KUCHING – A delegation from AsiaLearn’s GlobaLinks Learning Abroad consortium recently toured Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus as part of its familiarisation visit to the university.
The delegation was represented by senior faculty members in charge of study abroad and international education programs from four American universities as well as representatives from AsiaLearn itself.
According to Jeff Clifton, the AsiaLearn Regional Director of Institutional Relations for the north-eastern region of the US, the visit aimed to build close partnership between Swinburne Sarawak and members of AsiaLearn’s study abroad consortium especially in expanding future collaboration in the area of study abroad.
“This visit will give us the opportunity to meet the staff of the university, have a first hand look of the facilities provided by Swinburne Sarawak as well as meet the students who are currently studying at Swinburne under this program,” he said.
“For the benefit of the universities who are participating in this program, we aim to promote and enhance international study abroad initiatives through extensive program offerings available to their students by the Asian partner universities. At the same time, we want to develop relationship with their faculties so we can better understand the needs of these universities in order for us to provide recommendations and resources in terms of studying abroad,” he added.
The delegation was taken on a tour of the campus which included a visit to the engineering and science laboratories, the campus’ 34,000 square foot library and its fully furnished on-campus hostel.
The visitors were especially impressed with the projects done by the final year engineering students and with the accreditation of its engineering courses by the Institute of Engineers Australia and the Board of Engineers Malaysia. The delegates also commended the university on the facilities it has made available to its engineering students.
The 6-member delegation represented was from the University of Florida, Philadelphia University, Western New England College in Connecticut and California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.