UTAR and Maxis partner to drive 5G innovation in healthcare and education

UTAR and Maxis have successfully forged a transformative partnership through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU aims to pioneer 5G-enabled solutions in healthcare and education by leveraging Maxis’ advanced network infrastructure and UTAR’s academic expertise.

To celebrate this partnership, a ceremony was held on 20 December 2024 at Maxis Business Innovation Centre, Menara Maxis. The event was attended by key representatives from both institutions, including Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat, President of UTAR, and Mr Prateek Pashine, Maxis Chief Enterprise Business Officer.

Mr Pashine highlighted the significance of this partnership and said, “Maxis is proud to collaborate with a like-minded partner in UTAR as we explore the possibilities enabled by 5G technology. Healthcare and education are critical fields that require future-ready ideas, and this partnership will help accelerate innovation.” His remarks reflected Maxis’ long-term commitment to creating digital ecosystems that drive technological advancements through collaboration.

Prof Dato’ Ewe echoed these sentiments, expressing UTAR’s enthusiasm for the partnership. “By leveraging the combined strengths of academia and industry, we can co-create transformative solutions that contribute to technological advancements and societal progress,” he stated, emphasising how the collaboration aligns with UTAR’s mission of fostering research-driven innovation.

The MoU outlines several strategic objectives focused on developing 5G applications in healthcare and education. In healthcare, the partnership will explore remote surgery (telesurgery), telemedicine, real-time health monitoring and virtual consultations. These solutions have the potential to revolutionise patient care by enabling faster, more efficient service delivery, regardless of geographical constraints.

In education, the collaboration seeks to enhance learning through immersive environments, interactive content delivery, and augmented reality (AR)-powered applications. Students will benefit from remote access to lectures and multimedia-rich educational content, ensuring a dynamic and engaging learning experience powered by 5G connectivity.

The MoU also extends to the exploration of cybersecurity solutions, green technology initiatives and smart campus projects. These areas of collaboration will further solidify UTAR’s position as a leading institution at the forefront of academic research and technological innovation.

This MoU builds on Maxis’ earlier partnership with UTAR in 2019 when Maxis provided high-speed Internet services to UTAR’s campuses in Sungai Long and Kampar. The collaboration allowed UTAR to scale its digital infrastructure to support evolving academic and research needs.

From left: Mr Pashine and Prof Dato’ Ewe