Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus has embarked on a campaign to enhance its reputation and international ranking by expanding its research capabilities.
Vice-Chancellor of Swinburne Professor Linda Kristjanson today (12 July, 2012) briefed Chief Minister of Sarawak Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud on the research strategy, at Menara Pelita in Petra Jaya, Kuching.
Taib is the Pro Chancellor of Swinburne Sarawak, which is jointly owned by the Sarawak government and Swinburne, Australia.
Swinburne Sarawak’s focus on research is in line with plans to transform Swinburne Australia into a leading university for science, technology and innovation. Swinburne has been ranked among one of the top 100 research universities in the world in the field of physics by the 2011 Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Key to Swinburne Sarawak’s research strategy is the setting up of research excellence centres where expertise from its engineering, computing, science, business, design and language disciplines could be pooled to develop technologies and strategies for financially, socio-economically and environmentally sustainable development.
Later this year, the university will set up a research centre to boost research, promote research collaborations and instil best research practices. It will also serve as a model for future research centres.
The Sarawak campus has set its sights on research in areas that address the needs of the government, local communities and industries with the goal of advancing the State and its people. Up to 10 major research projects are set to commence this year. They include studies for sustainable manufacturing processes at the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy’s (SCORE) energy intensive industries, strategies for sustainable power generation and delivery, as well as research that tap into the State’s rich biodiversity.
Swinburne Sarawak will work closely with its home campus in Melbourne to leverage its research capabilities while collaborations with key institutions such as Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, UNIMAS, Sarawak Energy Bhd, Clinical Research Centre and other organisations involved in the SCORE region will be initiated.
Since it was established almost 12 years ago, Swinburne Sarawak has a good track record in research related to advanced thermal science, industrial and environmental biotechnology, industrial engineering, civil engineering and health informatics in terms of publications and grants won.
It has the expertise and infrastructure to support research in these areas. With the expansion of the campus in 2008, more than RM10 million of the latest engineering and science equipment was put in place to support its programs and research.
The university has close links to industry and has collaborated in numerous research and development projects with local corporations. Among them are Biotech Alliance International, Malaysian Pepper Board and Hock Seng Lee.
Additionally, its health informatics and civil engineering research projects are well supported by local healthcare providers and construction industries.
Another key research area the university hopes to undertake is in the social, organisational and commercial context of technological innovation which could provide an avenue for Swinburne Sarawak to integrate its capabilities in business, design, science and technological research.