long Campus.

Signing the MoU were UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik, MAL-TEL Technology Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Simon Yew Chia Wei and UBTECH Robotics Limited Sales Director Ray Ong. The MoU aimed to collaborate on developing and improving the local contents, syllabus and teaching methods of the robotic education and to perform joint research on artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics solution to prepare the future generation in adapting the fast-changing environment.

Also present at the MoU signing ceremony were UTAR Vice President for R&D and Commercialisation Prof Ts Faidz bin Abd Rahman, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology Dean Assoc Prof Dr Yap Vooi Voon, Division of Community and International Networking Director Assoc Prof Dr Lai Soon Onn, FEGT Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Dr Lo Po Kim, Head of Electronic Engineering Department Assoc Prof Dr Teh Peh Chiong, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science Head of Mechatronics and BioMedical Engineering Department Dr Kwan Ban Hoe, Centre for Vehicular Technology Chairperson Ts Assoc Prof Dr Chew Kuew Wai, Dr Bernard Saw Lip Huat, Danny Ng Wee Kiat and Dr Tey Jing Yuen Representing UBTECH Robotics Limited was Business Development Manager Natalie Weng while representing MAL-TEL Technology Sdn Bhd were Company Director Lee Weng Keong, Senior Sales Manager Kenny Goh and Administrator & PA to CEO Cavie Hoh.

Prof Chuah said, “Through the MoU, both parties were able to carry out even more diverse collaborations which span across joint applications for research grant as well as industrial placement for students. We do not know what kind of graduates and engineers are needed in the future, therefore we do not only train ready-to-market graduates but we should train ready-to-develop graduates.” He added, “Being a university at the forefront of promoting STEM education locally, UTAR is indeed honoured and heartened by both Mal-Tel and UBTECH’s intention to work with us in developing and improving the local contents of the robotic education for STEM promotion in local academic institutions. This is indeed a good example of strategic university-industry collaboration whereby in this context, the industry has the solutions but needs them to be customised to suit local contents. UTAR, on the other hand, will use its academic expertise to develop the syllabi and contents. Through such collaboration, the UTAR community will also be able to get training and exposures on AI and robotic solutions from UBTECH.”

Ray gave an introduction on UBTECH and the future of the robotic industry and said, “It is an important moment where we’ve come to collaborate in advance on AI robotics in education. I think we are very much in line in various areas such as soft skills development for our future generation. One of our key roles is to develop an ecosystem in education using robotics and stem technology. Hence, we take it as a responsibility to educate the next generation on AI robotics so they could advance into the near future.”

Simon said, “We want to introduce practicality in the delivery of STEM education. You do not prepare anyone for a ready market because, by the time they are prepared, they are no longer valuable so we need to prepare graduates that can foresee what is needed in the future.  In today’s world, we talk about AI and robotics. At the same time, we need to make learning as fun as possible thus, we need to look into opportunity and ways to encourage the younger generation to learn this knowledge.”

The MoU signing ceremony was followed by a demonstration of robots and a group photography session. 

From left: Ray Ong, Prof Chuah and Simon Yew at the MoU signing ceremony

 Robot demonstration after the signing ceremony