UTAR and Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd looking forward to potential collaborations

A virtual meeting between UTAR and Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd (Kossan) was conducted on 2 September 2021 via Zoom.

The meeting was led by UTAR President Ir Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat and Kossan Group Managing Director-cum-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tan Sri Dato’ Lim Kuang Sia. It aimed to carry out a discussion on potential collaboration between both parties.

The delegates from Kossan were Technical Advisor to CEO Dato’ Dr Ong Eng Long, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Mok, Corporate Human Resource Assistant General Manager Lisa Wong, Group IT Head Tung YF, Learning & Development Senior Manager Alec Tan, Project Management Office Senior Manager Gan PF and Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) Manager Mandy Lim.

Meanwhile, present at the meeting on behalf of UTAR were Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Ir Prof Dr Yow Ho Kwang, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Dean Ir Prof Dr Goi Bok Min, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) Dean Assoc Prof Ts Dr Yap Vooi Voon, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT) Dean Assoc Prof Ts Dr Liew Soung Yue, LKC FES Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Assoc Prof Ts Dr Yap Wun She, Faculty of Science (FSc) Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Dr Phoon Lee Quen, FICT Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Ts Dr Goh Hock Guan, LKC FES Head of Chemical Engineering Department Dr Mah Shee Keat, Head of PhD(Eng) & MEngSc Programmes Dr Ng Yee Sern, Chairperson of Centre for Photonics and Advanced Materials Research Dr Steven Lim, FSc Head of Laboratory Management and Safety Administration Department Dr Ooi Zhong Xian, FEGT Head of PetroChemical Engineering Department Dr Mathialagan Muniyadi, FEGT lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Yamuna Munusamy, Centre for Corporate and Community Development (CCCD) Director Lim Guat Yen, Head of Corporate and Community Training Mohd Faizul bin Ahmad, Head of Department of Alumni Relations and Placement (DARP) Lim Swea Jen, Division of Community and International Networking (DCInterNet) Director Assoc Prof Dr Lai Soon Onn and Deputy Director Dr Chen, I-Chi.

Prof Ewe kick-started the meeting with welcome remarks and gave a brief introduction about UTAR and its industry-academia collaboration. He revealed, “UTAR works closely with the industry to ensure our programmes are in sync with the demand and latest trend of the industry. Our industrial collaboration focuses on the areas of research and development and consultancy, human capital development, talent development and curriculum development. We are looking forward to the possible collaboration with Kossan in the near future.”

Tan Sri Lim thanked UTAR for the arrangement of the meeting and said, “Collaboration between industry and academia is very important. Through collaboration with the industry, students and academics will be able to have a better understanding of the entire industry from the aspects of experience and practical knowledge. Furthermore, the collaboration will help to catalyse the transformation of university knowledge into application, train out more skilled people for the industry and contribute to the development of the economy.”

After the speech, Prof Goi, Dr Yamuna, Dr Liew, Dr Phoon and Dr Ooi introduced their respective faculties and presented their collaboration proposition. They introduced the highlights of academic, research, facility and laboratory, researcher lineup and the industrial collaborations of the respective faculty, besides proposing possible collaborations to Kossan.

Prof Goi highlighting the possible collaborations for LKC FES

Dr Yamuna introducing FEGT’s new launch work-based learning programme

Dr Liew explaining the focused areas for FICT’s industry collaboration

Dr Phoon and Dr Ooi introducing FSc’s industrial collaboration, research and laboratory facility

The meeting ended with a fruitful discussion. Both parties are looking forward to a formal partnership in the near future to enhance the collaboration in research projects and funding, staff training, graduate recruitment, internship and work-based learning programme, to name a few.

Established in 1979, Kossan is one of the largest manufacturers of latex disposable gloves in the world with an annual production capacity of 28 billion pieces and the largest technical rubber products manufacturer in Malaysia. More than 80% of its products are exported to over 130 countries with 350 active customers mostly located in developed nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Scandinavian Countries, Europe, China, Korea and Japan. Kossan manufactures offer a wide range of products including highly technical input engineered rubber products used in automotive, infrastructure, marine, aviation, rail and mining industries through its Technical Rubber Product Division and latex disposable gloves through its Glove Division. The Group operates with 20 plants (19 in Malaysia, 1 in China) and has a total workforce of approximately 6,000, comprising both local and foreign nationals.