MDT Innovations forges closer ties with UTAR through MoU signing

Liew (second from left) and Prof Chuah (second from right) exchanging the signed MoU documents as Prof Faidz (far right) and Sim look on

UTAR is set to work with MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd, one of the fastest growing technology companies in the Asia Pacific through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) held on 27 May 2019 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus.

Signing the MoU were UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik and MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Liew Choon Lian while witnessing the signing were UTAR Vice President for R&D and Commercialisation Prof Ts Dr Faidz bin Abd Rahman and MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd Chief Operating Officer Sim Hon Wai.

During the MoU signing ceremony, Prof Chuah said, “UTAR and MDT Innovations will work hand in hand on state of the art research on the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics and artificial intelligence. I am confident that the upgraded IoT lab and facility will serve as a great platform for UTAR students who are interested in carrying out research projects and assignments on IoT. The MoU also paves the way for internships, which will allow our students to build professional capacities. This strategic partnership is aligned with UTAR’s goals in maintaining strong undergraduate programmes which encourage the intellectual and personal development of students to meet the needs of the profession and the community.”

“For years we have dedicated our research to the developments of RFID components to enable seamless integration of auto-identification, information and communications technologies to make our IoT products more creative, futuristic, and systematic. We wish to bring our technology and know-how more forcefully into the market not only by training and R&D but also by close cooperation with technical colleges and universities,” said Liew.

Liew further added, “We will also work on quarterly sessions between MDT Innovations and UTAR to discuss technologies and R&D collaboration and execute some of the product or solution ideas for application such as remote sensing, Geo/Satellite imaging processing and Drone/UAV. The MoU signed here today will help to provide us with a committed approach to working more closely, which will allow us to support UTAR’s growth and innovative expansion to meet its goal, ‘To be a global university of educational excellence with transformative societal impact’.”

A total of RM213,000 will be donated from MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd towards UTAR which will be used to fund the capstone project award, upgrading works of IoT lab and UTAR Best Graduate Award. The plans to upgrade teaching and research facilities of IoT will be done through UTAR’s Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) along with the support from MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd.

UTAR Best Graduate Award will recognise the overall performance and achievements of UTAR students and the best student based on CGPA will be given RM1,000 at each UTAR convocation.

Liew (second from left) handing the mock cheque to Prof Chuah as Sim (far left) and Prof Faidz look on

The MoU is set to collaborate on joint projects involving collaborative research and to share expertise and joint development of research. It aimed to facilitate exchanges of ideas and facilities to pursue research and curriculum development, and to participate in seminars, conferences and workshops which will lead to greater possibilities for the university, industry and society.

The MoU also aimed to facilitate industrial study visits of UTAR undergraduate and postgraduate students and mutual visits by MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd for the purpose of enhancing learning experience, professional development and curriculum development.

Also present at the ceremony were MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd Planning & Corporate Affairs Director Mohd Radzai Mohd Salleh, MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd R&D Manager Chew Hoo Beng, MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd Sales/Marketing Executive Carmen Pan, MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd IoT Engineer Tan Peh Sern, MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd IoT Engineer Khairul Ammar Khalidr and MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd Head of Project Management Wong Fong Teng. Representing UTAR were LKC FES Dean Prof Ir Dr Goi Bok Min, LKC FES Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Ir Dr Lim Jee Hock, Head of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Assoc Prof Ir Dr Chang Yoong Choon, Centre for Communication Systems and Networks Chairperson Prof Ts Dr Lim Eng Hock, LKC FES lecturers and students.

From left: Prof Goi, Prof Faidz, Prof Chuah, Liew, Sim and Mohd Radzai at the MDT Innovations IoT laboratory

Seated front row, from left: Sim, Prof Chuah, Liew and Prof Faidz with lecturers and students

Students demonstrating their research projects to Liew during the IoT lab tour